Huge Israeli Settler Attack On Foreign Volunteers

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT (ISM)
Grassroots International Protection for Palestinians (GIPP)
Sunday, October 27, 2002
For Immediate Release

MASSIVE ISRAELI SETTLER ATTACK ON FOREIGN VOLUNTEERS IN PALESTINE
Number of Internationals Injured and Hospitalized

[Yanoun, Nablus] Militant Israeli settlers attacked a group of international volunteers working with Palestinians to harvest olives in the olive groves near the Palestinian village of Yanoun.

Immediately after a Palestinian operation in the Israeli settlement of Ariel in the Israeli- occupied Palestinian Territories that killed two Israeli settlers and soldiers, a group of about a dozen armed Israeli settlers spotted the workers from their settlement (which is illegal under the Fourth Geneva Conventions), and descended upon the international volunteers, kicking, punching and beating them with stones and rifles butts. The internationals were out in front of the Palestinian workers, trying to protect them from the settlers. The injuries are as follows:

James Deleplain - US citizen, 74 years of age - repeatedly hit in the face, wound under his left eye and massive swelling, kicked in the back and both the right and left rib cage, with a possible broken rib. James had pneumonia two weeks ago and has been coughing since, therefore the beating, especially in the rib cage has left him in a very weak state.

Mary Hughes-Thompson - US and British citizen, 68 years of age - repeatedly hit in both arms. Possible broken arms. Speaking to Mary while she was on her way to the hospital, she stated "I am convinced they were trying to kill me."

Robbie Kelly - Irish citizen, 33 years of age- beaten in the face and body with rifle butts. Swollen mouth, bruised ribs and 7 stitches in his left ear.

Omer Allon- Israeli citizen, 24 - cuts and gashes in both legs and bruises all over his body.

Also the internationals' money and passports were stolen by the attackers, all of whom were of teenage years according to the volunteers. Palestinians in the area may have also been attacked but we don't have concrete information yet.

Over 100 international volunteers are in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as part of the International Solidarity Movement's (ISM and GIPP) Olive Harvest Campaign. For more information about this, please see www.palsolidarity.org . Internationals and Israelis have been providing a continual presence in the village of Yanoun, due to constant Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian villagers and their property. Last week the villagers of Yanoun left the village, not able to withstand the repeated attacks and denied protection by the Israeli police and military. They only returned a few days ago accompanied by Israelis and internationals, hoping monitor, witness and protect.

Injuries are being treated at Lijnat il-Zakaat Hospital/Clinic in Aqraba: +972-(0)9-259-8550.

For more information: Sami Hayek: +972-(0)67-758-947 Robbie Kelly: +972-(0) 628-476 ISM office: +972-2-277-4602

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The Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between People 64 Star Street, P.O.Box 24 Beit Sahour - Palestine Tel: 02-277-2018 www.rapprochement.org
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The center is a non-profit making NGO, started in 1988 during the first Intifada. PCR runs community service programs, youth empowerment and training programs. PCR is also very much involved in the non-violent resistance against the Israeli Occupation to Palestine.

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