The IDF demolishes a Palestinian home in Saida; fires on an crowd local Palestinians who come to scene to observe, wounding a 17-yr.-old Palestinian; bars an ambulance fr. reaching the scene for 1.5 hrs., allowing the boy to bleed to death. The IDF also conducts arrest raids, house searches in `Azun, Bayt Dajan, Jalazun r.c., Jenin; recommends Israel order the closure of 3 Palestinian colleges (Palestine Polytechnic Institute and the Islamic College in Hebron, the Islamic College in Abu Dis) for the students’ strong support of Hamas, Islamic Jihad. (see 1/6). Israel says it has arrested a bedouin for plotting to purchase, smuggle weapons to Palestinians in the territories. An Israeli court sentences 7 Israeli Arabs (6 of them minors) to 3+n25 yrs. in jail for the fatal stabbing of an Israeli woman in Jerusalem on 2/8/02, plotting to carry out other attacks. (HA, LAW, NYT, PCHR 1/8; PRCS press release 1/12)
Wednesday, January 8, 2003