'Amer Muhammad 'Abd al-Karim
'
Amer 'Abd al-Karim, aged 24, was arrested in Jenin refugee camp on 9 April
2002. He told Amnesty International how all those sheltering in a house with
him came out when they saw that houses were being bulldozed around them:

"There were 60 people in the same building, there were three women, a newborn
baby, about seven children and five or so old men. ... the shelling began
again and the house next door was being bulldozed. The people in the house
decided to leave rather than face the bulldozer. When they left, they gave
the sign of surrender. The IDF told them to sit on the ground and place their
hands behind their back; their hands were bound with plastic ties. Men were
separated from women and taken 10 by 10 and told to strip to their underwear.
They were then told to parade around in a circle. We were not blindfolded.

We then were marched for about 20 metres and then separated from one another.
When we were marching I saw an injured woman who had just one leg. We asked
the IDF to help her and get an ambulance. They refused and said not to fear.
At that time, I heard shooting coming from the left, which lasted about 10
minutes. During this period, the Israeli soldiers were using people as human
shields. The soldiers would have us walk in front of them, sometimes with
them resting their rifles on our shoulders. At times they were exchanging
gunfire and shooting from people's shoulders. After about 10 minutes, we were
blindfolded and then taken to a big area. I tried to take off my blindfold to
see if friends were with me. I asked about the injured woman and was told
that they left the woman there. We were then bound together in groups of five
by the hands. We then walked about 30 minutes... we were then made to sit on
the ground for about five minutes. I heard a soldier say to put 20 into four
columns. There was a tank in front and one behind, I heard it. It was now
late at night. We were gathered in one area and sat in a row. I tried to get
off my blindfold with my leg. I was worried I was going to be run over by a
tank. ... They started to beat us on the body and chest with rifle butts ...
after the beating we were seated with our head on our knees with our arms
behind our back. We all gathered in a large area near Bir Sa'adeh, near Jenin
outpost. We were all gathered there in our underwear. It was cold. When we
asked for blankets, we were beaten. We were not given any water. We were
there from about midnight to about 10am.

"We were then taken to Salem by a bus or something like a truck with chairs.
We were taken off the bus one by one and asked for ID and names. They started
gathering information then - names and personal details. One soldier asked
who knew Hebrew. I put my hand up. They took off the blindfold. I was given a
gallon or so of water that was hot and told to give to the thirsty. There
were about 31 or so men there. Because I knew Hebrew, I was asked to tell the
soldiers that some people were injured. The soldiers told me that they would
deal with it later. The water ran out before everyone had a drink. One
soldier told me to tell the others that 'You fighters don't deserve to live -
you should die'. I told him, 'We came to you for surrender, we are ordinary
people'. It was quite hot and some of them tried to lie on the ground but the
soldiers told us to put our heads between our legs. There was a man about 68
years old who would not do it so the soldiers beat him with their rifle butts
and their boots. We stayed in this squatting position from about 10am until
night-time. We did not have a break. Only when I was pouring water was I
allowed to be in a different position. We were at Salem from Tuesday night
until Wednesday night. There was one man with us who had diabetes but there
was no medical help provided during this time. I was released at a gas
station. I was still blindfolded but with my hands handcuffed in front. When
I left the bus I was told not to go back to Jenin or the camp."

Muhammad and Husni Ahmad 'Amer

On Sunday 7 April, two brothers, Muhammad and Husni Ahmad 'Amer, were taken
into custody by the IDF. Muhammad 'Amer described how Husni, who had been
compelled to participate in an IDF operation, was subjected to severe
beatings, and taken from Salem detention centre by ambulance later that day.
At the time Amnesty International interviewed him, he was searching for
information about his brother. Almost two months later, Muhammad 'Amer was
informed that his brother Husni had died.

Muhammad 'Amer told Amnesty International:
"I was at my mother's house in the Jurrat al-Dahab area of the camp on the
morning of 7 April. It was a Sunday and it was about 8am. I was with my son,
another brother and my mother. I heard a knock on the door. We opened the
door and found that it was my brother Husni, he was with the IDF. The IDF
ordered us to leave the house and about 20-25 soldiers entered the house. We
were on the balcony. They were in the house for about 5 minutes. They
arrested my son Amir and left my mother and my other brother Maher (who is
disabled). They took myself and my brother Husni and led us to Husni's house,
which is a very short distance away.

"When we reached Husni's house, we entered and went to the basement. When we
reached the basement, the soldiers saw many pictures on the basement walls
and an officer said to us, 'these are maps to show the fighters the roads'.
We both answered and told them that these were just children's drawings. When
my brother told him that these were the drawings of his children, his hands
were handcuffed behind his back with plastic and they had him sit. They did
not touch me. I was just standing near my brother at the time.

"They began to hit my brother on the shoulder and his bottom with a type of
baton. The beating continued for about half an hour. The soldier kept saying
to him, 'You must say these are maps of the militants'. For a while, my
brother was screaming. After a while, though, his face became almost white.
He kept telling them that these were just his children's drawings. He told
the soldiers, 'I can get my children so that they could tell you'.

"My brother then began to complain about a pain in his stomach and asked the
soldiers for some water. They did not give him any water. They beat him about
four to five times and in between each beating, they would ask him about the
drawings.
"When they finished beating my brother, they told me: 'Okay, now it is your
turn'. I told them in Hebrew that I am ill and that I have a problem with my
heart. They left me for about five minutes and when they came back they said,
'Okay you can go to the other room'. It was just next to the one I was in
with my brother. When I went to the other room, I was told to sit on the
ground. The door was left opened. I could see my brother. I spent about half
an hour in this room. After this, they took both my brother and me out of the
house. My brother was leaning on me. The IDF took us to the entrance of the
camp. We walked about 200-250 metres. Once inside the camp, they handcuffed
us with plastic ties and blindfolded us. We were told to sit. We were kept
there for about one to two hours, I am not sure.

"My brother kept complaining about his pain. At first they took us to Bir
Sa'adeh. My brother was screaming now from the pain. He kept saying he was
hurt. When we arrived at Bir Sa'adeh, my brother and I were separated. At one
stage, I asked to use the bathroom and a soldier took me. He let me take my
blindfold off then. When I returned, I sat in a different place, under a
tree. I was allowed to keep my blindfold off. I could hear my brother asking
for water and complaining about the pain in his stomach. After a short time,
the soldier told me to put my blindfold back on. During the time I had the
blindfold off, I could see my brother at the bottom of the hill. They didn't
give him any water or any medical help. We were kept there for about 6 hours.


"We were then put in an armed personnel carrier (APC) and taken to Salem
detention centre. We realized we were in Salem when we heard the call for
prayer. When we arrived at Salem, we were ordered to sit on the gravel. When
I was there, I was taken for interrogation and asked a few questions. They
asked me if I would like to work with them and told me that if I agreed, they
would get me permission to work inside Israel. I refused. They questioned me
for about 10-15 minutes. They then photographed me and kept the photo. I
heard them saying to each other in Hebrew 'You can release him'. They put the
handcuffs and blindfold back on me.

"After the interrogation, I returned to the gravel and I was placed near my
brother. The soldier gave me his ID card. He was moaning very loudly at this
point and seemed to have problems breathing. The other prisoners started to
yell that he was dying. I heard the soldiers trying to give him some medical
help, and then I heard one of them ask for an ambulance. I could still see a
bit through the bottom of the blindfold and saw them taking my brother away.
It was about 7.30pm. I remained there for one night. The following morning, I
was released. I have not seen my brother again."

The family, as well as local human rights organizations including HaMoked,
made repeated inquiries regarding Husni 'Amer. They were told by the IDF that
there was no record either of his detention or of his hospitalization. On 1
June, nearly two months after his detention, the District Coordination Office
(DCO, the centre for coordination between Israel and the Palestinian
Authority) informed Husni 'Amer's family that his body was being held at the
Abu Kabir Centre for Forensic Medicine. On 6 June, the Israeli High Court,
acting on a petition from the family, prevented any further examinations on
the body. On 13 June, Muhammad 'Amer was called to Abu Kabir to identify the
body. The family has requested independent forensic examination to determine
the cause of death.

Access to essential supplies

Residents of Jenin town and refugee camp reported to Amnesty International
delegates their increasing fear as stocks of food and water diminished. The
delegates in the town between 15 and 17 April witnessed the trauma of
families who had spent the previous two weeks confined to their houses, with
water and electricity cut off for most of the period.

The electricity supply was cut in the city on 3 April 2002; in most places
service was restored within four to 10 days but, according to UNRWA, it was
not until 25 April that even a partial electricity supply was restored to the
lower part of the refugee camp. In an interview with Amnesty International,
the head of electricity services for the Jenin City Municipality provided a
detailed log of service interruptions as well as a report of damage
assessment by engineers. Several of the main feeders had been, in his view,
targeted and repair crews had been subjected to IDF gunfire when they
attempted to repair damaged cables.

Water supplies were also cut by the IDF and, in addition, many of the water
storage tanks on the tops of houses were damaged by IDF fire; in some places
the water supply was not restored for 20 days. The Director of the Water
Sector for Jenin city told Amnesty International delegates that in one
pumping station supplying Jenin city and the western villages the pumps were
inoperable; damage to the network was extensive and "mainlines from the
reservoirs or pumping stations were cut intentionally by bulldozers or
indirectly through heavy tank traffic. Seven of 11 booster pumps [which help
water reach high areas] were hit or destroyed by heavy machine gun fire or
tanks. Damage to the network inside the refugee camp was beyond repair." On 5
April the IDF occupied one pumping station and dismissed the operator for
four days. Camp residents and those living in the upper areas of the town
remained without water for up to three weeks; UNRWA reports that water points
to the camp were not restored until 28 April.

The IDF Head of Plans and Policy Directorate told Amnesty International
delegates that there was no policy to cut either electricity or water and
said that Palestinians used water pipes to make bombs. However, between March
and May 2002 Amnesty International's delegates inspected damaged electric
feeders and water pipes in many Palestinian towns and refugee camps. They
concluded that damage to electricity cables and water pipes was deliberate
and widespread.

The prolonged curfew made it impossible for those in Jenin city or the
refugee camp to obtain alternative water supplies, except during the period
in which curfews were lifted. Humanitarian relief services were unable to
provide water, medical or food supplies until 17 April 2002. Most houses had
reserves of food; residents had suffered previous incursions and periods of
curfew and laid in supplies of rice, lentils, beans, as well as storing water
in bottles or buckets within their homes. Fresh milk and water and fresh food
were unavailable. Hospitals reported six cases within Jenin refugee camp of
children with complications resulting from drinking wastewater. Hospitals had
their own generators but services were affected by water and food shortages;
for days Jenin City Hospital patients and staff lived mainly on biscuits.

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