Update in Ramallah 11.55gmt

Sunday March 31, 2002 13:08

by Amanda - imc

Reports that the presidential compound is being stormed and the Ramallah hospital is under attack

I spoke to a woman in Ramallah who is standing in the door of the Ramallah Hospital with around 70 other international citzens and hospital doctors in an attempt to stop the Israeli military from entering.
She also told me that they have currently lost contact with the Presidential compound, and Caoimhe Butterly the Irish medic inside the building.
They say the last they heard the Israelis were shelling the building and throwing in grenades and tear gas.
In the last communication from Caoimhe she said the Israeli's had been attempting to take up positions at the entrances of the compound but were beaten back by Palestinian security forces. This was a number of hours ago.
There have been reports of five Palestinian police officers being arrested and executed by Israeli forces. And also of Israeli raids on civilian homes, these raids were video recorded by international civilians, some were told to leave and had guns pointed to there heads but they remained until the Israelis left. And are now attempting to make their way to Ramallah hospital to defend that and then attempt to gather teir numbers and march to the Presidential compound.
There are also some reports that suggest there may be some truth to the speculation printed on the newswire about a camp being built in Hebron for Palestian prisoners. Links are at
http://jerusalem.indymedia.org/news/2002/03/1569.php and
palestinechronicle.com/article.phpstory=20020316192103507
Nothing definite but it does seem now more of a possibility.

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update 12.17gmt

Sun Mar 31, 2002 13:19

Contact has been at least temporarily lost with those in Ramallah. We were talking on mobiles and the last time I spoke to them the signal was very bad. There was at that time no signal in the Presidential compound so we suspect the masts are being disabled.
The last news was that civilian homes are being raided again, those that would not allow the Israelis in are having their doors broken open. Israeli soldiers are also firing on Palestinian civilians.
Men are being arrested and divided into two groups. Reports are that one group are to arrested the other executed.
In Bethleham they are expecting to be attacked in the next hour. We may lose contact with them when that happens. The palestinian imc offices are located there.

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Update in Ramallah 11.55gmt

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