February 27, 2001

Israel Continues its Use of Excessive Force in the Face of

International Condemnation: Another Palestinian child is Killed in Clashes with Israeli Occupation Forces

Israeli Occupation Forces near Qalandiya Refugee Camp shot and killed 15-year-old Hussam Imad A’del al-Disi of Jerusalem yesterday.  Hussam was shot four times in the chest; one bullet struck him in the heart.  He was a student in Sakhneen College, an industrial high school in Jerusalem. 

Over the last several months Qalandiya has been the site of intense clashes in which many Palestinians, mostly children, have been injured.  Almost all of these clashes have been between students on one side and heavily armed Israeli soldiers on the other.  The threat posed to the Israeli soldiers involved in these clashes has been minimal as the residents of Qalandiyah have not used guns and, due to the great distance between protestors and Israeli soldiers (usually more than 100 meters), stones rarely come close to their intended targets.   Israeli forces have been stationed in the area to “protect” the Jerusalem airport, which is across from the refugee camp on land belonging to Occupied East Jerusalem. The airport has remained closed since the outbreak of the al-Aqsa Intifada.  Clashes intensified in Qulandiya three days ago only after Israel increased its military presence in the area.

According to information gathered by an al-Haq fieldworker, clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian students broke out in the area located between the refugee camp and the airport around 4:00 pm.  During the clashes the students began to advance towards the Airport where Israeli forces have set up permanent sniper nests and guard posts.  As the students reached the fence of the airport Israeli forces opened fire using live ammunition.  Hussam was immediately killed and two others were lightly injured.  Hussam’s body was transported to the Ramallah hospital where he was officially pronounced dead.       

Israeli sources stated that as demonstrators approached the airport Israeli military personnel fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowd.  When they did not disperse, orders were given to shoot the “leader of the group.”  At that point Hussam, who was trying to climb the fence around the airport, was shot through the heart and killed.  A spokesman for the Israeli military initially denied that live ammunition had been used, but later said that an investigation into this case had been opened.  

At the time of his death Hussam was unarmed and posed no direct threat to the lives of the soldiers who killed him.  In numerous instances, Israeli forces have used excessive force against demonstrators in contravention of their official rules of engagement.  Hussam’s death constitutes willful killing and is the result of a direct violation of Israeli open fire regulations that limit the use of deadly force and live ammunition to situations in which a soldier’s life is in danger and no other options are available.  According to Israeli military policy, soldiers are to direct fire at the legs only unless their lives are in danger, and may fire at a fleeing suspect only if they believe that a serious felony has occurred and that there are no other means to apprehend the suspect.  According to these same regulations it is forbidden to open fire in the direction of children or women, even in cases of severe public disorder, unless there is an immediate and obvious danger to a soldier’s life.  When Hissam was killed the circumstances did not call for the use of deadly force.    

The killing of Hussam is another example of Israel’s continued use of excessive force against unarmed Palestinian civilians.  Over the past five months 365 Palestinians have been killed and approximately 12,000 have been injured.  Over 100 of those killed have been children under the age of 18.  Israeli forces have also targeted for killing a number of Palestinians during the Intifada.  Approximately 60% of all injuries have been caused by either live, plastic, or rubber bullets, and 30% have resulted from exposure to gas. 

The Israeli authorities have ignored repeated condemnations of their excessive use of force and blatant disregard for Palestinians’ right to life made by the international community.  It is in this light that al-Haq reiterates the following demands:

1.   That Israel immediately take steps to end the practices of willful and extra judicial killing and assassination in the occupied territories, and that it investigate and take steps to punish those responsible for these crimes.

2.   States Party to the Fourth Geneva Convention should act immediately to provide the Palestinian people with protection from Israeli human rights violations and demand an end to abuses committed by Israeli forces.  Israel continues to commit grave breaches of the convention that obligate States Parties to act under Article 1, which calls for them “to respect and ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances.” 

3. The Security Council and the UN General Assembly must end their indefensible silence regarding Israeli’s blatant violations against Palestinian’s human rights.

4.   The international community should take the necessary measures to pressure the Israeli Government to stop its excessive use of force and aggression against Palestinian civilians and to end its belligerent occupation.

5.  The Security Council should reconsider its decision regarding the deployment of an international protections force for the Palestinian people and should immediately take steps to form such a force to ensure Israeli compliance with United Nations Resolutions and international law.