From the London Times.
British students act as shields
By Stephen Farrell
AN Irish activist was among 30 peace workers acting as human shields to protect the Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat last night, while British students occupied houses near his compound to protect Palestinian civilians.
Caoimhe Butterly, 23, a member of the International Solidarity Movement who has written for Sinn Fein’s newsletter An Phoblacht, has spent three days inside the Muqataa, and was joined yesterday by more than two dozen French, Italian and other westerners.
They and at least one Israeli woman walked past Israeli tanks outside Mr Arafat’s building, even though warning shots were fired. All are defying an Israeli order proclaiming Ramallah a closed military zone where foreigners, journalists and non-residents are liable to instant arrest.
The activists said last night that they would remain in the West Bank town because they believed Palestinians would be killed or rounded up by Israeli forces if they left.
Before entering the compound Ms Butterly, who has spent four months in Israel and the West Bank, said: “They are shooting at ambulances. I have two friends who have been shot at.
“Our idea is to get international people in Ramallah because they are less likely to be shot at than Palestinians.”
At Ramallah Hospital yesterday Palestinian medical staff sat in the road to stop Israeli soldiers entering. The standoff lasted an hour, and the Israelis withdrew after international peace workers arrived.
Of the nine British students in Ramallah Dan Glazebrook, 24, the President of Sussex University Students’ Union, said he and the others were concerned for their safety and wanted to move to a hotel with other international volunteers, or to leave the town.
Osama Muttawa, from Brighton, said they had asked to be evacuated, but had been told by the British consul that this could not be done.
The Consul General said last night that it had advised the Britons to stay inside. A spokesman said: “We are in close contact. When it is possible to move we will help them but the Israelis are not allowing even diplomatic cars into Ramallah.”
Sam
British students act as shields
By Stephen Farrell
AN Irish activist was among 30 peace workers acting as human shields to protect the Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat last night, while British students occupied houses near his compound to protect Palestinian civilians.
Caoimhe Butterly, 23, a member of the International Solidarity Movement who has written for Sinn Fein’s newsletter An Phoblacht, has spent three days inside the Muqataa, and was joined yesterday by more than two dozen French, Italian and other westerners.
They and at least one Israeli woman walked past Israeli tanks outside Mr Arafat’s building, even though warning shots were fired. All are defying an Israeli order proclaiming Ramallah a closed military zone where foreigners, journalists and non-residents are liable to instant arrest.
The activists said last night that they would remain in the West Bank town because they believed Palestinians would be killed or rounded up by Israeli forces if they left.
Before entering the compound Ms Butterly, who has spent four months in Israel and the West Bank, said: “They are shooting at ambulances. I have two friends who have been shot at.
“Our idea is to get international people in Ramallah because they are less likely to be shot at than Palestinians.”
At Ramallah Hospital yesterday Palestinian medical staff sat in the road to stop Israeli soldiers entering. The standoff lasted an hour, and the Israelis withdrew after international peace workers arrived.
Of the nine British students in Ramallah Dan Glazebrook, 24, the President of Sussex University Students’ Union, said he and the others were concerned for their safety and wanted to move to a hotel with other international volunteers, or to leave the town.
Osama Muttawa, from Brighton, said they had asked to be evacuated, but had been told by the British consul that this could not be done.
The Consul General said last night that it had advised the Britons to stay inside. A spokesman said: “We are in close contact. When it is possible to move we will help them but the Israelis are not allowing even diplomatic cars into Ramallah.”
Sam
