Israeli forces abduct Chairman of Deaf Society

Thursday August 09, 2007 08:50 by Saed Bannoura - 1 of International Middle East Media Center - IMEMC Editorial Group

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.

hebron | human rights | news report saed at imemc dot org