Easter Sunday has gone; it passed by like any other normal day in our lives since the beginning of the Intifada, which sees us living under the choking siege imposed on all Palestinian cites and refugee camps. Nothing was special about Easter Sunday. However, it wasn’t really a “normal” day under occupation, it was a day of fear, of even greater hardship, of increased brutality and, ominously, of executions.

April 1, 2002

Beit Sahour Municipality

Easter Sunday has gone; it passed by like any other normal day in our lives since the beginning of the Intifada, which sees us living under the choking siege imposed on all Palestinian cites and refugee camps. Nothing was special about Easter Sunday. However, it wasn’t really a “normal” day under occupation, it was a day of fear, of even greater hardship, of increased brutality and, ominously, of executions.

Beit Sahour is a town with 80% of its 13,000 inhabitants being Christian. Greek Orthodox is the predominant faith and the remainder is Catholic. Easter Sunday this year was a day of solidarity. Peaceful demonstrations took place on the streets of Beit Sahour, as well as large-scale protests in support of the Palestinians worldwide. After morning mass, a massive, peaceful march commenced from the Greek Orthodox Church. Marching at the front were our children, holding signs demanding peace and justice for Palestinians. The march was joined by many of the internationals who are living temporarily in the 3 refugee camps in the Bethlehem district, in an attempt to safeguard the innocent civilians there. We know we are not alone in our desperate plight. Our Easter day was a day that we, along with millions of decent people all over the world have shown support to our cause and are demanding peace and justice to the Palestinians. In each demonstration the demands where made clear:

•           An immediate halt to the brutal and inhuman policy of abuse against Palestinians, especially in light of evidence of summary executions;

•           All Israeli troops must withdraw immediately from all Palestinians cities and refugee camps;

•           A total Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders.

•           Sincere efforts from both the United States and Israel in implementing a cease-fire;

•           Negotiations for peaceful solutions to be based on equal just and fair terms

•           The establishment of an independent Palestinians state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

We would like to express our great appreciation to all those who went out on the streets of their countries, joining with our voice of condemnation of the massacres that the Israeli soldiers are committing against our people.

This is not an equal war. Israeli forces, with their huge military capability, are arresting thousands of men and taking them to undisclosed locations. We fear what their fate may be; cold blooded massacred with no mercy. Up until today Israel has shot, at close range, about 40 Palestinians in Ramallah. It is horrifying to think that Beit Sahour’s turn is coming soon. We are terrified of Sharon’s next brutal move. We feel no one can stop him, he is a murderer and massacres to him is his nature.

We need from the UN, the European Union and the United States tougher actions against Israel. We desperately plea to all human beings to demand their governments be more involved and to mobilize pressure now to prevent any further attacks against the Palestinians.

Do you need from us justification for defending ourselves? Israel has announced Ramallah a closed Military zone. They are demanding that all internationals and all press must leave the area and that they will use force if necessary. Do you know what that means? This means they will do what ever they like under the auspices of ‘protecting’ itself by killing all men they believe may fight against them. The Israelis have been driving around neighborhoods in Ramallah, demanding that all men between the ages of 16 and 60 come out. When they do, they are arrested, handcuffed and disappear. Where are those who witnessed the signing of Oslo One and Two? Where are those who put money to help build the infrastructure of Palestine? Can’t you see with your own eyes that Israel has no respect for us? Sharon is evil and he is intent on destroying us and eliminating the Palestinians from the face of the earth.

We plead for immediate international intervention to stop this brutal and catastrophic escalation which Israel is making against us. We do not want the history to repeat itself.