Into the evening Israeli forces continue their offensive on the Palestinian people. After heavy shelling of the Presidential compound all day Israeli forces entered the compound with tanks and ground troops. The Palestinian police have reported that no one has been taken but there has been office to office break ins and searches and resistance from the compound.
Two Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances carrying a doctor and two foreign international volunteers American citizen Adam Shapiro and Irish national Caoimhe Butterly have been held up for over 3 hours trying to reach the injured in the compound.
Adam reported the ambulances being stopped and completely search and everybody was being forced out of the ambulances. At the time of this writing one ambulance carrying the doctor and the two foreign civilian volunteers have been let in. One ambulance was turned back. Two injured are being removed from the compound now.
Al-Jazeera satellite channel was showing people bleeding and lying dead on the floor of the compound as the ambulances were held at the gate and the volunteers waiting to be let in to assist the injured could see smoke rising from the compound.
Electricity throughout Ramallah has been cut in all neighborhoods and water tanks have been shot up causing them to leak precious water. Israeli forces have been shooting at anything moving in the streets as their tanks are positioned throughout Palestinian neighborhoods.
The Shabak and Israeli police entered a hotel in Jerusalem where an international solidarity delegation of French and Swiss are staying. The Israeli forces demanded all the passports of the 50 internationals. After the intervention of embassies and lawyers the passports were returned. It is unknown whether they will attempt to forcibly remove international witnesses in the area.
Despite this form of intimidation by the Israeli authorities and army internationals are intent on staying and expressing their solidarity with the Palestinian people.
We urge everyone again to please keep working to stop the continued atrocities being perpetrated by Sharon and his government.
