PHA-Exchange> Palestine solidarity

[Aviva]

Subject: Fwd: Dr. Barghouthi's Arrest, and the Israeli Military's Brut al
Treatment of Dr. Barghouthi and European Delegates


UPDATE.

>URGENT APPEAL
>Dr. Barghouthi's Arrest, and the Israeli Military's Brutal Treatment of Dr.
>Barghouthi and European Delegates
>
>5 January 2002
>
>The arrest of Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi - a physician and human rights
>activist, president of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees
>(UPMRC), which won the WHO World Health Award 2001, and director of the
>Health, Development, Information and Policy institute (HDIP)­ on Wednesday
>the 2nd of January by plain clothed Israeli police, was condemnable.
>Arrested after participating in a morning press conference in East
>Jerusalem, Dr. Barghouthi was held for over four hours in the notorious
>Israeli detention center, "Maskopia".
>
>Dr. Barghouthi was finally deported from East Jerusalem to the West Bank at
>the Ram checkpoint, between Ramallah and Jerusalem. Upon his release, and
>waiting for his car to arrive to take him back to Ramallah, the doctor was
>talking with international delegates and press, who were with him at the
>time of his initial arrest.
>
>It is at this point that the most horrific events of the day occurred.
>
>According to witnesses at least three jeeps of Israeli soldiers arrived at
>the checkpoint, and attempted, without reason, to re-take Dr. Barghouthi.
>The events that followed illustrate the brutality of the Israeli
occupation,
>and their continued disproportionate use of force and violence against
>civilian Palestinians, and their foreign supporters.
>
>For ten minutes the group was subjected to pushing, punching, being thrown
>to the ground and dragged along in addition to the soldiers firing tear gas
>and throwing sound bombs. They also opened fire above the heads of the
>people. In this aggressive and violent assault Ms. Luisa Morgantini, in her
>sixties, and Ms. Ulla Sandbaek, both members of the European Parliament,
>were thrown to the ground and physically attacked.
>
>This vicious, unprovoked and completely unjustified attack against Dr.
>Barghouthi and the group must be condemned in the harshest terms. The fact
>that the Doctor was released, without charges, one hour later confirms that
>there was no reason for his detainment. Upon his release it became clear he
>had been beaten and suffered a fractured knee, in addition to lacerations
>and bruising to his face and body.
>
>Dr. Barghouthi has continuously worked in the Palestinian health sector, to
>provide health care to the more than three million Palestinians in the West
>Bank and Gaza Strip; he was a member of the negotiating team in Madrid, and
>has over the years consistently advocated a non-violent, peaceful approach
>to the removal of the Israeli occupation of the West bank and Gaza Strip.
>
>We all must denounce Dr. Barghouthi's arrest for being in East Jerusalem
>which is part of the Occupied Territories, and his treatment at the hands
of
>the Israeli police and Army, and therefore government. We must also
>criticize, and demand an explanation for, the violence use against the
>foreign delegation and other people with Dr. Barghouthi at the time of the
>attack.
>
>We are beginning a campaign of formal protest to the Israeli government and
>as part of this we would appreciate if you could please write/email/fax or
>call the Israeli Embassy in your country ­ for the relevant address
>information please see http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/israel1.htm, in
>addition to asking your representatives to make an official protest to the
>Israeli government.
>
>Also write to the following Israeli officials, remembering a fax is great
>deal more effective than an email:
>Shimon Peres
>Email: sar at mofa.gov.il
>Fax: 972 2 5303367
>
>Binyamin Ben Eliezer, Defense Minister
>Email: sgansar at mod.gov.il or sar at mod.gov.il
>Fax: 972 3 6976218
>
>Uzi Landau, Minister for Internal Security
>Email: sar at mops.gov.il
>Fax: 972 2 5308151
>
>Nissim Dahan, Health Minister,
>Fax: 972 2 6787662

Sent by Pam Zinkin