Jenin: 800 women and children forced out of their homes

The Israeli Armed Forces refuse to allow a group of 300 women and children they expelled from their homes in Jenin to re-enter the city. Wandering around in the darkness with nowhere to go, they are the tragic victims of the wanton violence in the Middle East.

Many of the buildings in Jenin are reported to have been damaged, in a city which faced the full fury of the heavily-armed Israeli Armed Forces, after 15 IDF (Israeli Defence Force) soldiers were killed. Without water, without electricity, without medicine, with many houses demolished by tanks, the city has been devastated. Ambulances are not allowed to circulate to pick up the wounded. The wounded are prevented from entering hospitals and clinics.

UNICEF worker Bertrand Bainvel, waiting for permission to enter the city, has told reporters of a group of 800 women and children “who are wandering around, without knowing where to go, because they were expelled from the refugee camp and the soldiers will not let them return to their homes”.

Another group of 300 women and children have been taken by IDF soldiers to two neighbouring villages, Romana and Zbooba.

Palestinian human rights watch group LAW, has denounced that activists saw bodies being crushed by bulldozers, intent on demolishing civilian housing, and that there have been summary executions and other actions which are determined as war crimes. Members of this organisation claim to have photographic evidence which they claim will later be made available, to back up the veracity of their accusations.

An Israeli human rights watch group, ACRI, placed an action in the Israeli High Court to prevent F-15 and F-16 aircraft being used to strafe the refugee camp. Their petition failed.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY PRAVDA.Ru