Irish nurse describes West Bank destruction

By Kitty Holland
April 15, 2002


A northern Irish nurse, who travelled to the West Bank city of Jenin at the weekend, has been describing the destruction there.

Ms Hazel Siri, from Bangor, Co Down, is based in Jerusalem and has been working in the area for three years. She travelled to Jenin on Friday with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

The city has been declared a closed military are by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and journalists are barred. "We went there mainly to reach the Jenin refugee camp which had been closed for four days," said Ms Siri, "and also to assess the needs of those taking refuge in the town."

The city was "completely empty. There was not a soul in the streets which are normally very busy with people in cafes and shops.

"There were two check-points. As we approached the city an Israeli tank rolled down to meet us."

Having verified their identity the UNWRA were allowed into the town, which she said was "badly damaged"."Some of the buildings are quite damaged and the streets themselves are very badly damaged.

"Tanks have been rolling about, destroying everything that gets in their way. Telephone wires are down, street signs broken and flattened, water is running down the streets. And the people are just staying inside their houses.

"There's a eerie quietness. Even during the fighting in Beirut people were out on their balconies and able to get things from shops by lowering baskets from their windows."

On Friday, she said, the IDF ordered all men over 15 to go to what she said was called a "collection point".

"And hundreds of men came streaming out from the alleys left and right. The Israelis fired a few shots in the air and then all the men were sent back to their homes.

"On the way back they were asking us whether we had any news and asking us: 'Please tell the world what is happening in Jenin. Tell them we are under siege'," said Ms Siri.