Concern is growing for the safety of Dublin woman Caoimhe Butterly who remains in Yasser Arafat’s besieged Ramallah compound. The Israeli army today threatened to forcibly remove foreigners, including journalists, from the West Bank city of Ramallah after declaring it a closed military zone.
Ms Butterly who is a volunteer medic decided yesterday to remain in the compound after the Irish government made representations on her behalf.
Israel issued a statement, saying non-residents would be removed by force if necessary , after more than 40 international sympathisers with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat walked past Israeli tanks into his headquarters.
Israeli troops and tanks have beseiged Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared him Israel's enemy on Friday and set out to isolate him in an attempt to halt a wave of suicide attacks.
The army has already taken over the Ramallah offices of foreign news organisations, forcing them out. It has remained there, despite protests.
At least two journalists working for foreign news media have been injured in Ramallah since Israel sent troops to the city.
An army spokesman said the international sympathisers who entered Arafat's headquarters had ignored soldiers who tried to stop them entering.
(Agencies)