Press Release

18 October 2001

Palestinian Schoolgirl and Policeman Killed During Israeli Invasions

In Jenin Israeli forces invaded and retook the positions that they took over during their September 11th invasion of the city. The areas of the city controlled by Israeli forces have been put under curfew. Shortly before 7:30 this morning students from the Ibrahimeen Primary School in Jenin began to arrive at the school. As they waited for classes to begin the students played on the school’s playground. At 7:30 Israeli tanks located nearby began to shell the surrounding neighborhood. One of the tank shells landed inside the school compound and exploded. Reham Ibrahim Nabil Ward (12) was struck by shrapnel in the chest and died instantly. Another four students and one teacher were wounded by shrapnel. One of these students, Tahreer Shawkat Manasreh (12), was struck in the head and is in critical condition.

She has been transferred to the Nablus Hospital for treatment. However, an ambulance dispatched to the school to assist those wounded was unable to reach the school until 8:30 am due to intensive shelling in the area.

Around 3:00 am this morning, Israeli forces also entered approximately 500 meters into El Bireh largely unopposed. Between 7:00 and 8:00 this morning, a small group of Palestinian gunmen began shooting sporadically at the Israeli soldiers against the orders of the Palestinian Authority.

Testimonies gathered from some of the men involved in the shooting indicates that at approximately 8:00 am Marwan Ibrahim Khalifa (24) was killed during an exchange of fire with the Israeli forces. Marwan was a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, but was not in uniform or on duty.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that as many as ten to fifteen tanks were involved in the invasion of El Bireh. The invaded area has been placed under curfew, and one of the tanks has been place in front of the Khaled surgery Hospital. Patients and ambulances are not currently being allowed to reach the hospital. One patient who al-Haq talked to was scheduled for surgery at 8:30 this morning, but has so far been denied access to the area.

The village of Surda located north-east of El-Bireh on the road between Ramallah and Birzeit has also been placed under curfew.

Israeli forces also entered the al-Iskan neighborhood of Al-Azeria, which is located east of Jerusalem. This area of the village has been placed under curfew, and Israeli police and military personnel have begun a careful search of the area. It is believed that they are looking for “wanted” individuals, as tracking dogs are being used. Several houses have also been entered and searched.

These attacks and invasions follow a well-documented pattern whereby Israel responds to Palestinian actions using collective punishment and excessive force. Over the last months al-Haq has repeatedly reported on Israeli violations against the Palestinian civilian population and called upon the international community to act. For example, al-Haq Press Releases #’s 106 and 114 reported on indiscriminate Israeli shelling in which Palestinian civilians were killed, and Press Release # 114 and Al-Haq Urgent Action Update from 17 September 2001 detailed Israeli collective punishment measures and attacks upon civilian areas. The current conflict is a direct result of the continued Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza by Israel and of Israel’s ongoing systematic human rights violations. To date Palestinians’ calls for protection and assistance have gone largely unanswered, and no concrete steps have been taken to force Israel to end its illegal occupation. Al-Haq therefore again calls upon the international community to take the following steps:

1. Al-Haq requests that the UN Security Council hold a special 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. 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, must demand an end to abuses committed by Israeli forces, and should act against those who are found culpable for grave violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

3. The International Community should provide protection for the Palestinian people living in the Occupied Territories until the ongoing and systematic violations of Palestinians’ human rights end.

4. In light of Israel’s continued systematic violations of Palestinians’ human rights, the European Union should revoke all special trade incentives offered to Israel, and the International Community should both impose trade sanctions against Israel and boycott Israeli products until Israel ends its illegal occupation and complies with international law.