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At 12:45 pm today Israeli tanks in Nablus opened fire upon the city. At the time of the
writing of this press release one Palestinian had been confirmed killed during the
shelling. Israeli media sources have reported that this attack was carried out in
response to two shooting attacks this morning, one near the settlement of Har Bracha
south of Nablus and the second near Hebron. Six Israelis were injured in these
incidents. Israeli settlers from the Nablus region also responded to the two attacks by
stoning Palestinian cars driving near their settlements and entering into the village of
Huwarrah where they smashed car windows, including the windows of an ambulance,
and set fire to an olive grove. Finally, Israeli forces entered into Kufer Qalil south of
Nablus, ransacking three houses and destroying several cars. They also took over hill
number 600 near Har Bracha, which is located within area-A under full Palestinian
control.
Israeli tanks located just outside of Nablus first opened fire upon the Palestinian
National Security checkpoint near the south entrance to Nablus. Five shells struck the
checkpoint causing extensive damage, but no injuries. Tanks located at the Israeli
military camp on Jabal Jerzim overlooking the southern part of the city then opened
fire at the Palestinian police post of Khalet al-Rohban on Jabal al-Shamali in the north
of the city. Twelve shells struck the post completely destroying it. Mohammad Atta
Abu Sayad (22) from Gaza was killed when he was struck directly by a shell. His body
was blown to pieces. He was a member of the Palestinian Military Intelligence and
was stationed at the Khalet al-Rohban Post.
Earlier in the morning near Hebron a Palestinian taxi also came under fire while
driving on the main Hebron Road between the settlements of Kharsinia and Kiryat
Arba. Information received by al-Haq indicates that at 5:50 am, when the taxi was
approximately 100 meters from the Kharsinia settlement, an unidentified attacker
opened fire at the car. Six bullets struck it, and two passengers were moderately
wounded. They have been identified as Jamal Abdla Ziadat (38), wounded in the left
arm, and Jameel Mohammad Saleh Omar, wounded in the shoulder.
The actions taken by the Israeli military were both excessive and unwarranted. The shelling of
Palestinian police installations in Nablus in retaliation for shooting attacks located either miles
away or in another city cannot be justified. No suspects have been named in either attack, and
no link between the areas shelled and the attacks has been made. These attacks were acts of
retribution that had nothing to do with justice. The lack of action taken by Israeli forces to quell
violence by settlers against Palestinian civilians, the Israeli militaries complicity in this violence,and its occupation of Palestinian controlled areas all indicate a lack of sincerity about controlling
Israeli initiated attacks. Additionally, al-Haq has seen no mention of the attack on the
Palestinian taxi near Hebron made in Israeli media reports, and at this time al-Haq has received
no reports indicating that a concerted effort is being made to catch those responsible for this
attack. There is a clear double standard that allows one attack to go uninvestigated, while
another results in the shelling of a city and the death of an innocent victim. Curfews have also
been placed over the H2 area of Hebron and Huwarrah, yet no limitations have been placed
over settlers freedom of movement even after the attack in Hebron and the rioting in
Huwarah.
These Israeli actions are not only unjustifiable, but clearly violate Article 33 of the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949. This article states,
No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally
committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measure of intimidation or of terrorism
are prohibited
Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited.
Al-Haq thus calls for the following.
1. States Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to act immediately under their
obligations as outlined in Articles 1 of the convention to provide the Palestinian people
with protection from breaches of their rights, and to demand an end to abuses committed
by Israeli forces.
2. The United Nations to send a human rights monitoring force to the Occupied
Territories to document all violations social, economic, cultural, civil and political that
result from the continued Israeli occupation.
3. The United Nations to fully implement all resolutions related to the Occupied
Territories passed during the last two meetings of the Human Rights Commission be, and
press the Security Council to take action to end Israels systematic violation of
international humanitarian law.
4. Israel to take responsibility for its actions by providing compensation to those
injured or to the families of those killed by Israeli violence, and by providing
compensation for damage caused by the Israeli military to Palestinian property. |