Fw: Important

[Paul]

From the newsroom of the International Middle East Media Center,
Palestinian Territories, Thursday, August 9, 2007 .....

Israeli forces abduct Chairman of Deaf Societyby Saed Bannoura - 1 of
International Middle East Media Center

In the latest attack on organizations for disabled Palestinians, Israeli
forces have targeted the chairman of the International Society for the
Deaf, Yakub Munir Sa'ed Abu Ramoz.

Israeli soldier at Hebron checkpoint (archive)

The 32-year old was seized by Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in
Hebron, while on his way to work at the Society on Wednesday.

Abu Ramoz' detention is just one of a number of incidents over the past
several weeks in which Israeli forces have targeted organizations
serving disabled Palestinians.

The Israeli raid of the offices of the Union of Disabled Palestinians in
Qalqilia two weeks ago brought condemnation from across the political
spectrum in the Palestinian territories. In that raid, Israeli forces
ransacked the offices of the non-profit organization, an organization
whose only purpose is to advocate for the rights of the disabled and
lobby for handicap accessibility throughout Palestine.

Despite the blatant human rights violations involved in this and other
raids, no international organizations or nations have condemned the
pattern of abuse of people with disabilities and disability rights
organizations by Israeli forces occupying Palestine.

Abu Ramoz is a father of three and has been chairman of the society for
the deaf for three years. After he was seized by Israeli troops, he was
taken to an unknown location and is apparently being held in an Israeli
prison camp.

The Assembly of the Deaf called on international human rights
organizations to intervene to release Abu Ramoz. © 2001-2007 IMEMC NEWS