Anonymous Comrade submits

From the International Solidarity Office

Friday, May 9, 2003, For Immediate Release



Iraeli Forces Raid ISM Office



[Beit Sahour, Occupied Palestine] Israeli forces raided the ISM office this morning, confiscating equipment and material and snatching three women. At 12:30pm on Friday, May 9, approximately 20 military vehicles, army jeeps and a large armored personnel carrier (intended for many arrests) surrounded the ISM media office in Beit Sahour. Dozens of soldiers, border police and civilian police officers raided the ISM office, confiscating all computers, not only in the ISM office but in the nearby office of the Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement. Files, CD, and photos were all pillaged, while soldiers broke equipment and damaged office space. Israeli forces kidnapped Palestinian volunteer, Fida, American volunteer, Flo, and a worker with Human Rights Watch visiting the office. At the time of this writing, Fida has been released, and the internationals seem to have been moved to the office of the Israeli Ministry of Interior, most probably for deportation.The Israeli government has declared an open war on international

peace and human rights workers. Israeli forces are doing everything

in their power to specifically prevent the nonviolent resistance to

their military rule. The stepped-up harassment of internationals and

journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is nothing short

of a further attempt to shield from the international community the

brutality of daily Israeli military actions against the Palestinian

people.



The ISM, however, has no plans to leave the Palestinian areas nor to

reduce our actions or our efforts. We need your help. Please protest:



In the US: Contact your congressperson, the State Department and the

White House using this link.

http://www.cflweb.org/congress_merge_.htm or http://www.congress.gov

Also call the State Department and demand action. STATE DEPARTMENT 1-

202-647-5150



For UK, Please call THE FOREIGN OFFICE 020 7008 1500, Also Contact

your MP and Prime Minister



For Israel Contact Israeli Minister of Interior, Tel: +972-2-629-

4701; Fax: +972-2-629-4750

Israeli Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom Fax: +972-2-5303704 e-mail:

sar@mofa.gov.ilIsraeli

Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz Fax: +972-3-6916940, 6976990 e-mail:

sar@mod.gov.il

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fax: (+972-2) 566-4838 or 651-3955 or

651-2631



For Canada: Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham, House of

Commons, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6; Fax 613-996-3443



Everyone, Contact the Israeli embassy in your country



See our website: www.palsolidarity.org for more ways to help or get

involved.



For more information, please call: +972-2-277-4602"