Last night in Beit Sahour was a horrible night for many families whose houses were invaded by the Israeli soldiers in the middle of the night, looking for wanted persons. We all woke up this morning as usual and got ready to go to work since curfew was lifted daily for the past few days.
Last night in Beit Sahour was a horrible night for many families whose houses were invaded by the Israeli soldiers in the middle of the night, looking for wanted persons. We all woke up this morning as usual and got ready to go to work since curfew was lifted daily for the past few days. As I approached the Municipality I noticed that there are not many cars around, and the streets are quiet. I thought that perhaps this was because it is Friday and there is no school. Then we heard the Israeli patrol announcing that curfew is imposed and screaming at each person they saw driving on the streets. We then learned what happened last night in Beit Sahour. The Israeli soldiers forcibly entered into many houses in Beit Sahour, terrorizing all families and leaving a trail of destruction in each house they entered. They claim that in these houses there are wanted who sleep there. An employee of the Municipality was one of those whose homes the Israeli soldiers entered. They beat his sons and daughters and threw sound bombs in the house, injuring the youngest son in the arm. They then forced the family to leave the house with whatever they had on and kept them out in the cold in their bare feet.
While the families were forced to stand outside, the IDF searched the houses. They shot their weapons inside the houses, destroying the inside of these homes. One of the families who did not respond to their call to open the door and come out had their door bombed, destroying the front of their house and waking up the children sleeping inside, who began screaming because they did not know what was going on.
The Israeli soldiers give themselves the right to enter into your house in the middle of the night because they claim wanted Palestinians are sleeping in your house. Where is justice?
What is going on, are the Israeli soldiers going to destroy each house in the city looking for those who Israel claims are wanted? Should we all fear the same destiny?
We are counting down the days until the US launches its vicious war against Iraq, destroying us all and bringing us deeper into misery and despair. We hear rumors that we are to look ahead to a time more difficult than ever. What is there for us to do, shall we begin to stock our homes with the necessary basic living needs, in case we are under curfew again for an extended period of time? What about the families who do not have money to buy food for their families?
Many families now live from the humanitarian aid received from Red Cross and other international organizations, it is desperately needed.
In the name of my people I continue to plea to you to continue to exert pressure on your governments, to resolve this oncoming bloody war that will affect us all. Stop for a minute and think about us and what our destiny is going to be if the United States launches its war against Iraq.
It is now 6:00 p.m. and I hear the Israeli jeeps patrolling the streets out side my house announcing that curfew is imposed until an unknown date. This means we do not know if curfew is lifted tomorrow or not. We shall closely watch our local T. V. stations for the announcement.
