Gaza: campaigners form human shield around refugee wells

Tonight four International Solidarity Movement ISM) volunteers including Christians from different denominations, (two Americans, one Briton and one Swede) are planning to stand guard around four water wells in a refugee camp in Gaza, to protect them from Israeli army bulldozers. Last night Israeli forces attacked Rafah's water supply at Tel el- Sultan, destroying with bulldozers the two largest of six wells that supply the town's water. This has resulted in a reduction of 50% in the town's water supply. Rafah's Water Municipality Director asked the group for help. The wells are in a very exposed position, less than a kilometre from the Gush Katif Settlement, where the occupying army bases a large portion of its armoured and demolition vehicles. This action follows a successful action undertaken yesterday when ISM intervention made possible the repair of a burst water main in Rafah which had been damaged by Israeli military activity and had been flooding a street of Rafah's Brazil area on the Egyptian border for more than six weeks. On previous occasions municipal workers had come under machine-gun fire from a nearby Israeli tank whenever they tried to repair the damaged pipes. Yesterday the workers were able to complete the repairs on the pipes without interference while ISM activists stood among them and between them and the tank. Should tonight's action be successful the activists intend to guard municipal workers installing a pump in a waterworks building, which they have been prevented from doing due to machine-gun fire from a nearby tank at Gush Katif Settlement which overlooks the building.