NABLUS, March 14, 2011 (WAFA) - Nablus Governor Jibrin Al-Bakri Monday described Israeli military measures in the village of Awarta, southeast of Nablus, as collective punishment.

He described the situation in Awarta as very difficult and that “the collective punishment policy of the Israeli forces requires from the international community and human rights organizations to take action to stop these measures against the defenseless population.”

The Israeli army raided Awarta following an attack on settlers in nearby Itamar settlement Friday night and imposed curfew on the village banning movement of people and goods in and out of it.

Bakri said that his office was able to facilitate entry of basic material, infant milk and bread into the besieged village.

Khaled Qadri, director of health in Nablus, said that an ambulance belonging to the Ministry of Health accompanied by a doctor and a nurse entered the village Monday after a two hour wait because Israeli forces prevented them from entering.

He said that the ministry sent badly needed medicine to Awarta including drugs for diabetes and blood pressure.

The Israeli forces destroyed medical devices in a clinic throwing all kinds of medicine on the ground.

They attacked and severely beat a disabled patient suffering from kidney and spleen enlargement and unleashed a police dog on him. He was transferred to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, according to Ghassan Hamdan, director of Nablus Medical Relief Committee.

T.R./M.A.