May 13, 2002: Statement from the 4 Americans illegally detained by Israel: On May 2nd, after delivering food to the starving people in the Church of the Nativity, we were illegally detained by the Israeli occupation forces in Bethlehem, where Israel has no juridical authority. Since then we have been held in an Israeli prison without any formal legal procedure.
On May 6th we began a hunger strike in order to receive a letter from the Israeli Ministry of Interior. When the Minsitry of Interior reneged on its promise to give us the letter we stepped up the strike and 3 of us refused water.
We have now heard that the Israeli Government intends to expel us from Israel, against our will.
We are deeply saddened to leave Palestine and will miss all our loved ones there. We look forward, however, to continue the struggle in the United States for peace with justice for the Palestinian people.
Statement of Trevor Baumgartner, Thomas Koutsoukos, Nathan Musselman and Nathan Mauger.
Updates provided by The Independent Media Center – Palestine:
http://www.jerusalem.indymedia.org
On May 6th we began a hunger strike in order to receive a letter from the Israeli Ministry of Interior. When the Minsitry of Interior reneged on its promise to give us the letter we stepped up the strike and 3 of us refused water.
We have now heard that the Israeli Government intends to expel us from Israel, against our will.
We are deeply saddened to leave Palestine and will miss all our loved ones there. We look forward, however, to continue the struggle in the United States for peace with justice for the Palestinian people.
Statement of Trevor Baumgartner, Thomas Koutsoukos, Nathan Musselman and Nathan Mauger.
Updates provided by The Independent Media Center – Palestine:
http://www.jerusalem.indymedia.org