31 March 2002

The Israeli occupation army continued to rampage throughout the city of Ramallah in the west Bank, terrorizing townspeople and vandalizing private and public property.

The invading army also severed electricity and water supplies to the city and cut off telephone communications to the headquarters of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.

"The Israelis are perpetrating a huge carnage here, they are shooting at anything moving, we call upon the world to come to our rescue," said a resident of Ramallah.

The man, who was not identified for fear of Israeli reprisals, told the BBC that Israeli soldiers were raiding and beating civilians and preventing ambulances from taking the wounded to hospitals.

Sporadic clashes erupted between Israeli soldiers and the small number of Arafat's personal guard, resulting in the death of one Palestinian policeman.

Some of the injured Palestinians were left bleeding for three hours before they were taken to hospitals as Israeli troops shot on three occasions at

ambulances. In one instance, the Israeli army seized an ambulance and three wounded people who were bleeding from gunshot wounds.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian leader and a small number of his guardsmen, and other PA officials, remained besieged in two small rooms at the Mukata'a headquarters as Israeli tanks continued to point their guns toward the place.

An Israeli army spokesman said the purpose of the operation against Arafat's headquarters was to make it clear to him "that we have the upper hand."

"He must understand that we have the power," the spokesman told Israeli radio.

Israeli troops tonight fired on a group of Palestinian policemen who were attempting to surrender.

Five have been killed and several injured in the incident at a building near the centre of Ramallah.

The Israeli military says "suspects" were in the building and soldiers returned fire and killed a gunman.

A standoff between soldiers on the street and policemen who remained inside the building continued into the early hours.

A group of 22 Palestinian policemen had been holed up on the third floor of a residential building since the Israeli troops entered Ramallah on Friday.

The officers claim they ran out of food and water and shouted out the window to nearby troops that they were prepared to surrender.

A police spokesman said: "We spoke with one of the soldiers and he gave us instructions to come out of the building and put our weapons down."

He added: "We put our weapons at the main entrance and started to walk out when the Israelis fired on us."

He says the men scrambled back inside the building and up the stairs to take cover, but three policemen were killed at the entrance, and two died later of their wounds. He said others were also injured.

But the Israeli military said "wanted men" were in the building and one of them, wearing an explosives belt, opened fire on them.

Invading Israeli soldiers have arrested at least 200 civilians since yesterday though precise figures are expected to be much higher.

Occupation soldiers announced through loudspeakers that Palestinian inhabitants aged between 15 and 60 must come out of their homes and collect in given gathering locations (usually school yards and public spaces). Many of these people are later arrested them under humiliating conditions including the use of blindfolds, plastic handcuffs and no clothing to protect against the cold weather.

There have been reports that PA police and security members have been separated from other detainees and are being concentrated in separate locations.

Raising fears of a massacre, the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) announced on Sunday that the West Bank city of Ramallah has been declared as a "closed military zone" and that no foreign citizens, including those from the media, are allowed to enter the area.

"Anyone found in the closed zone, henceforth, will be removed. Members of the media are advised that their presence in the closed zone is at their own risk," said the GPO in a statement.

The statement also said that foreign press offices employing Palestinians who work within Israel but lack proper entry and work permits are violating Israeli law and will be subject to fines and other sanctions in line with Israeli labor laws.

GPO director Danny Seaman warned that any Palestinian found without the proper permits will face arrest, and bureaus will face consequences, including a fine of 70,000 shekels (about $15,020).

In response, the Foreign Press Association issued a statement protesting the Israeli position.

"The media must be allowed to cover this major story. We call upon the Israeli government to allow free and independent coverage of the operation in (Palestinians) areas," said the statement.