Friday, July 19, 2002

The IDF blows up the family homes of senior al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades member Ali Ajuri (allegedly behind the 7/17 Tel Aviv bombing) in Askar refugee camp, Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades member Nasser Assida (allegedly behind the 7/16 Emmanuel bus ambush) in Tal, also damaging 6 other homes; arrests their 21 male relatives, whom Israel threatens to expel to Gaza as a deterrent to other militants; neither suspect is captured. The IDF also shoots, seriously injures a Palestinian farmer working in his field nr. Qalqilya; fires stun grenades and teargas at Palestinians leaving Friday services at the Bani Na`im Mosque; ransacks the offices of a Bani Na`im charity, confiscating computers; demolishes the science lab of an elementary school in Hebron. Residents of Arak Burin nr. Nablus say they have been without water for 34 days, since the IDF began barring water trucks fr. entering the village. (Amnesty International, GS, al-Haq, LAW, MM 7/19; NYT, WP 7/20; MENA, QA 7/20, AN, JT 7/21 in WNC 7/22; AYM 7/21 in WNC 7/24; LAW, PCHR 7/24)