|
95 Incursions into Palestinian Cities After Operation Defensive Shield
 |
|
Israeli
soldiers watch Palestinian detainees
|
Report
by Maha Abdul Hadi, IOL Palestine correspondent
NABLUS,
June 2 (IslamOnline) – Since the Israeli army announced the end of
the first stage of “Operation Defensive Shield” and to date, there
have been nearly 95 consecutive incursions in Palestinian cities
and villages, according to a human right Palestinian organization.
The
Al-Tadamun International Human Rights Organization in Nablus said that
the Israeli government’s announcement of the end of the first phase
of the operation is only a false pretence, because the incursions have
not ended since the announced withdrawal.
The
West Bank incursions started on March 29 and included repeated
entering of Palestinian cities and especially the three border cities
of Tulkarem, Jenin and Qalqilya.
Sameh
Al-Saeh, the main researcher in the establishment said that the
Israeli forces are following a new style of incursions - sudden raids
and specific tasks which are built on the availability of
“intelligence information”. This information, which reaches
through Israeli security forces or Palestinian informers, tells them
of the availability of “wanted” individuals or specific targets
and soon, the Israeli tanks enter the area.
Al-Saeh
added that the assassinations of Palestinian officials which are
carried out in Ramallah and Balata refugee camp are under the same
framework and also happened after there was information about what
Israel calls “wanted” individuals. “So they decide to liquidate
them instead of facing them.”
The
researcher expected the intensive operations which the forces are
carrying out would be preemptive. The Israeli aim is to make use of
whatever time they have before the arrival of the CIA chief George
Tenet and his imposing of new arrangements on both sides.
Meanwhile,
the Palestinian human rights activist, Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouti told
IslamOnline that the West Bank is now “a military field that is open
for the Israeli forces”, and tens of Palestinians who resist the
occupation are abducted.
“In
reality, since the Israeli verbal withdrawal from Bethlehem on May 10
the incursions did not stop and there have been no actual withdrawals.
The Palestinians no longer have rule over their autonomous areas,”
he said.
On
Saturday, June 1, the Israeli army reoccupied the cities of Tulkarem
and Bethlehem and on Friday, May 31, they reoccupied Nablus and
imposed a strict curfew.
Israeli
soldiers have announced that the Israeli army is planning to
strengthen the siege around Palestinian cities to limit the movement
of the Palestinians.
Amos
Halad, the coordinator of the Israeli activities in the West Bank,
said that the new plan which will be implemented entails forcing the
Palestinians to acquire previous permissions from the Israeli army,
which will last for one month, in order to move from one city to the
other.
He
added that the aim of these procedures is to make sure where people
and cargo is moving across the Israeli borders in order to “prevent
any bombings.”
Several
Palestinian human rights organizations have condemned this move and
said that Israel wants to control the residents of the West Bank
through the passing card system which was implemented on blacks in the
South African apartheid era.
|
