An Irish volunteer medic who is trapped in Yasser Arafat’s Ramallah compound has decided to remain in the besieged headquarters. The Department of Foreign Affairs had arranged safe passage through Israeli military lines but the woman decided to stay.
The woman, named as Caoimhe Butterly, who was trapped in the compound after the Israeli Army surrounded and attacked the Palestinian Authority headquarters is understood to be ‘safe and well’. Ms. Butterly, thought to be from Dublin, had gone to Mr Arafat’s compound in an ambulance when she was trapped.
The Irish embassy in Israel is monitoring the situation and the Government has been in contact with the Israeli government through the Irish embassy in Tel Aviv and its offices in Ramallah.
A spokeswoman from the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed to ireland.comthat the woman was in the compound and that an Irish official had spoken to her and confirmed that she was 'safe and well'.
The Israeli army entered Ramallah on Thursday night and surrounded the Palestinian Authority compound. The headquarters is still under siege with Israeli tanks surrounding the compound.
Electricity and water has been cut-off and it is understood Yasser Arafat is confined to a single floor of his office block. The Palestinian Authority accuses Israel of trying to kill the Palestinian leader.
Israel accuses the Palestinian Authority and specifically Yasser Arafat, of orchestrating suicide bomb attacks against Israel - a charge Arafat denies.
The Israelis have come under increasing international pressure to withdraw as the United Nations passed a resolution, with the backing of the United States, condemning the Israeli incursions.
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