Tuesday, April 2, 2002 Urgent: Eyewitness report from Ramallah

Ramallah, Occupied Palestine -- My name is Tzaporah Ryter. I am an American
student from the University of Minnesota. I currently am in Ramallah. We are
under a terrible siege and people are being massacred by both the Israeli
army and armed militia groups of Israeli settlers. They are shooting outside
at anything that moves.

I am urgently pleading for as much outside help as possible to help save
lives here.


I arrived in Ramallah last Thursday. I had come back for a visit to the
Palestinian city where I had been previously living and studying. On
Thursday afternoon, the Israeli army began sealing off each entrance to
Ramallah and there were rumors that they planned to invade.


People were rushing back home from across checkpoints and also people were
trying to flee. People were not allowed to go out and many working people --
with homes and children to return to -- were not allowed in, everyone was
trying to take cover. Those traveling in began desperately searching for
alternative ways and traveling in groups, but the Israelis were firing upon
them and everyone was running and screaming.