Rachel's Sniper

Yesterday my colleague walked out of the office where he spends many tireless days and nights working away. When he did not return for some time I began to wonder where he could have gone. Then came the news that he left in an instant, after he received the news that his 12-year old son who was playing outside on their balcony was shot by an Israeli sniper from his tower that is over looking their house in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem. This particular sniper tower is the same that runs through the barrier around Rachel's Tomb which is adjacent to the camp. The Wall was recently completed there in September and currently a Jewish only settlement is being built. Two children were on the balcony at the time of the shooting, five more children between 2-10 years old were playing inside the house - running between the balcony and the house. No warning was given to the children before the shooting began.

Miras was shot in the back as he and his brother were running back into the house to seek protection as the bullet pierced his body. Three other children (2 years old to the eye, 9 years old to the leg and Mai'san to the stomach) suffered injuries from glass and stone shrapnel. The children said that shooting continued after they had entered the house. This was a clearly deliberate attack with the intention to kill, injure and/or maim the children. After Miras was taken to hospital, the family found the rest of the children in a state of shock, holding each other minutes after the event, unable to move.

The house is less than 200 feet away from the tower, so it can be clearly seen that they were children playing. As with many homes in the camp, the soldiers can see directly into their home and have probably monitored the movements of the family for quite some time. We all went to the hospital while Miras underwent surgery; thankfully the bullet was removed and he remains in critical but stable condition.

Today, when Nidal went on the balcony to take photos of the damage, soldiers from the tower yelled at him to move back in the house. It seems soldiers do not want them to use the balcony and the upper floor of their house. The rooms on the upper floor have been destroyed 3 times since the beginning of the Intifada. The family had stopped using them since 2000, but after renovation, started using them again in July 2006. Today, a jeep came looking for him; the soldiers are clearly attempting to intimidate and harass him and his family. The children are scarred and terrified that their father will get arrested.

In August 2006, the Israeli's officially severed the Rachel's Tomb area from the rest of Bethlehem, including from those Palestinians who own land and properties there. In fact, my place is very close and I often walk to see the many homes which are completely surrounded on all sides by the wall! Palestinian owners whose properties are located inside the area reported, that as of "the 28th of August that they are no longer allowed to access their properties. The Israeli Occupation forces gave orders not let anyone inside the enclave as they're preparing to isolate the area and rig large iron gate along the 30 foot cement partition surrounding the tomb site thus permanently sealing off the area from Bethlehem." The confiscation of the land and the building of the wall around Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem severs the connection between Christian and Muslim holy sites and is just another example of families devastated on EVERY LEVEL by the building of the wall and settlements on and near their land. That is why many have left and are leaving the city. 400,000 alone have been displaced, from the building of the wall. (For more information on forced displacement and internally displaced persons see the recent study by badil at www.badil.org/wall-report.pdf).

The "little town of Bethlehem" is under serious attack and is being completely economically strangled and physically enclosed by settlers and the wall. Settlement expansion and land confiscations are happening at a most alarming rate. And yet Bethlehem it is only one of the many latest developments of forcible transfer, which involves a deliberate and vulgar cleansing of the local population, a war crime and a crime against humanity. It is said that these settlers are particularly extremist, and they fear that "the town will become another Hebron - where Jewish extremists have expelled Palestinians from their homes and with the support of the Israeli army, who intimidate and harass the local population."
(see: Evil Incarnate: Settlers of Hebron http://palestinehumanrights.blogspot.com/2006/05/evil-incarnate-
settlers-of-hebron.html) It seems as though the fear is well justified.

On 31 October, 2006, when asked, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action the UK Government have taken following the Israeli Defence Force's transfer of the Rachel Tomb neighborhood to the Israeli civilian authority at Jerusalem, Dr. Howells responded: "We have taken no specific action relating to the Israel Defence Force's transfer of the Rachel's Tomb neighbourhood to the Israeli civilian authority, but we raised our concerns, at official level, about the serious impact on the citizens of Bethlehem of Rachel's Tombs' inclusion in the barrier. We believe the barrier's route should be on or behind the Green Line, and not on occupied territory. Construction of the barrier on Palestinian land is illegal. We also remain concerned by settlement activity in nd around the area surrounding Rachel's Tomb. We will continue to raise our concerns about this area with the Israeli Government."

As at least one person suggested that they should not let the kids play on the balcony of the house, and Nidal replied, "Is it my children that should not play there, rather is it not the soldier, that must not shoot him?" Yet, it seems that no one knows exactly what to do to stop them, and the `raising of concerns' world wide are not enough to safe guard the children of Palestine who enjoy absolutely NO form of protection. As Israeli authorities continue to make a mockery of the Quartet and all previous agreements, human rights, international law, UN resolutions etc., it is increasingly clear that the only hope for change is the complete diplomatic isolation; and all forms of political sanctions, cultural and academic boycott and economic divestment (BDS) until Israel complies with international law. Please let me know if you would like more information on BDS.

Happy holidays,
from the holy Occupied city of Bethlehem.

May next year be better.

Noura

The following is (another) statement that UNRWA put out.
Unfortunately, they have no mechanism in place to provide
accountability, or protection for those in their care.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency
West Bank Field Office, Jerusalem
Phone (02) 5890408. Facsimile: (02)5322842
UNRWA

Press Release

10/2006 PRESS STATEMENT
8 December 2006

Palestinian child shot while playing at home

Jerusalem - This Friday morning a 13 -year old Palestinian child was shot and seriously wounded as he was playing near his parents' house in Aida refugee camp, near the town of Bethlehem.

At around 12:00hrs, Miras Nidal Azzeh was struck by a bullet in the upper abdomen area, seriously injuring him. At least three bullets were fired in his direction from an Israeli army observation tower overlooking the refugee camp.
Miras was taken to al-Yamama Hospital in the nearby village of al-Khader for the removal of the bullet. He was operated upon and is listed is serious but stable condition.
Condemning the shooting, UNRWA's West Bank Field Director, Anders Fange described it as a "reckless and irresponsible act that shows flagrant disregard for human lives. Children are not safe even at home."

As UNRWA gears up for its annual Host and Donors meeting next week in the Jordanian capital, Amman, at which Palestinian youth issues will be addressed, Anders Fange stressed that this latest tragedy underscores the need for an international protection mechanism to protect the civilian population, including children.

-end-

For information only

Note: For more information please contact Sami Mshasha at 0542168295