12 Ferbruary 2001

Today, 12 February 2001, at 6:30 am the Israeli Occupying Forces killed Ziad Ali Mohammad Abu Sowai, age 24, from al-Khader near Bethlehem in cold blood. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces positioned at a checkpoint near the al-Khader schools asked the mini-bus in which Ziad was traveling to stop.  The driver obeyed this order at which time he was told to return to where he had come from.  The driver turned the bus around, but when he was 30 meters from the checkpoint the soldiers opened fire upon the bus without giving prior warning, killing Ziad. 

In a similar development, Atif Ahmed al-Nablusi, age 23, from Rafat near Ramallah was killed at approximately 8:00 am this morning when Israeli forces located at a roadblock set up near Rafat during the previous night opened fire upon his Ford Transit.  No verbal warning was given and no warning shots were fired.  Al-Nablusi was struck by numerous bullets.  He was driving through an Israeli controlled area when he was shot.  The soldiers prevented medical personnel who immediately arrived at the sight of the shooting from providing aid to al-Nablusi.  The ambulance was forbidden from approaching the checkpoint for thirty minutes.  When the ambulance was finally allowed to approach the checkpoint it was stopped again and searched by the soldiers, preventing the aid workers from providing assistance for another thirty minutes.  The Israeli Forces also delayed the ambulance’s departure for approximately one-half hour at which time they ordered the driver to accompany them to the Ofer Settlement near Betunia.  Al-Nablusi died as the ambulance and soldiers reached the entrance to the settlement.  In total medical aid was delayed for one and a half hours, if al-Nablusi had been allowed to receive treatment during this time his life might have been saved.   It should be noted that soldiers at the same location seriously injured three other individuals today.  Two were shot and one was beaten until his back was broken.  Al-Haq is currently investigating these cases.    

Al-Haq views with grave concern the continued willful killings committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians.  In light of the continued gross human rights violations committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians al-Haq demands that:

1.  The Israeli Military investigate the circumstances surrounding the unjustified firing of live ammunition without warning at Palestinian civilians.  The events of today took place at times during which no clashes were reported.  Al-Haq therefore calls for the trial of the perpetrators of these willful killing.

2.  States Parties to the Fourth Geneva convention of 1949 immediately move to provide protection for Palestinian civilians living under Israeli Occupation and that they also place pressure upon Israel to stop its continued violations of the convention as is their duty under Article 1 that calls for them “to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances.”