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Yesterday afternoon at approximately 2:00 pm Israeli attack helicopters fired two rockets into
an apartment building in downtown Nablus killing eight Palestinians. The targets of the attack
were members of Hamas who worked in the building. However, four individuals unconnected
to political actions, including two children, were killed in the attack. The building that was
attacked is a residential apartment building that also contains several offices. The targeted
individuals were located on the third floor of the building in the offices of the Palestinian Media
Studies Center. Those killed were:
1. Jamal Mansoor, Hamas political leader and director of the Palestinian Studies Center from
Balata Refugee Camp
2. Jamal Salim Hamas political leader from al-Ain Refugee Camp
3. Omar Mansoor Bodyguard to Jamal from Balata Refugee Camp
4. Faheem Dawabsha Office director for Jamal from Durma
5. Mohammad Bishawe Journalist with the al-Najah Journalist Office and al-Hayat al-Jadide
Newspaper
6. Othman Qatanani Journalist with the Nablus Journalist Office
7. Ashraf Abdl Minaam Khalil Eleven years old
8. Bilal Abdl Minaam Khalil Six years old
An additional twenty-two people were injured, including three individuals who are in critical
condition. One of the injured was Ahmed Abu Shalal who works as a researcher for the
Solidarity International for Human Rights in Nablus. Bishawe, Qatanani, and Abu Shalal were
all visiting the offices of the Palestinian Media Studies Center for work purposes at the time of
the attack. Ashraf and Bilal were passing by the building at the time of the attack and were
killed by the force of the blast. Witnesses told an al-Haq fieldworker that the missiles that
struck the building were fired by two Apache helicopters that were seen at the time of the
attack hovering over the southern area of Nablus. The Israeli military has taken responsibility
for the attack stating that its purpose was to end terrorist attacks against Israeli targets, and
saying that, the IDF will continue in its precise strikes against militants. Regret was expressed
for the deaths of the two children.
Since the outbreak of the Intifada last September Israel has repeatedly defended its policy of
assassination by stating that it is a targeted policy that can be justified by the lives it saves
through deterring terrorist attacks against Israel. During the last two months the Israeli
government has begun to expand its policy of assassination. The Israeli cabinet recently
reaffirmed the policy by approving the use of all means necessary to combat terrorism and
by giving the military a green light to act preemptively against anyone suspected of being
involved in planning or carrying out terrorist attacks. On July 3rd, the Israeli kitchen cabinet
decided to expand the list of Palestinian activists who could be assassinated from only ticking
bombs to include any known terrorist. Jamal Mansoor was included on this list.
On July 22 at a meeting of the Likud Central Committee Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gave a
speech in which he never once mention Israels alleged policy of restraint, but instead cited his
governments continued policy of assassination as proof of his ability to deal with the Intifada.
The Jerusalem Post quoted Sharon as having stated that The gang of terrorists in Bethlehem
who thought they could threaten the people of Israel they are no longer around. Sharon then
went on to list assassinations carried out by Israel forces in the occupied territories. Sharon
failed to mention that three of the five men killed on July 17th in the assassination in Bethlehem
were uninvolved in political activities and that their deaths were merely acceptable collateral
damage. One of these three men was a well-known peace activist who throughout the Intifada
remained committed to joint Israeli-Palestinian dialog. Contrary to Israeli claims that
assassinations are pinpoint attacks upon specific individuals Israelis actions have been
indiscriminate. During the first assassination carried out by Israel against Hussein Ibayat on
November 9th, 2000 in Beit Sahour two bystanders were killed. On another occasion two
Palestinians in a taxi behind the car of Jamal Abdul Razeq who was targeted for assassination
were killed on November 22 when the taxi they were in also came under fire from Israel
forces. Assassinations in downtown areas and against civilian homes have been carried out
using bombs and missiles, and have resulted in injuries and death to numerous bystanders.
Yesterdays killing of eight Palestinians, including four who were completely uninvolved in
political actions must shatter any remaining illusion that Israels policy of assassination is
targeted, as is claimed by the Israeli government in justifying its actions.
Israels second claim that assassinations prevent attacks upon Israel should also be seriously
questioned. Going back to the assassination of Yihye Ayash in 1995, which was followed by a
series of deadly suicide bombings in Israel and following up cases of assassination through the
current Intifada if becomes clear that assassinations often precipitate rather than deter attacks.
The assassination in Bethlehem was followed by the first use of mortar shells in the West Bank
and brought about intensive clashes throughout the Occupied Territories. Hamas and other
groups have already vowed revenge for yesterdays attack and have stated that retaliatory
attacks will be carried out within Israel.
Stepping away from Israels justifications for its actions it must also be pointed out that Israels
assassinations are willful killings as described in the Fourth Geneva Convention, which is both a
grave breaches of the Convention and in principle a war crime. States signatories to the
Convention are under a legal obligation to seek out and try those responsible for grave
breaches. Those individuals who are involved in the planning, instigation, ordering, or directly
committing grave breaches can be held individually responsible for their actions.
Foreign Ministries around the world issued statements today condemning yesterdays attack.
However, repeated condemnations of Israels actions over the last months have changed
nothing. Al-Haq thus calls upon the international community to take the following concrete
actions.
1. Al-Haq requests that the UN Security Council hold a special emergency session to discuss
the situation in the Occupied Territories and to take steps to enforce the many United Nations
resolutions that relate to the situation in the Occupied Territories. Immediate action should also
be taken to sanction Israel for its continued policy of assassination and grave violations of
Palestinians human rights.
2. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should ensure that all resolutions
relating to the Occupied Territories passed during the last several meeting of the Human Rights
Commission are implemented.
3. The various UN Special Rapportuers requested to visit the Occupied Territories by the
Human Rights Commission, especially the Special Rapportuer on Extra-Judicial Executions
should immediately undertake visits to the area.
4. States Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention must act immediately under their obligations
as outlined in Articles 1, 146, and 147 of the convention to provide the Palestinian people with
protection from grave breaches of their rights, which qualify as war crimes, and must demand an
end to abuses committed by Israeli forces.
5. The United Nations should send a human rights protection force to the Occupied Territories
to end the ongoing and systematic violations of Palestinians human rights.
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