Israeli Army Tanks Fire on Crowded Palestinian Market Killing Three Children

Situation Now Extremely Desperate in all Occupied Territories

by
Ernesto Cienfuegos
La Voz de Aztlan

Los Angeles, Alta California - 6-22-2002 (ACN) On Friday, Israeli army Merkava tanks fired on a Jenin fruit and vegetable market, killing three children, a male teacher, and wounding 26 civilians who were led to believe that a curfew had been lifted and came out to shop for essential food items. This is one of the worst and most heartless massacres of Palestinian civilians yet by the brutal Israeli Army.

At least 1,829 Palestinians have been killed since Ariel Sharon instigated the current crisis by purposely intruding on the Temple Mount in Old Jerusalem on September 28, 2000. Sharon was then the leader of the opposition right-wing Likud party. The intrusion to the Temple Mount was coldly calculated by the now prime minister who is known as "The Butcher of Sabra and Chatilla".

The situation is presently so grave that 15 European Union leaders, meeting in Seville, Spain, warned, "There is an urgent need for political action by the whole international community if Palestinian and Israeli leaders can not find a solution on their own".

The new massacre in Jenin was one of several deadly incidents Friday in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that left 10 Palestinians dead, the highest daily death toll on the Palestinian side since last month, when Israel concluded their previous military operation in Palestinian territories.

The current onslaught on the Palestinian population was decided in a closed session of the Israeli Cabinet that endorsed a new policy to occupy and hold more Palestinian territory. Government ministers reportedly discussed other tactics--among them, expelling Palestinians believed to be supporting Palestinian freedom fighters and punishing family members of suicide bombers. The Zionist government's primary goal appears to be the total extermination of the Palestinian people. These military actions are accompanied by the construction of more and more Jewish settlements in newly occupied territory.

In the last few days, the Israeli army has plunged deep into Palestinian territory in the West Bank, rounding up military age men and imposing curfews. The military operations have been accompanied by a large number civilian casualties. Of the 10 Palestinians killed Friday, half were children.

Palestinians believe that the massacre at the food market in Jenin was part of a gruesome conspiracy. The Voice of Palestine radio described the alleged lifting of the curfew as "a trap by occupation forces." The Israeli tank commanders, like Nazis, waited until the Palestinian families gathered at the market place. They then fired their tanks shells at the civilians with deadly accuracy. Two of the children took direct fire and where blown to pieces. Like in all Zionist operations of this nature, Jenin was sealed off to journalists Friday, making it difficult to confirm with pictures the atrocities.

Jamal Shati, a Palestinian legislator, said by telephone that the massacre took place when people exited the safety of their homes to take advantage of a one-hour lifting of a curfew that had been in place for three days. Most needed to shop, but others were headed to the mosque to pray, he said.

"We did not expect they would shoot at us. We thought the lifting of the curfew meant we could leave our homes, get our supplies and come back safely," Shati said. "Everybody was out on the streets.... It is a miracle that there were not more people killed because of all the shooting."

Mohammed abu Ghali, a doctor at the Jenin Government Hospital, identified the dead as a 5-year-old girl and two boys, ages 7 and 11. The slain man was a 50-year-old teacher. About 26 people were injured, hospital officials said.

Before dawn, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was also killed in Jenin when Israeli soldiers blew up his house. Other members of the family were seriously injured.

Also during a military operation Friday in the Gaza Strip, a 10-year-old Palestinian boy was killed. The boy was with his father in a field when the Israeli Attack Forces fired, instantly killing the young child.

In addition, information coming out of Nablus, where the international media have now no access, indicates that the Israeli army is committing similar atrocities in that city. Several other Palestinian cities on the West Bank - such as Bethlehem, Tulkarm, Kalkiliya and Jenin - are also undergoing the same treatment.

The Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC) issued an urgent appeal from Nablus today because the Israeli army has launched a massive military operation against the city, including its four refugee camps. The one hundred and fifty thousand residents of Nablus are being forced to remain inside their homes as a strict 24-hour military curfew has been imposed over the city.

Already Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles have vandalized the streets of Nablus, causing enormous physical damage to the infrastructure. Additionally they have taken permanent positions on top of high buildings, forcing the residents to remain in one apartment of the building.

Mass arrests are taking place in most of the neighbourhoods of the city and dozens of Palestinians have been seized and sent to detention centers. The whole social, educational and medical systems have come to a standstill; the end of year high school exam (tawjeehi) has been cancelled due to the fact that students are unable leave their homes to attend school.

Medical teams are prevented from moving freely, ambulances are frequently stopped and medical personnel are harassed. One doctor and the driver of an ambulance were detained for two hours while attempting to transport a critically ill two-year-old baby.

"The Israeli army is creating a situation of fear and terror among the the Nablus civilian population" said the Director of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC). The medical relief organization has issued an urgent appeal to the international community to intervene immediately and force the Israeli government to comply with international law and to withdraw its marauding forces immediately.

Journalists and international relief organizations wishing more information on the Nablus urgent appeal should contact Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi at +972 (0)50 254 218, and Dr. Allam Jarar in Nablus at +972 (0)59 649133.