Demonstrators Teargassed - IOF Enter University

Peaceful Demonstrators Teargassed / Israeli Forces Enter University

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE Huwarra Checkpoint, Nablus

PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS TEARGASSED 11.30am, Thursday, June 5th 2003

The Israeli Occupation Forces threw tear gas at peaceful demonstrators today at the Huwarra checkpoint outside Nablus. The demonstation primarily comprised of representatives from the medical, educational, legal, journalist, civil and human rights organizations from Nablus along with internationals from the International Solidarity Movement. Several local and international peaceful demonstrators were taken away for medical treatment.

The 5th of June marks the 36th anniversary of the Israeli re- occupation of the West Bank and Gaza in 1967. The peaceful demonstration in Nablus was the primary demonstration in the Occupied Palestinian Territories on a global day of action which sees demonstrations all across the world; including London, New York, Jerusalem, Canada & Dublin. The day of action was called to protest the escalating violence against the Palestinian community and international human rights workers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It called for protection for Palestinian civilians and internationals, a moratorium on construction of the apartheid wall and it's associated land confiscations & home demolitions, and an end to the occupation. The Huwarra checkpoint is one of the many evident instances of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, where Palestinians are regularly humiliated, detained and beaten. Currently there are two young boys, aged 14 and 16, that have been detained since Saturday, May 3, without charge or access to legal aid.

The demonstration marched 500m from the end of Jerusalem Street to the Huwarra checkpoint where they stopped at the Nablus side of the checkpoint. At that point, the Israeli Occupation Forces shot teargas into the peaceful demonstation which consisted of many women and children who were also affected by the teargas. There was no response from the peaceful demonstrators except to retreat 30m to a safer distance to continue their peaceful demonstration which continued for an additional 20 minutes.

During the demonstration a press conference was held with a representative from the Nablus municipality and a representative from the International Solidarity Movement.

Israeli Forces Enter University, Leave Racist Graffiti

Tulkarem Radhika

Israeli Border Police entered Al-Quds University in Tulkarem at 11pm Tuesday night searching lecture rooms and scrawling racist messages on the blackboards, Student Resources reported. ISM volunteers viewed the racial epithets, which included "All Arabs are bastards" (translated from Hebrew) and "Israel Israel" surrounded by multiple images of the Star of David. University staff also reported that the Border Police tore up "martyr" posters of Tulkarem university students killed by Israeli Forces.

Later that night, at 3:30AM Israeli Forces entered the Nur Shams refugee camp, harassing the family of a man released from administrative detention earlier that day. According to the family, the army surrounded the house with 8 large jeeps, exploded the front door open and instructed the entire family of 16—8 of whom are children—to stand outside for two hours as soldiers searched the home and interrogated the released detainee.

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