Fed: Aust. doctor protecting Arafat with peace activists
CANBERRA, April 22 AAP - An Australian doctor is among 50 peace activists who haveformed a human shield around Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in his West Bank compound.
Dr Peter Brechenridge (Brechenridge) dodged bullets and stun grenades to break intoArafat's compound at Ramallah with other members of the pro-Palestinian InternationalSolidarity Movement.
They believe Arafat will be attacked by the Israelis and want to try to stop Israeli occupation.
Dr Brechenridge said his right ear was suffering from the effects of sound bombs droppedwhen the group entered the compound and he did not want to be a martyr.
"We basically moved quite quickly into an area of about 150 metres where there wasa tank, and as we started moving towards that some soldiers came in a jeep towards usand threw sound bombs," he told ABC radio.
"We moved through this rapid gunfire which seemed to be coming from everywhere andthey were actually firing live rounds sort of at our feet and around us."
Dr Brechenridge said he was putting his life at risk by entering the compound but hedid not want to die, only to speak out.
"I'm putting my own life at risk but I don't want to die," he said.
"I don't want to be a martyr or anything, I just want to help the situation here.
"I'm sick and tired over all so many years of seeing and hearing what was happeninghere and I couldn't sit any longer and do nothing.
"I think it's time that people did something and spoke out and did things and were active.
"For me, that's what I had to do."
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KEYWORD: MIDEAST AUST DOCTOR
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