- Clashes continued
today as at least one Palestinian was killed. Youssef Nimer
Mari, from Jenin, was killed as he was struck in the heart by live
ammunition fired by the Israeli Occupying Forces. He was
demonstrating at al-Jalama checkpoint near Jenin when he was shot.
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- Yesterday, 23 October
2000, Abdil Aziz Mahmoud Abu Snieneh, 57, from the Old City of
Hebron was killed after the Israeli Occupying Forces opened fire from
machine guns, tanks and helicopters against Palestinian civilians in
the city.
- Al-Haq's obtained
reliable information from eyewitness accounts from an area under
curfew in Hebron’s Old City, at 10:30pm yesterday. Al- Haq learned
that the Israeli occupying forces camping in Usamah Government School
opened fire against civilians in the area killing Abu Snieneh while he
was home with his family. Abu Snieneh was shot with a 500mm bullet
that struck him in the head only minutes after he moved his family to
other rooms in the house when the shooting began.
- According to al-
Haq's field worker who visited the area this morning, after curfew was
lifted for only one and a half hours, the house was heavily fired
upon. There are 68 traces of bullets on the walls of the house and
another ten traces inside the house.
- There was no evidence
of gunmen, guns or any shooting from the house when the
ambulance arrived 25 minutes after the victim was shot to death.
- According to al-
Haq's documentation, this is not the first time that the Israeli
Occupying Forces use heavy fire machine guns, helicopters and tanks
against Palestinian civilians in this particular area.
This is totally contradicts statements made by the Israeli Army
spokesman indicating that Israeli gunfire was used only as a retaliatory
measure against shooting from Abu Snieneh’s home.
- The location of the
house is on the exact border between H1 and H2. (The
difference being that one is under full Israeli control and the other
under the control of the PA. The part under full Israeli control
has been under strict curfew since the beginning of this recent
uprising.)
- Bombing this area and
other civilian areas is clear evidence that the Israeli Occupying
Forces deliberately damage the civilians' properties with the intent
to inflect heavy destruction. All of these practices are in violation
of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 especially article 147,
Protocol I of Fourth Geneva Convention of 1977 and specifically
Article 85. This also contradicts the Nuremberg Court and
the International Criminal Court Pacts.
- While al- Haq is
deeply concerned about the on-going grave breaches committed by the
Israeli Occupying Forces against the Palestinian civilians, it demands
the following:
- 1. Immediate
international intervention by the states parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention of 1949 to pressure Israel to stop its practices and
provide protection to Palestinian civilians.
- 2. Formation of an
international criminal court, similar to that of Yugoslavia and other
countries to try Israeli war criminals.
- 3. Implementation of
the resolution issued by the United Nations Human Rights Committee
number E/CN.4/-5/L.2/rev.1 passed on 19/10/2000 calling for initiating
an investigation regarding Israeli violations of human rights in the
Occupied Territories. In light of this, al-Haq requests the
investigation committee to immediately undertake their responsibility.
- 4. Mrs. Mary
Robinson, the high commissioner for human rights and special
rapporteurs to reach the Palestinian Occupied Territories immediately.
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