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International Solidarity Movement offices raided by Israeli Army
by repost
Saturday, May. 10, 2003 at 1:07 PM
International solidarity movement activists arrested and deported by Israel
Ananova:
Britons arrested trying to enter Gaza Strip
The Israeli army has raided the West Bank offices of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement.
Soldiers confiscated computers and documents, and arrested an American and an Australian.
Earlier in the day, Israeli security forces arrested two British members of the group, who were trying to enter the Gaza Strip.
Alice Coy and Nick Durie were taken for questioning at the border crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, said the ISM.
About 22 army jeeps surrounded the group's offices in the village of Beit Sahour, said George Rishmawi - a Palestinian close to the group.
Police spokesman Gil Kleiman said Christine Razowsky, 28, from Chicago, an Australian woman who did not want her name released, and Palestinian Fida Gharib, 22, a secretary for the ISM, were arrested.
The military said it had arrested several people who violated the law in the village, but refused to release details. Kleiman said the foreigners were in police custody, and were being questioned for entering a restricted military area.
He added the interrogation documents and other evidence - including the computers - will be used by the Interior Ministry to decide whether the foreigners should be deported.
The ISM is a pro-Palestinian organisation composed of volunteers who often act as human shields, placing themselves between Palestinians and the Israeli army.
In the past two months, an American member of the group, Rachel Corrie, 23, was killed and two other foreign activists, an American and a Briton, were seriously wounded in separate incidents. One of the wounded, Briton Tom Hurndall, 21, remains on life support in an Israeli hospital.
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