Palestinians try to stop mass burials in Jenin Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - MichaelP BBC: Sunday, 14 April, 2002, 03:15 GMT 04:15 UK Palestinians Try to Stop Mass Burials in Jenin By Stephen Gibbs Jerusalem, Apr 14 (BBC)--Palestinian human rights groups are to lodge appeals with the Israeli Supreme Court hoping to prevent the Israeli Army from burying bodies of people killed in Jenin. They say the planned mass graves would strip the dead Palestinians of any honour. There is also concern that any evidence of an alleged Israeli massacre at the refugee camp would be buried with the people killed in the fighting. Boys amid the rubble in Jenin Israelis fear the bodies are booby-trapped, Palestinians claim there was a massacre Israel has strenuously denied the accusations of a massacre at Jenin, which remains a closed military zone. Nobody yet knows exactly what happened during the days of intense fighting inside Jenin or even how many Palestinians were killed. The Israelis put the figure at between 100 and 200, the Palestinians say it is far higher. What is certain is that decaying bodies remain in the open throughout the camp. 'LAW VIOLATION' But plans by the Israeli army to begin burying the dead in mass graves in the Jordan Valley have prompted two Palestinian human rights groups to issue a joint petition to the Israeli Supreme Court to stop any action. The groups say mass burials would damage the honour of the dead and violate international law. And while the Israelis are adamant that stories of a massacre in Jenin are part of a Palestinian propaganda campaign, suspicions would only grow if the bodies were spirited away. The Israelis say the reason journalists and aid agencies are being denied access to the camp is for their own safety. The army believes some of the bodies may be booby-trapped. Three Israeli judges will consider the case when it is lodged on Sunday. Until a decision is made, the Israelis say there will be no burials. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytmid-04.14.02-04:19:21-23401