Press Release

17 September 1998
Press Release Index
AL-HAQ CONDEMNS THE MURDER OF THE 'AWADALLAH BROTHERS AND THE UNLAWFULL BURIAL OF THEIR BODIES BY THE OCCUPATION AUTHORITIES.
On Thursday, 10 September 1998, the Israeli Military Command announced the success of its special forces in killing Adel 'Awadallah, commander of the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, and his brother Imad Awadalllah. According to the Israeli Military Command, the killings occurred during an armed exchange, which took place between the brothers and the Israeli forces. However, witnesses who were present at the scene at the time of the killings stated that they heard only four or five gun shots. These reports contradict Israeli claims and indicate that the brothers were victims of extra-judicial execution.
On 15 September, the Israeli Military Command announced that it had carried out the decision to bury the bodies of the 'Awadallah brothers in the Shuhada' al-Arkam Cemetery (Arabic name for Martyrs in Numbers Cemetery), in Bisan, despite requests from the 'Awadallah family, Palestinian human rights organizations and the Palestinian National Authority that the bodies of the brothers be handed over to the family.
Al-Haq condemns the premeditated, extra-judicial execution of the brothers by the Israeli Special Forces which constitutes a clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, specifically Article 32 which prohibits all measures that cause the physical suffering or extermination of protected persons whether by murder, or other measures of brutality, applied by civilian or military agents.
In addition, Al-Haq views the decision of the Israeli Authorities concerning the burial of the bodies of the 'Awadallah brothers as a violation of the laws and regulations of international, humanitarian instruments. Therefore, al-Haq demands that the Israeli Authorities immediately hand over the bodies so that they be properly buried according to the wishes of their family.
Further, given the ambiguous circumstances surrounding the killings, al-Haq demands:
  • That the Israeli government conduct an autopsy of the two bodies by a neutral medical examiner nominated by Palestinian human rights organizations and supervised by a specialized medical committee composed of representatives of the Palestinian National Authority, the Occupying Power, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the family of the victims.
  • That the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, under their Article 1 responsibility, intervene and pressure Israel to return the bodies of the two brothers, Adel and Imad 'Awadallah. In addition, al-Haq demands that these countries take all available measures to confront Israeli violations of the Convention, specifically Article 32, which prohibits murder and other brutalities against protected persons and Article 147, which requires accountability and punishment of the perpetrators of such a violation and those who ordered its implementation.

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