The Palestine Monitor A PNGO Information Clearinghouse UPDATE 27 November 2002 Israeli forces kill man in refugee camp Two families made homeless with further Israeli house demolition Israeli forces shot dead a 24-year-old Palestinian, Jihad Muhammad Musallam An-Natour in Askar refugee camp in Nablus early this morning. Jihad was walking through the camp waking the inhabitants so they could eat before the daily fast of the holy month of Ramadan began. According to residents the area was quiet and not under curfew – when at about 3am they heard Jihad calling and then immediately after heard gunshots. Dr. Muhammad Awadi, the director of the local Red Crescent hospital said, “Many people called for an ambulance, and recounted what had happened. We sent out an ambulance but Israeli soldiers prevented it from reaching the area in which Jihad had been shot. It returned to the hospital empty.” At 4:30am the soldiers left the area and, despite the recently imposed curfew, some of the residents managed to get to the body of Jihad and moved him to the Ittihad hospital. Doctors at the hospital who examined Jihad believe he died instantly from shots to the chest and his heart, however he had multiple bullet wounds all over his body. In another incident, armed soldiers occupied a house in Kafer Qalil, near Nablus, for some hours before destroying it with bulldozers and dynamite. According to Subhi Salah Al-Qinna, the head of the local council, soldiers in jeeps came to the house at around midnight (Monday) and demanded to see Adel Ahmad Hussein Qinen, who was not actually at home. Despite this the soldiers threatened to destroy the house if he did not surrender. His wife and 10 children, and his brothers’ family who also lived in the building, were then forced from the house, wearing only their nightclothes, and not permitted to take anything with them. Midmorning yesterday troops used explosives and bulldozers to completely destroy the house. Since this time the Israeli military has designated the town a closed military zone, not permitting journalists or others to enter. This is not the first time Israeli soldiers have destroyed the homes of the families of those wanted by Israel. Since July this year, 61 Palestinian homes have been demolished, leaving more than 500 people homeless, more than 220 of them children in another example of collective punishment - in contravention of the Fourth Geneva convention. For more information contact: The Palestine Monitor +972 (0)2 298 5372 or +972 (0)59 254 218 www.palestinemonitor.org