Report from Palestine (dictated from telephone call)

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday April 18, 2002 17:30 by Tim Hourigan

Mary Kelly reports in on the latest goings on.

Due to the difficult circumstances, there are a few links in the chain between eyewitnesses and indymedia. Mary phoned this in to a friend, it got e-mailed around, and I think it should be open to the public as well.

Eyewitness report from Mary Kelly, Nablus April 16th 2.30 pm
This morning we decided to take food and medicine to the besieged refugee camps of Nablus. We are a group of 20 internationals: 5 English, 11 French, 2 Americans, 1 Danish and 1 Irish (myself). We had the company of 6 Palestinians to guide and interpret for us, 4 men and 2 women.
We went first to Ackar camp where our refief was much welcomed in the middle of a scene of wanton destruction.
After leaving Ackar camp we went to Bellata camp. On our way we passed through a checkpoint. Nearer to the camp we were stopped by 2 tanks. They were shooting shots in the air. "Go back, you are not allowed in" is what we were told. There was cross fire. We decided it was too dangerous and turned back.
When we reached the checkpoint we had first gone through, they would not let us pass and made us wait and wait. They had an apartment block as their headquarters with 2 tanks stationed outside.
After more than an hour 2 police vans and a tank appeared. They told us we would have to give up the Palestinians who were with us. We said "No way" They circled around us and started to kick us. They aimed their kicks in particular at the young French and English men. It was very violent and very ugly. They dragged the Palestinian men away, made them kneel down and handcuffed them behind their backs. We formed a huddle around the two Palestinian women. There was a standoff and after negotiating with another commanding officer, we were allowed back to our base at The Union of Palestine Medical Relief Centre.
We are catching our breath after the most terrifying experience yet, thank God we are all still alive.
I have dictated this by phone to my friend Mike Collard in Bantry, West Cork and hope that I will be able to communicate better soon.
Mary Kelly.