Curfew in Asira and soldiers who injure, terrorize and vandalise as they go, West Bank

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Monday November 17, 2003 20:50 by Aron Baker Balatta refugee camp, Nablus, West Bank 00972 54 627 918

5 day ongoing curfew imposed in Asira, pop. 12,000, as soldiers and border police break property and terrorize the population

Curfew and vandals in Asira
17 Nov 03

5 out of the 6 days soldiers and border police, more feared than soldiers by Palestinians for their ruthlessness and brutality, have imposed curfew in the town of Asira, north of Nablus. The soldiers and border police drive around in jeeps terrorising the 12,000 people who live there, occasionaly leaving their jeeps to do a foot patrol through narrower streets.
People hide in their homes wondering how long the army wil remain, and when a silence descends and people think the jeeps are no longer there they begin to venture out, many to buy bread and food, some to disobey and break the curfew. Yesterday the soldiers weren't here in the morning so people attempted to continue their lives, children went to school and people attempted to leave the village for work, etc, only to find the last remaining road leaving the village, which has recently been blocked with an earth and rock mound, maned by soldiers who will not allow people out of the village.
At 8.30 am the jeeps arrived to the centre of the town, by the schools and commenced imposing curfew. Shouting over the loudspeaker, threatening people, and generally intimidating people, carrying guns, sometipped with rubber bullets, some not, carrying teargas and sound grenades.
Parents started to arrive to retrieve their children from another lost school day. The streets became thronged with worried parents and frightened children, parents more concerned with the safety of their children than their own. The soldiers were shouting and ordering people this way and that way without much immediate success. Soon though only the last few scurrying groups were visible and we, 2 ISM activists retreat from the area. Some of the soldiers/ police clearly delight in their work, others seem friendly but still tote M16s or similar and still prevent people from going about their lives.
The day before the soldiers or border police walked through this section of town, throwing sound grenades, vandalising property and generally doing their uttmost to frighten people. They shot 1 parked car, slashed or shot tyres of atleast 3 or 4 other cars, smashed car windows and stole a car radio from 1 car. They smashed several phone booths. They threw teargas inside 1 building, we spoke to 1 boy who said he'd been shot in the leg with a rubber bullet. They destroyed pictures of Arafat and other political posters. We also heard them shooting in various sections of town, and they threw loads of sound grenades as they patrolled around, they also entered peoples homes and interogated occupants, they drew grafitti on the road featuring israeli flags and other writings, some in Arabic, some hebrew and some in english spelt backwards in what we imagine was their idea to make it easier for Palestinians to read. We also heard a report of a jeep crushing a man up against a lamp post before knocking him over with the jeep.
Boys put rocks in the streets in an attempt to impede the military vehicles, but the military ordered Palestinians with machinary to clear them, taking seconds to remove the dozen rocks here and there.
Yesterday, after their initial incursion the soldiers were absent for nearly 10 hours, the silence once more broken desturbed by the sound of their sirens and their constant shouting over their loudspeakers. As darkness decended they patrolled around the city, in the evening we hear them firing, we wonder what at? There is no signs of resistance here, nor any shooting except for the military. Latera family asks us to accompany them in their car to the doctor as their baby is very sick. We go and as the car zooms through the deserted streets we all scan for the jeeps but thankfully see none. The doctor sees the baby and we return quickly.
The curfew serves no apparant purpose and has prevent any supplies from reaching the town, food is obtained from the shops by sneaking out when people think the army is not around, as is visiting the doctor etc.


2 or 3 days ago there was a new martyr in the town of Beit Furik, where a 14 year old boy was shot in the heart while walking to the Mosque with his father. Ambulances were initially denied access through Beit Furik checkpoint, but the boy died almost instantly we understand, blood pouring down his father's shirt as he held him.