Israeli Military occupies Palestinian school used by Irish educational volunteers

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Thursday August 31, 2006 18:04

by Ruarari B

rorybyrne85 at gmail dot com

Results of a raid for militants

Evidence of ongoing violations of International Law by Israeli Forces

Israeli Forces entering Jordani School, Nablus

Saturday 26th of August, Israeli Defence Force and Border Guard units conducting a cordon & search operation in the West Bank city of Nablus destroyed a number of civilian residential buildings and occupied a local school, using it as a military base. This school had been used during the summer months to house Irish and international volunteers who were in the area to teach English in the nearby Askar refugee camp through a program run by An-Najah University. One of the homes destroyed was that of a local volunteer involved in the same program who dedicated his summer to looking after the international volunteers and ensuring their safety at all times.

The actions began at 2:15am on Saturday when Israeli forces invaded the area and ordered the evacuation of the Lubaddeh residential apartment block. They were looking for two suspected militants, Sufyan Qandeel and Ameen Lubadeh, whom the Israelis claimed were hiding in the building. Neither of the men were residents there. The IDF did not conduct a search and proceeded to demolish the building. As part of the cordon and destruction of the residential building, Israeli Forces occupied the Jordani School across the road. Local source Mira A.B. Nabulsi reported that it was “used as a military barracks, as (sic) snipers spread all around it.” Tensions with the local population then ensued resulting with cases of stone throwing by local inhabitants. Israeli reprisals resulted in the death of 15 year old Montaser Suleiman Oka from Askar refugee camp and the injuring of another twenty two people, all of whom were minors.
Israeli troops left the area after more than twelve hours. No militants were found, one minor was killed, 20 homes were destroyed and 125 people were left homeless.

Israeli Forces are clearly continuing their policy of de Facto collective punishment upon civilians with family links to suspected militants. Such actions have already been documented by a number of NGO’s and are regarded as a war crime under Article 33 of the Geneva Convention of 1949 which states that “No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited…Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited.”

Such destruction of the Lubaddeh civilian property constitutes a war crime as it violates Article 48 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions that “In order to ensure respect for and protection of the civilian population and civilian objects, the Parties to the conflict shall at all times distinguish between the civilian population and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives and accordingly shall direct their operations only against military objectives."

Israeli military conduct in occupying the school also violates the Additional Protocol 1 to the Geneva Conventions which states in Article 52.3 that “In case of doubt whether an object which is normally dedicated to civilian purposes, such as a place of worship, a house or other dwelling or a school, is being used to make an effective contribution to military action, it shall be presumed not to be so used."

With the destruction of the Lubaddeh building, the Irish and internationals who volunteered in Nablus are now attempting to raise emergency funds for the displaced families especially that of the local volunteer who so warmly welcomed them into his home and heart.

Contact Details:

Cuileann MK –

Ruarari B –

ENDS

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Comments (5 of 5)

Pogrom Politics

by Ali H.

Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:54

These tactics are a powerful sign of the utter bankruptcy of Israels policies in the West Bank and against Palestinians in general.

Roughing up defenceless Palestinian refugees is now the only option for Olmert and his cronies to show how "tough" they are having failed utterly to crush Hezbollah resistance.

It is now time for Israel to make a fair peace with their neighbours and permanently cease their terror tactics against the Palestinians, before the Palestinians follow the example of Hezbollah.

American Jews reject Israeli Violence.

by PaddyK

Sat Sep 02, 2006 16:17

Small groups of American Jews are staging Die-ins and Demos against Israeli crimes. Its good to see such groups, however small, of the Jewish Community distancing themselves from the actions of the rogue state of Israel. If only they can motivate the hundreds of thousands fellow Jewish travellers to send a loud and clear message to the world that Israeli policy and the interest of the Jewish People are not one in the same.
It can often be very difficult to fully absorb the political arguments against Israel's military actions for fear of falling foul of the crazed horde that revel in blanket bombing the world with charges of Anti-Semitism. The real Anti-Semites are the ones that are happy to drag all Jews into a spurious collective guilt for the actions of Israel. By equating an attack on Israeli violence as an attack on the Jewish people they have at least two aims. Firstly, to silence the legitimate and dangerous criticism, and secondly, to promote Anti-Semitism among certain groups so as to legitimise anti-arab rhetoric and provide a backdrop for their constant jingoism.
It takes a lot of guts for Jews to stand up against Israel especially if they have family living there. Pro-Israel porpaganda permeates the media at all levels and so much misguided passion has been manufactured about "Israel's right to self-defence" these protestors leave themselves wide open to close personal attack. But by doing so they help to clarify to the world that only by utterly extricating the Jewish Identity from Israeli crimes can the political leaders of the world become free to bring the rogue state to justice. Something that will ultimately serve the long term interests of the citizens of Israel by bringing balance to power in the Middle East.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article5653.shtml

"In Philadelphia, Jewish activists hung large banners from bridges above freeways during morning and evening rush hours. Banners read: "U.S. Jews Say: Stop Military $ to Israel!" "U.S. Jews Stand Against Israel's War Crimes" and "U.S. Jews Say: Israel Stop Killing Civilians"."

Stones, Glasshouses.

by PKWatch

Sat Sep 02, 2006 20:45

"for fear of falling foul of the crazed horde that revel in blanket bombing the world with charges of Anti-Semitism. "

You might watch out for the beam in your own eye. You have a nasty habit of spuriously accusing your opponents of being Islamophobes. You even call the Iranian Socialist opposition Islamophobes.

Dont use Zionist style tactics. Debate on an intellectually honest basis.

Get thee Hence

Sat Sep 02, 2006 21:29

"Debate on an intellectually honest basis."

Perhaps you should really be taking that advice yourself. I have requested before that you provide the quotes to back up your claims about what you maliciously claim that i posted.

"You even call the Iranian Socialist opposition Islamophobes."

Please toddle off and find the post in which I said any thing of the sort.

For the record, I do not oppose any political opposition to the Iranian regime, I wish the Iranian people good luck in a process of bringing democracy to their beautiful country. They certainly deserve it and have paid a heavy price for freedom over the years.

Away Base Creature

Sat Sep 02, 2006 21:38

Heres some of your base postings.

"Apparently Iran has no right to defend itself because the Kurds are the Darlings of the Left."

"In refusing to recognise the military and strategic support that America has lent the Kurds he also denies Iran's historical prerogative to fear a proxy war waged by America through the Kurds as was previously done through Saddam with chemical weapons with horrific effect."

"Iran cannot be expected to sit on it's hands and do nothing as cannot Turkey."

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Israeli Military occupies Palestinian school used by Irish educational volunteers

Comments (5 of 5)