In addition to the tank movements, which broke electricity poles and water mains - as did several trenches across roads dug by IDF bulldozers throughout the city - electrical lines have been downed by direct fire and explosions.
The director of the East Jerusalem Electric Company in Ramallah, issued a warning on 1 April to Ramallah residents that one power station, not far from Chairman Arafat's compound had been damanged by shooting, but remains electrified and is extremely dangerous. Elsewhere in Ramallah, downed electricity lines also are electrified and lie close by large puddles of water flowing from broken water mains.
Under the present security conditions repairs are very difficult, not least because of the lengthy coordination procedures, the fact that permissions must be renewed daily, and often the permission given by commanders does not reach the soldiers on the ground.
Freedom of Media
According to the Foreign Press Association, since 30 March, the IDF has been preventing journalists from entering Ramallah from any direction, declaring the entire city a closed military zone. On 1 April it was reported that the IDF had broken into a number of local and foreign press and media offices and closed a number of media offices. On 29 March the IDF took over a building used by Palestinian and foreign media in the city, forcing organizations including Reuters to abandon the building. Several journalists are reported wounded.
The director of the East Jerusalem Electric Company in Ramallah, issued a warning on 1 April to Ramallah residents that one power station, not far from Chairman Arafat's compound had been damanged by shooting, but remains electrified and is extremely dangerous. Elsewhere in Ramallah, downed electricity lines also are electrified and lie close by large puddles of water flowing from broken water mains.
Under the present security conditions repairs are very difficult, not least because of the lengthy coordination procedures, the fact that permissions must be renewed daily, and often the permission given by commanders does not reach the soldiers on the ground.
Freedom of Media
According to the Foreign Press Association, since 30 March, the IDF has been preventing journalists from entering Ramallah from any direction, declaring the entire city a closed military zone. On 1 April it was reported that the IDF had broken into a number of local and foreign press and media offices and closed a number of media offices. On 29 March the IDF took over a building used by Palestinian and foreign media in the city, forcing organizations including Reuters to abandon the building. Several journalists are reported wounded.