Report highlights Israeli atrocities

The Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-up has received a report compiled by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights on the tragic conditions suffered by the West Bank town of Nablus and other Palestinian areas due to continuous Israeli aggressions.

The report accused Israeli invasion forces of attacking civilians in Palestinian towns and villages using all types of weapons. These actions take place together with the systematic razing of homes and shops with the aim of wiping out the identity of the Palestinians.

"Israeli forces have stationed armoured tanks around Palestinian towns and blocked their main entrances. Tens of checkpoints were erected and civilians have been prevented from leaving their towns and villages.

"Even if Palestinians are allowed through, they are forced to wait for hours under the hot sun while they are later stopped at other army roadblocks.

"As a result many Palestinians needing treatment have died at these roadblocks. The supply of food and medicine has been cut off and ambulances are not allowed move to tend to the ill. The economy is on the verge of collapse due to the closure of factories and shops and the Palestinians suffer 60 to 70 percent unemployment."

The report pointed out that since 29 March 2002 and the start of so-called Operation Protective Shield, Palestinian towns have been under continuous incursions, shelling, detentions, and curfews perpetrated by the Israeli forces.

These practices have been repeated many times with the most recent event occurring six weeks ago when Nablus was attacked. A curfew was imposed while Israeli tanks rumbled through the streets of the city.

Bulldozers were brought in to raze houses, shops, mosques, and churches under the subterfuge of searching for terrorists.

The report also referred to Israeli attempts to cut off Nablus by destroying its infrastructure. It said 303 civilians have been killed by gunfire and bombardment from tanks and fighter jets.

Thirty-one of the dead were children and nine were old people while thousands were injured, many of them seriously.

"Hospitals are suffering from an acute shortage of medicine and equipment and their staff have been prevented from carrying out their duties.

The town's children also face malnutrition due to the shortage of food and the destruction of Nablus' water network by the Israeli forces has deprived the city from drinking water and led to a deterioration of hygienic conditions," said the report.

"Even education was not spared by their atrocities, with secondary school students not being allowed to sit for examinations. Israeli forces also shot at journalists and harassed international peace activists."

As many as 30 families of Palestinians involved in attacks on Israelis are under threat of exile and having their homes demolished, the report warned.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights concluded the report by appealing to the international community to protect Palestinians in the occupied territories and to provide them with humanitarian and medical assistance to alleviate their suffering.