OccupationalHazard.org 06.11.02

The Occupation - 06/11/02

Packages to Asira, testimonies

Windows

"As you all know, the villages in The West Bank are under strict closure for a long time now. There is not enough food or other needs. We are not allowed to leave the village to bring food from near by town or other villages, and cars are not allowed into the village to bring anything. Once in a while we get basic aid from international or local charity organizations but it is not enough and it does not always reach the people who really need it. One day, early morning I left home planning to walk to a near by town to get some food. I knew it can be dangerous if the Israeli soldiers will catch me, but I felt that I have to take the risk. At the entrance to the village I met a man from a neibour village. He managed to come with a car full of vegetables. I bought 3 kg of potatoes and 2 kg of tomatoes. At that moment about 30 soldiers arrived. The vegetable man ran way with his car, I was arrested by the soldiers.
They accused me of trying to leave the village without permition and for arranging a meeting with someone from the outside. They forced me to take off my clothes and stay all day long, until 6 in the evening with only my underpants on. It was a hot day and they did not give me anything to drink or eat all day. They made me sit naked on thorns and it hurt a lot. I tried to talk to the soldiers and ask them why they are doing it. I began a conversation with one of the soldiers. I asked him why they are doing this to me. The answer was "I don't know" We went on talking. I told the soldiers that I have many Israeli friends and that I am part of a joint peace organization. The soldier told me that it does not matter what I do in the peace organziation becuase I am still a Palestinian. Around 18:00 the soldiers decided to let me go. Before they released me they bit me up with their rifles and boots until my back bled.
They smashed the vagatables, tore my clothes to pieces and set me free only with my underpants on me. I was ashamed to enter the village this way. Fortunately, people that live near by sow the whole thing and phoned some friends of mine to come with clothes. I got back home with out food. Before they let me go the soldiers told me not to do it again. I told them that I will. I don't have any other choice".
We heard this story from a good friend who refused to identify himself fearing that the soldiers will come back to look for him. We heard such stories from other sources as well.
Windows - Channels for Communication is a non-profit Jewish-Palestinian organization located in Tel Aviv.

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Packages to Asira, testimonies
Windows





"As you all know, the villages in The West Bank are under strict closure for a long time now. There is not enough food or other needs. We are not allowed to leave the village to bring food from near by town or other villages, and cars are not allowed into the village to bring anything. Once in a while we get basic aid from international or local charity organizations but it is not enough and it does not always reach the people who really need it. One day, early morning I left home planning to walk to a near by town to get some food. I knew it can be dangerous if the Israeli soldiers will catch me, but I felt that I have to take the risk. At the entrance to the village I met a man from a neibour village. He managed to come with a car full of vegetables. I bought 3 kg of potatoes and 2 kg of tomatoes. At that moment about 30 soldiers arrived. The vegetable man ran way with his car, I was arrested by the soldiers. They accused me of trying to leave the village without permition and for arranging a meeting with someone from the outside. They forced me to take off my clothes and stay all day long, until 6 in the evening with only my underpants on. It was a hot day and they did not give me anything to drink or eat all day. They made me sit naked on thorns and it hurt a lot. I tried to talk to the soldiers and ask them why they are doing it. I began a conversation with one of the soldiers. I asked him why they are doing this to me. The answer was "I don't know" We went on talking. I told the soldiers that I have many Israeli friends and that I am part of a joint peace organization. The soldier told me that it does not matter what I do in the peace organziation becuase I am still a Palestinian. Around 18:00 the soldiers decided to let me go. Before they released me they bit me up with their rifles and boots until my back bled. They smashed the vagatables, tore my clothes to pieces and set me free only with my underpants on me. I was ashamed to enter the village this way. Fortunately, people that live near by sow the whole thing and phoned some friends of mine to come with clothes. I got back home with out food. Before they let me go the soldiers told me not to do it again. I told them that I will. I don't have any other choice". We heard this story from a good friend who refused to identify himself fearing that the soldiers will come back to look for him. We heard such stories from other sources as well. Windows - Channels for Communication is a non-profit Jewish-Palestinian organization located in Tel Aviv.
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