[News] Instead of easing restrictions on freedom of movement, Israeli forces beat 16 year girl

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Instead of easing restrictions on freedom of movement, Israeli forces 
beat 16 year girl
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1357

(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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