BY MELANIE SJOBERG
SYDNEY — The first Australian delegation allowed into the devastated Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank returned to Australia with emotional and harrowing stories. The delegation included union movement activists and a representative of the Australian Greens.
The visit was organised by Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA, which has provided support for development projects with Palestinian refugees since 1984.
Speaking to Green Left Weekly on May 31, tour leader Cecily Michaels described the response of participants: "The group was shocked and horrified at the continued confiscation of Palestinian land for Israeli settlements and the resulting fragmentation of Palestinian land and communities into detached zones."
She said that all Palestinians are virtually imprisoned due to the stringent travel restrictions imposed by the encirclement of their towns and villages by Israel's military roadblocks and razor wire. "This policy of confinement denies medical care to hundreds of thousands of citizens and subjects Palestinians to daily humiliation, violence and misery. It is difficult for those who have not seen it to conceive of the reality of the prison like conditions."
Michaels said that the settlements and Israeli-only roads cover more than 40% of the Occupied Territories and there are an estimated 230 checkpoints.
Recounting some of the group's experiences, Michaels said that it was necessary for them to walk for 3 kilometres outside Nablus to locate taxis because normal routes are surrounded by concrete blocks to prevent vehicles crossing. "Many routes are simply tracks through backyards because there are few conventional roads left for Palestinians."
The delegation witnessed arbitrary beatings at checkpoints and needless terrorising of Palestinian children. Meetings with Palestinians confirmed reports of the Israeli military having fired on medical personnel who went to the assistance of the more than 2550 Palestinians injured since September 2000. They heard that hundreds of children had been arrested and many subjected to torture.
The delegation has condemned all acts of violence against civilians and urged the Australian government to support the United Nations call for the immediate withdrawal of Israel's occupying army from all Palestinian territories in accordance with UN resolutions 242, 338 and 1402.
Michaels said that the solidarity movement in Australia needed to build upon the lessons from the campaign against apartheid in South Africa and call for sanctions to be imposed on Israel.
From Green Left Weekly, June 19, 2002.
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