Palestine News Network - Instead of easing restrictions on freedom of movement, Israeli forces beat 16 year girl

 

 

Palestine News Network

 

 

Instead of easing restrictions on freedom of movement,

Israeli forces beat 16 year girl

http://english.pnn.ps/

(Bethlehem) Najib Farag   
Wednesday, 03 January 2007

Sixteen year old Amarna Ibrahim lies in Bethlehem's Government Hussein, Beit Jala, Hospital. She has broken bones, is covered with bruises and is shaken-up. She and three other girls were passing through a section of the Wall in Abu Dis that many Palestinians use to arrive in the Palestinian towns of East Jerusalem. Often the Israeli army is on the other side, and sometimes the people are let through, and other times are sent back.

Often Palestinians have documentation of official appointments in Jerusalem with consulates or hospitals. Sometimes they have previously issued “permission” granted by Israeli forces to move freely. And sometimes this works and sometimes it does not.

What happened to the teenaged girls is typical. They passed through the Wall, the Israeli army was there, and soldiers questioned the girls. Keeping in mind that the Israeli Prime Minister pledged to “ease restrictions” on mobility and “remove several barriers,” this day should have been easier than usual.

But instead Israeli soldiers began beating this girl, hitting her with their fists, rifle butts, and kicking her in the face, hands and body. The girl's friends stood horrified, unable to stop the soldiers, unable to help. And then the soldiers left, just like that. Other Palestinians in the area called for an ambulance which arrived quickly and rushed her to Bethlehem's main hospital.

It happened at about 5:00 pm yesterday, Tuesday, while on the girls were on their way for Eid Al Adha holiday visits. The soldiers came from a checkpoint that is several meters from this area of the Wall.

Beit Jala Hospital sources report that the Deheisha Refugee Camp girl is still in the Emergency Room. Palestinian sources commenting on the incident say that the proof is right there: the Israelis had no intention of honoring their promise to ease restrictions against the freedom of movement. Apparently Ibrahim is not the only one who has been beaten at a checkpoint this Eid Al Adha, while hundreds of others have been prevented passage throughout the West Bank.

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