Presidential Candidate Attacked by Israeli Forces

Presidential Candidate Attacked by Israeli Forces

http://www.palestinemonitor.org/new_web/december_update_archive.htm#must

Wednesday 8th December
2004

Dr Mustafa Barghouthi, prominent democratic candidate in the
upcoming Palestinian presidential election, is tonight receiving
medical care in Ramallah’s Sheikh Zayed Hospital after being beaten
to the ground by Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint outside Jenin.

Dr. Barghouthi was stopped at the Jaba checkpoint outside the northern
West Bank city of Jenin and refused passage to return to his home city
of
Ramallah. After being forced from their cars at gunpoint, his group
faced a barrage of abuse and random beatings. Lu’ai Arafat received
several blows to the head with the butt of a rifle. As soldiers began to
beat Dr. Allam Jarrar, Dr. Barghouthi stepped in to intervene and
received a severe beating to his back during which he fell to the
ground. The other staff were also forced to the ground and all six were
made to remain face down for
more than an hour.

This is the second time in a week that this presidential candidate has
been prevented from traveling between towns in the West Bank. On Monday
Dr. Barghouthi was held at gunpoint at a checkpoint on Al-Shuhada St. in

Hebron and prevented from reaching the Palestinian neighborhood of Tel
Al-Armeda. Dr. Barghouthi commented after this instance that he had
experienced the worst of the humiliation and abuse Palestinians are
experiencing at the 700 Israeli checkpoints within the West Bank. He
urged the international community to intervene not only to enable the
elections but also to immediately halt this abhorrent treatment of
Palestinian civilians.

Only last month US Secretary of State Colin Powell promised Palestinians
full American support for elections, and Israel made assurances that it
would aid the elections by easing travel restrictions. On November
22nd
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom stated that it was in Israel’s
interest to see that the Palestinian elections go forward, that “Israel
will do everything in its power to ensure their smooth running,” and
that Palestinians would have “freedom of movement.”

Today’s events clearly show Israel’s blatant efforts to obstruct the
Palestinian democratic elections, once again demonstrating their
disregard for human rights. If the presidential candidates themselves
are forced to endure such violence and humiliation, it is unlikely that
the remaining Palestinian population, who face these
hardships on a
daily basis, will be granted the necessary freedom to vote.