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From the International Solidarity Movement - Montreal Montreal Resident in Palestinian Village Currently Under Siege Currently, Montreal resident, Aaron Lakoff is in the Palestinian village of Saida that is under Israeli military occupation and curfew, as are many other Palestinian towns today. While Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is working with the Palestinian armed resistance to implement a cease fire, the Israeli forces continue to invade, occupy, kill, and capture Palestinians, and demolish their homes. This is the unsupportable collective punishment that doesn't make the headlines, but illustrates the unequal everyday reality of the violent conflict. Aaron is staying with a Palestinian family in their house that the military might demolish because two of their sons are wanted. Phone interview to Aaron Lakoff in the Palestinian village of Saida, north of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem Below is a transcript of a telephone call with Aaron Lakoff in Palestine: "We've been under curfew since 7am by the Israeli army. There are five International Solidarity Movement people are in the town, two in the house I am staying in, and three in another house. The Israeli army states they have invaded the village to capture eight wanted men. The three other ISM people are in a house occupied by 30 Israeli army soldiers." The family Aaron is staying with have two sons that are wanted by the Israeli Defence Force. "They are scared their house might get demolished tomorrow, we also might go out to make deliveries to other houses that need provisions, if they lift the curfew." {Aaron Lakoff is a Jewish Montreal resident currently in Palestine. He is volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement, an organisation dedicated to help Palestinians resist the Israeli occupation through non-violent means.} Background Information: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has reached an agreement with the Palestinian armed resistance organizations of Hammas and the Islamic Jihad to implement a cease fire on the condition that Israel not assassinate or kill members of their organization. However, this does not bind Israel from killing or capturing other Palestinians who are not in the two organizations. Currently, there is a general military invasion and siege of many towns and villages in the West Bank and the Gaza by the Israeli military. While Palestinian attacks against Israelis is portrayed by the Israelis and the media as violent acts, Israeli attacks on people, their daily sieges, curfews, house & farm demolitions -- are more or less ignored. Our ISM-Montreal member Aaron Lakoff is in the Palestinian village of Saida under siege. News Briefs of today's Israeli military acts against Palestinians from the International Middle East Media Centre http://www.imemc.org January 25, 2005 Army invades Saida, north of Tulkarem. 9:25 a.m. Tuesday morning, Israeli soldiers, supported by dozens of military vehicles and bulldozers invaded the village of Saida, north of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem and imposed curfew. A local source in Tulkarem stated that soldiers broke into dozens of homes, conducted military searches and occupied rooftops of a number of homes, damage reported. Army arrests twelve residents near Jenin: Israeli soldiers arrested at least ten residents in near the northern West Bank city of Jenin. A local source in Sielet Al-Harethiyya, west of Jenin, broke into dozens of homes in the villages and arrested ten residents after conducting military searches of homes causing damage. The residents were identified as Yahia Zyoud and his sons Rabee' and Sa'id, Nour Abdul-Hadi, Hatem Abu Al-Wafa, Ammar Jaradat, Moath Zyoud, Khaled Zyoud, and Ashraf Zyoud. In the village of Jaba', curfew imposed by the Israeli army over the last several days continued while soldiers arrested three residents, one of the arrested residents was identified as Farahat Alawna. Army breaks into dozens of homes in Nablus: Tuesday at dawn, Israeli soldiers invaded Askar refugee camp, in Nablus and conducted military searches of homes. A local source in the camp stated that soldiers fired gas bombs and concussion grenades at dozens of youths who hurled stones at the invading soldiers, no injuries. Army closes Qalandia checkpoint: Tuesday at dawn, Israeli soldiers stationed at Qalandia checkpoint, south of Ramallah, closed the checkpoint, preventing dozens of residents from crossing. The checkpoint was closed in order for the army to build further fortifications there. |