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Between 1:00 and 2:00 am Monday July 16th two Palestinians killed in Jerusalem. The two
men were Salem Taleb Salem Darawi (23) and Ibrahim Mohammad Ibrahim Wahadneh, both
of Bethlem. Monday morning two conflicting reports were given regarding their deaths. Initial
reports from military sources, and all subsequent reports issued since Monday morning, have
stated that the two men were killed when a bomb they were transporting exploded
prematurely. However, contrary to these reports, a report given on Israeli Radio in Arabic at
7:30 am on July 16th included a statement by an Israeli police officer that indicated that Israeli
undercover units had shot the two men. The Jerusalem police are investigating this case, and
have not allowed al-Haq or any other organizations to gather evidence.
The Israeli police ordered an autopsy last Monday. However, at the request of the families of
the deceased al-Haq with the assistance and cooperation of the Israeli Human Rights
Organization Hamoked was able to secure a court ordered delay of the autopsy until family
members are allowed to identify the bodies, and until a representative of the family is able to sit
in on the autopsy. Dr. al-Jaberi, head of the Palestinian Autopsy Center, was contacted and
agreed to represent the families at the autopsy. Permit applications were immediately submitted
for two family members and Dr. al-Jaberi asking for permission from the Israeli military for the
three individuals to enter Israel. The applications had the support of the Jerusalem police. Last
Thursday al-Haq was informally informed that only the Doctor had been granted permission to
enter Israel. The Jerusalem police then asked for a list of three names from each family from
which one representative could be chosen to identify the bodies. They then forwarded these
lists on to the military. Despite the intervention of the Jerusalem police department, no
permission has yet been given for either the family members or doctor to enter Israel.
Al-Haq asks that the International community, International human rights organizations, and
al-Haq supporters urgently intervene on behalf of the families of the deceased so that all
unanswered questions concerning the deaths of the two men are addressed. Al-Haq asks for
immediate help in pressuring the Israeli authorities to grant permission to the families of the
deceased and Dr. al-Jaberi to enter into Israel. Any letters in support of these two families
should be addressed to either Prime Minister Ariel Sharon or any of the ministers listed below:
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
Office of the Prime Minister
3 Kaplan Street, PO Box 187
Kiryat Ben Gurion
Jerusalem 91919
Telegrams: Prime Minister, Jerusalem
Fax: +972 2 651 2631
Salutation: Dear Prime Minister
Public Security Minister Uzi Landau
C/O Ministry of Public Security
Qiryat Hamemshala (East)
P.O. Box 18182, 91181 Jerusalem
Tel. (02) 5309999
Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Minister of Defense
Ministry of Defense
Kaplan Street
Hakirya
Tel Aviv 67659
Fax: +972 3 691 6940 and 972-3-697-6990
Salutation: Dear Minister
e-mail: sar@mod.gov.il
Lieutenant-General Shaul Mofaz
Chief of General Staff
C/o Ministry of Defense
Kaplan Street
Hakirya
Tel Aviv
Fax: +972 3 691 6940 |