November 22, 2002

Curfew, Bethlehem Homes Demolished

[Bethlehem, West Bank] Yesterday Israeli soldiers worked nearly the entire day on a house by my apartment. Soldiers were there in the morning for a few hours, they left, and then they returned in the evening. In the morning I saw my neighbors showing them around their home. An older Palestinian man dressed in traditional clothing led two young soldiers. This group would appear for a few moments on a second-floor balcony, disappear, and the reappear a while later on the roof. The soldiers eventually stayed on the roof where I watched them. They spent a long time taking measurements of the roof. Back and forth, lengthwise and crosswise. One of the soldiers was carrying a paper which he consulted frequently. They checked and rechecked their measurements. Finally they reentered the home. A short time later a team of four or five soldiers left the building. One was carrying a sledgehammer and a rifle. The others carried only rifles and papers. As far as I could tell, they had arrested no one. The soldiers returned to the group of vehicles waiting for them -- the large truck carrying blindfolded Palestinian men and four jeeps. All drove away.

I thought the business with my neighbor was over, but that was not the case. After nightfall, the soldiers returned. Four jeeps pulled up and parked in the intersection near my apartment. Most of the soldiers jumped out and made their way to the building. A few stayed behind with the jeeps, leaving them running. I heard loud voices and shouting coming from the home. Then the sounds of construction work -- drilling and sawing and brief flashes of light. It went on for an hour or more. Long enough for the soldiers waiting behind in their jeeps to restlessly stop their engines. My landlord said that he suspected the soldiers would explode the home. He asked me to open my windows to protect the glass from the pressure wave. Shortly after I talked to him, I heard an intense "boom" and the structure was destroyed. After the blast, I ran to my window and saw a large cloud rising from the site. It billowed around the building, and powdery dust drifted through my open windows, causing me to sneeze. When the dust settled, the soldiers calmed walked to their waiting jeeps and drove off, leaving a demolished home.

Israeli is using this invasion to target the homes of those who have been accused of associating with or being related to suicide bombers in one way or another.

Soldiers meet at night before reentering my neighbor's house.

This morning another neighborhood home was blown up.
Seven homes in Bethlehem have been demolished in the last two days.

Smoke pours from the back of the building. An Israeli truck sits out front.

As usual, even ambulances are checked.

They checked the ambulance for half an hour or more, inspecting it thoroughly, including the engine.

Taking aim at something.