For two days in a row, the Israeli imposed curfew has been lifted for 4 hours. This type of action is not normal, but we fear that this will become part of our normal life in addition to the siege which has been imposed upon us since the beginning of the Intifada. Now, the military curfew leaves us prisoners in our own homes. We are let out for a few hours every once in a while just to be able to sustain the necessities of life, then we are locked back in our prison.
For two days in a row, the Israeli imposed curfew has been lifted for 4 hours. This type of action is not normal, but we fear that this will become part of our normal life in addition to the siege which has been imposed upon us since the beginning of the Intifada. Now, the military curfew leaves us prisoners in our own homes. We are let out for a few hours every once in a while just to be able to sustain the necessities of life, then we are locked back in our prison.
Early on the morning of the 15th April, we were woken by heavy bombing. We did not get back to sleep, all we could hear were the explosions around the Nativity Church, terrorizing all those imprisoned inside.
Troops and tanks have again moved inside Beit Sahour, leaving a trail of destruction in there. They have burned one home as well as a factory manufacturing cleaning pads. They have searched many houses and arrested 5 citizens of Beit Sahour. When is this nightmare going to come to an end?
During the lift of curfew yesterday, a solidarity group from Jerusalem came to witness for themselves the destruction in Beit Sahour. They also brought with them trucks full of humanitarian aid to the city. This help came from the Catholic Relief Services, the Pontifical Mission and Word Vision in Jerusalem. They took a tour around the city and saw the damage inflicted by the Israeli troops and tanks to the Municipality premises and to whole town. It was a great day of hope and of feeling that we are not left entirely alone. With such great friends this plant a seed of hope in our hearts that tomorrow the sun shall rise and better days can be expected.
As much as your humanitarian aid is desperately needed, your voice to stop the destruction that Sharon has inflicted upon the Palestinian community must be heard. The destruction committed is beyond comprehension. Hundreds have been killed, thousands have been injured, and more than 5,000 Palestinians have been arrested. The infrastructure of our towns and cities is almost completely destroyed; all of this was possible through donations and assistance from the international community to help build a foundation for the state of Palestine, infrastructure that Israeli is now destroying.
We make our plea to you to continue to exert pressure on your governments, those who are in power to resolve this bloody conflict before more killings, casualties and destruction is wrought. You all must keep in mind that we Palestinians are the ones who are resisting the continued illegal occupation of our lands; they are the ones who are forcing us to be prisoners in our own homes. To understand these facts then you will realize that once and for all we need to see an end to this conflict and we wish to live free in dignity. We hope for a just peace to prevail upon our people to be able to give our children a better and brighter future to look forward to.
We wholeheartedly reiterate our appreciation for your continued solidarity and support to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians and to put an end to this bloody conflict that is targeting civilians, demolishing our towns and destroying our lives.
