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Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 12:23:25 +0200
Subject: For moderation -
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Israeli Soldiers Kill Palestinian Man Defending Neighbor's Home in Jerusalem
29 January 1999
Badil Resource Center
Zakiy Obeid, a Palestinian Jerusalemite, age 22, died yesterday in Hadassah
Hospital after suffering two bullet wounds in the head and one in the neck by
Israeli soldiers. He leaves behind a wife and a daughter of 1 year and 3
months. Zakiy was one of 5 men hospitalized during the neighborhood protest of
an Israeli house demolition in the Palestinian village of Issawiye on Tuesday,
26 January. A 17 year old Palestinian Jerusalemite was also shot five times in
the abdomen with rubber coated metal bullets. The targeted house was owned by
Daoud Azziz and was one of two houses slated for demolition by the Israeli
authorities. The second was temporarily spared by a last minute court order.
The Israeli bulldozer, flanked by over a 100 soldiers and police, approached the
home of Daoud at 9am. In an impressive use of force the demolition contractor
sent its men into the home to remove the family's belongings, forcing all its
occupants into the street. Several of the women, some over the age of 60, were
beaten when they attempted to retrieve some of their belongings. As the
bulldozer approached the home, the gathered crowd began to shout "Allah Akbar"
or God is Great. The Israeli soldiers responded with both live and rubber
coated munitions.
Israel continues its policy of house demolition despite the signing of the Wye
Plantation agreement. By refusing to issue building permits to Palestinian
Jerusalemites and enforcing municipal "city planning" through house demolition,
the Israeli government continues to secure its hold on occupied Jerusalem. Last
year alone Israel destroyed 45 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem and a total of 158
including West Bank. About 2, 000 additional houses are targeted for
demolition.
Since its occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, Israel has refined a broad range
of complex bureaucratic policies to limit and control the Palestinian
population. From ID card confiscation, to intentionally neglecting city
planning in Palestinian areas, to constructing Jewish settlements, Israel
attempts to both limit the movement and control the growth of Palestinians.
Israel has even turned its policies of cleansing Jerusalem of its Palestinian
population into a lucrative business. Private contractors are now paid roughly
$1500 for each house they demolish. Through these methods, Israel successfully
privatizes the business of suffering.
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