A human shield worker reports from Balata

Marissa in Balata
25 June 2002

Note: This is from Marissa, a PSC Seattle member, who joined the International Solidarity Movement to end the occupation for its Freedom Summer. She writes from the West Bank town of Nablus, refugee camp of Balata.

Hi all, I've only got a couple of minutes so I wanted to send a quick update. I'm staying in Balata Refugee camp outside of Nablus in the home of a family that has reason to fear that the occupation forces will demolish their home. Nablus has been under curfew for 5 days but it was lifted for a few hours today. The camp itself has not been under curfew yet but it will be in about an hour.

I have so much to write about but little time. Every night between midnight and 2:00 AM the tanks ride up and down the streets throwing the occasional percussion grenade and firing machine guns into the air. The only apparent reason for this is to intimidate the people by disrupting their sleep and making sure that they know who's the boss. They demolished a home around the corner because they said it was a 'bomb factory' but the locals swear it wasn't. In the process they also demolished 6 attached homes. There is another home behind this one that they demolished for no reason and with no explanation.

Everyone in this family has been touched deeply by the occupation. There is the widowed mother with 10 children, 8 boys and 2 girls. All of the boys have been injured many times. Less than a month ago the oldest son and his 12 year old son were walking home from buying vegetables when the occupation forces fired on them from behind with a tank shell. The father is now permanently disabled and must be pushed around in a wheelchair. His son lost a finger and may lose his thumb. Everyone has lost friends and family. There is tragedy everywhere you look. I've grown very fond of this family.

I was just told that curfew is ending early and I must get back into Balata and go indoors. The army shoots anything that moves after they declare their arbitrary curfews.

Later folks,

Marissa

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Vredessite | Palestina alert 2002 Ooggetuigen