Nablus is an old, historic city lying in the middle of the northern West Bank, Palestine. With a population of over 100,000, it is one of the largest Palestinian population centers in the Middle East. It has been under military occupation since 1967, restricted by checkpoints, and subject to periodic incursions by IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces). On February 25, 2007, the city was invaded by IOF in an operation called “Hot Winter” and over several days, they imposed curfews and undertook house-to-house searches.
Israeli forces arrested at least 10, injured five, and killed one civilian. Tens of thousands of people were confined to their homes as the Israeli army entered dozens of houses, detaining scores of people. The IOF was especially active in the Yasmine and Qariyon neighborhoods in the old city portion of Nablus.
Kirsten Sutherland, a British worker for the Palestine Medical Relief Society writing from Nablus, described an incident reported by the Director of the Society, Dr. Ghassan Hamdan, the following day.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6609.shtml
According to the report, Dr. Hamdan, after distributing medicines and food and providing emergency healthcare all night in Nablus’ Old City, was awakened by a phone call after two and a half hours of sleep. The caller reported that Israeli soldiers had set an apartment near the Old City on fire and that there may be civilian casualties. The soldiers had forced all the building’s residents out onto the street. When he arrived, he was informed that one of the residents, Mona Tbeileh, had been accused of harboring ‘wanted’ men in her home. She adamantly denied this, and told the soldiers that they could search the apartment as proof, and even offered to be used as a human shield. Rather than searching the soldiers tossed explosives through the door, setting it on fire, burning everything in the apartment, including furniture and personal belongings (exterior shown in the picture).
Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP, who visited the family, said, “this is yet one more example of how the Israeli military believes it can act with impunity.
Operation Hot Winter went on for several days and portions of it were videoed by photographers from the Research Journalism Initiative over its first four days. Although the Day 3 film was confiscated by the IOF, Days 1, 2, and 4 are available for viewing (below) from the YouTube or Electronic Intifada site. They run approximately 5 minutes each.
Video: Nablus Invasion, Day 1
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6612.shtml
Video: Nablus Invasion, Day 2
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6613.shtml
Video: Nablus Invasion, Day 4
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6615.shtml
Material reproduced with EI permission.
UPDATES: Articles appeared from various news outlets concerning the IOF’s Nablus operation:
Film of Israeli Raid Raises Questions
ABC News International
JERUSALEM Mar 1, 2007 (AP)–The young Palestinian man was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt on a cold winter morning as he walked in front of heavily armed Israeli soldiers on a door-to-door sweep of three apartments in a crowded West Bank neighborhood.
The scene caught by an Associated Press Television News camera has raised questions about whether the Israeli army is still using Palestinian civilians during military operations, despite a Supreme Court order barring the practice.
Sinn Fein leader calls for economic sanctions on Israel after Nablus incursion
Press Release, Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein Justice and International Affairs Spokesperson Aengus O Snodaigh TD has called on the Government to enforce emergency economic sanctions on Israel after its latest illegal military incursion into Nablus in the West Bank. Deputy O Snodaigh said occupying Israeli forces have killed and wounded Palestinian civilians and forced young Palestinians to act as human shields.
We also target civilians
Ynet
Why did the IDF impose a siege on the government hospital in Nablus and prevent wounded Palestinians from being taken there? Why does the IDF take over a school and turn it into a Shin Bet interrogation center? What was the sin committed by Anan al-Tabibi, who was shot in the head by a sniper while in his own backyard? Again, illogical questions. We have a war, and in war there is no reason to be strict when it comes to respecting life of civilians.
The thing is, this is untrue. This is not a war, but rather, a unilateral invasion into a Palestinian town, and even in wars there are explicit bans on unnecessary harm to the civilian population. The IDF has not heard about it; the Palestinian population, including its assets and needs, are like thin air for the invading forces.
When they took us, they did not even look at our IDs
The Other Israel
A Nablus youngster`s diary: they told all the women, children and those over 30 to go back home, and kept just us, the youth. They put some blindfolds on our eyes, and tied our hands behind our backs with some very painful plastic cuffs. After that, we were moved to some stores in the street, which were opened, destroyed and converted to prisons.
Crossposted at My Left Wing, Evenhanded Democrats
