The ISM recently sent a delegation (of 9 US citizens) to Qalqilya. Whereas we haven't had a presence in Qalqilya before, neither has the international media, so Israeli government and military atrocities have gone virtually unreported. The activists (contact information at the end) will be able to provide you and media outlets with updated and eyewitness accounts from Qalqilya. Please feel free to contact them or our the ISM office at 02-626-4844.

On Monday July 15, 2002, at 8:00 in the morning, the Israeli Defense Forces attacked a plastics factory in Qalqilya, a northwestern city in the West Bank, causing a massive fire and the death of one of its workers.

Qalqilya was under curfew at the time, which means that nobody is allowed outside. In the past month, several people have died in Qalqilya during curfew; soldiers shot and killed a 10 year old boy playing soccer in the street, a man tending his field, and a pregnant woman standing inside her home. On the morning of July 15, one of the factory workers was standing outside the building. The army jeeps saw her, raced to the factory, and threw a grenade into the building. At the time, there were around 20 workers and 18 residents (living in apartments on the third floor) inside the building. The flames from the first grenade were extinguished by one of the workers inside. The army then ordered everyone out of the building, and sent two more grenades into the building. The factory, which manufactured plasic coverings for steering wheels, contained highly flammable materials; a fire quickly erupted and spread. As people ran out from the fire, the army fired shots in their direction.

One man, Mahmoud Helel, did not run outside. He had forgotten his identification papers at home that morning, and was afraid that the army would harrass or arrest him. The owner of the factory, Dr. Khaldoon Zaid, told one of the commanders that he was 99% sure that one of his workers was still inside the building. The commander asserted that there was no one inside, that anyone could be seen through the windows, despite the fact that there was thick black smoke coming from the burning plastics. In the meantime, the local fire department was called. Due to curfew, which prevents the movement necessary to stock up on supplies, there was not enough gasoline in the fire truck to get to the site. An army tank gave the fire truck some of its gas. This act, of course, made it to the local news. However, further delays were caused by the army vehicles, which obstructed the way to the burning building. By the time the fire trucks reached the building, the first two floors were consumed in flames. Fire trucks from neighboring Salfit and Kefar Sava arrived later. After 3 hours, the fire was extinguished. A search team found Mahmoud's body, completely carbonized, on the second floor.

Mahmoud was 22 years old. He lived and worked in Qalqilya, and attended University Al-Quds in Jerusalem. He was working in the factory to help pay for tuition.

The factory employed 47 full-time employees as well as 15 auxiliary workers and 4 drivers. These people are now without work, in a nation where employment is scarce. The apartments on the third floor are not safe to live in; 2 families, with a total of 12 children, are homeless. The factory sustained damages of 2.5 million US dollars; these losses are not covered by insurance, which does not assist with damage caused by the military.

For more information, contact the factory's general director, Dr. Khaldoon Zaid: home 09-294-7737, or mobile 053-22-1413.

Contact us at 067-371-581.