At-Home with Gila Svirsky

Jerusalem
18 April 2001
Subject: Shooting at Peace Activists

For immediate release

18 April 2001, 9:55 p.m.

Peace Activists Shot from Israeli Settlement;
One Hospitalized, One Escaped Injury

A round of automatic gunfire from the Israeli settlement of Brukhim riddled the car in which two peace activists were sitting following a peace action nearby, completely wrecking the vehicle and injuring the occupants. The man, Muhammed Asi, an Israeli-Palestinian, was taken to the hospital with light injuries on his hand and suffering from shock. The woman, Yasmin Khayal, 22, a German-Palestinian, avoided injury by remaining crouched in the car.

Both had earlier participated in the joint Israeli-Palestinian-International action to dismantle a roadblock outside the West Bank Palestinian villages of Bidiya and Maskha, and were in the car awaiting the release of their fellow-activists from jail.

All 16 activists who had been arrested for participating in dismantling the roadblock were released several hours later, after refusing to sign a statement promising not to return to the area. One woman who participated in this action, Hava Keller, 72, was hospitalized from injuries sustained as the police forcibly removed her and others from the area.

For further information:
Adam Keller (052) 930-384
Arik Asherman (050) 607-034
Neta Golan (050) 757-504 or (052) 481-261