David Rolstone's Letters from Palestine

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Friday, 19 December 2003 - More news of the attacks in Balata

Hi Jane and All,

This morning things had calmed down in Balata, or as much as they are likely to at the moment with the IDF using so much aggression against the camp. This morning people were opening their shops and stalls that sell breakfast things such as humus and fool for the first time since the incursion began. Last night there was an explosion from the house across the road which blew in part of our window, the IDF had arrived again in the middle of the night looking for the twin brother but apart from terrorizing the people of that house and destroying their door and putting a new bullet hole in their window they found nothing. Just a few things that I did not mention in the last report the first being that on Wednesday morning they occupied the mosque at the entrance to Balata Camp soldiers were looking out of the door and windows, they seemed to be using it as a barracks. Also on Thursday Kelly was arrested and beaten with the butt of a gun while being dragged into a military jeep. Later Mika and Flo were rounded up and taken to Huwwara and interrogated by the IDF. Eventually all three got released.

Yesterday morning during the incursion into Nablus one of the 4 fighters killed was in fact assassinated. He had been wounded and was lying in the road, the UPMRC volunteers were approaching him to take him to hospital when soldiers appeared and fired at the medical team telling them to go away. They then fired 4 shots into the injured man killing him. This is against all the international rules of War.

I'm now back in Ramallah this afternoon talking to people and sorting various things out for the campaign.

All for now P&BM, Dave.

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