by Jim Rissman

Mid-December saw a flurry of articles about how U.S. tactics in Iraq were beginning to resemble those of Israel in the occupied territories. Then, on December 22, the resemblance became downright eerie.

On that day, Voice of Palestine radio reported that the Israeli army had raided various towns, imposing curfews and destroying houses. In Balata refugee camp in Nablus, “thirteen citizens were wounded” and “Nazmi Aziz Duwaykat, 62, died of a severe heart attack after the occupation forces stormed his house and detained him and a large number of his family and neighbors in a single room of the house.”