Israel Destroys a Neighborhood in Nablus

The Akoba’s building, consisting of four floors and inhabited by 50 persons, was not the only building destroyed by Israeli forces invading Nablus last Thursday.

The PHRMG’s field researcher, who conducted an inquiry in Abu Obaidah Street, reported that Israeli actions left 20 families homeless after their houses – which were beside the Akoba’s building – had been destroyed by an intense blast.

Abed al-Kareem Akoba – the owner of the building – described events: “At about 5:00 AM we were awakened by the dread pings. Then the Israeli soldiers ordered us through loudspeakers to come out of the building. When we reached the building’s gate, the soldiers swooped down on us, insulted and handcuffed us. Then they took us into opposite stores, checked our identity cards and asked us about a wanted person. I answered them, ‘we do not know this person – he does not live in our building!’” “But they,” added Abed al-Kareem, “insisted that this individual was hiding in the building.”

When the field researcher of the PHRMG asked Abed al-Kareem about the confinement conditions in the stores, he said, “The Israeli soldiers mistreated us; they didn’t allow the children to drink water and they didn’t let the mothers go to their flats to bring warm clothes for the shivering youngsters. They kept us in confinement; at about 4:00 PM an officer told me that ‘they are going to blow up the building.’ I tried to convince them that there was no need for such an action; and even suggested that my sons and I would walk in front of them as human shields while they combed the building. They rejected my idea. Although their dogs did not find anyone in the building, they blew it up.”

Abed al-Kareem talked about the people who had lived in the building. “The dwellers were my mother and sisters; my wife and children (6 persons); the family of my brother Mohannad (5 persons); the family of my brother Majdi (5 persons); the family of my brother Hani (9 persons); the family of Mr. Sameer Yousef (8 persons); the family of Mr. Nabeel Antar (5 persons) and Husam al-Khateeb – a student at Annajah University – who leased a flat with his two sisters.”

“My wife,” said Abed al-Kareem, “couldn’t stand the atrocity that had happened, and after she suffered a nervous breakdown, an ambulance took her to the hospital.”

Abed al-Razzaq Ayyad, the owner of the stores in which the people were confined, said, “The Israeli soldiers maliciously destroyed the Akoba’s building - in order to force the Palestinians to reject the Resistance. Their sole aim in demolishing a whole neighborhood was destruction.  One of their bulldozers destroyed most of the parking cars and electricity facilities, and also dug a hole in the street. They blasted the water pipes as well.”

The blast at the Akoba’s building caused great damage to the al-Ortany’s building as well. A housewife from the al-Ortany family said, “The pings appalled my children and me. Then the blast shook our flat and we started to cry. The windows broke – dust covered us.”

Architects of Nablus Municipality have asked the dwellers of the al-Ortany’s building to abandon it, as it was about to collapse.

The mother of Zeyad al-Ortany said, “We have only been living in the building for a year. There are 40 inhabitants – most of them children. While we were evacuating, parts of the building fell down. Fortunately, no one was hurt – thanks to Providence.”

“My son,” she added, “had furnished the upper flat as part of the preparations for his wedding – but now everything is lost!”

“We are,” she concluded, “ready to sacrifice for the sake of Palestine. The Israeli soldiers – whatever they do – cannot expel us from our land.”

   Bulldozers are removing the rubble of the Akoba’s building

The ruins of Al-Ortany’s flat

The ruins of Al-Ortany’s building

Researcher: Samer Khoireh  / Nablus

 Saturday 24/1/2004