Large scale demolition nr Tulkarem/Nablus

Large scale demolition nr Tulkarem/Re-invasion of Nablus

1.Large scale demolition near Tulkarem

2.Re-invasion of Nablus'Old City

3.Media Co-ordinator's note

1.August 21, 2003

Early Friday morning, 15 heavy-duty earth moving machines rolled into Nazlat'Isa accompanied by a large number of soldiers, border police and Israeli workers. By afternoon, they had demolished four houses and 120 shops which were mostly building/industrial supply stores and parts of markets. Although these buildings are in the path of another fence that will be built just inside the green line, the soldiers claimed they were slated for demolition because they were built illegally without permits. This fence, along with the main separation wall that is being built in the West Bank, will create an isolating pocket around three villages: Nazlat'Isa, Baqa Ash Sharqi, and Nazlat Abu Nar. Eleven ISM activists from the Tulkarm region, 7 Catalonians, 1 Italian, and 3 Americans, documented the demolitions. They also helped shopkeepers to empty their stores and to load the goods onto trucks to save them from demolition. Due to the vast number of stores and homes in the area, it is likely that the demolitions will continue tomorrow. However, several home and shopkeepers have gone to court to get an injunction and it is possible the demolitions may be delayed.

Tulkarem ISM ________________________________

2.Friday, 22nd August, 2003

IOF re-inavdes the Old City of Nablus(21st August, 2003). In the eary hours of Thursday morning, Israeli Occupation Forces re- occupied the Old City of Nablus, with the supposed intention of finding bomb making facilities and weapons stores. This re-occupation involved curfew and the occupying of Palestinian homes and offices within the Old City. Currently at least twenty homes are being - or have been - occupied by the IOF. Families were either forced from their homes or made to stay in one or two rooms within their houses. Palestinian medical relief teams aided by activists from the International Solidarity Movement, have for the past two days been negotiating passage of those in need of medical attention, bringing crucial medicines, baby milk, nappies and basic food stuffs to families in occupied homes. ISM activists today visited some of the occupied homes, placing signs on the homes that read in Arabic - 'soldiers in house' - and various other signs in English purporting to various international humanitarian laws and the occupation itself. At the time of writing, the occupation forces had arrived at Nablus' main hospital in the Rafidyah district. Since the re-invasion yesterday there have been three killings of Palestinians. Polly [U.K./New Zealand]: + 972 67 958 817

3.Media Co-ordinator's note: Yesterday's ISM alert "The End of the Road Map?" expressed a personal opinion which should not be interpreted as representative of the International Solidarity Movement. An expression of personal opinion necessitates a name being put to it. On this occasion, it was mine. Apologies for any misunderstanding.

Sam McGarry ISM Media Co-ordinator Beit Sahour Occupied Palestine 972-2-277-4602

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