Birzeit--At approximately 5:30 pm on Saturday, March 29, 1997, an Israeli Border Policeman shot and killed Birzeit University student Abdallah Khalil Abdallah Saleh, 20, during clashes at the checkpoint north of al-Bireh, on the main road to Jerusalem. According to eyewitnesses Abdallah was killed by a single shot to his heart from a distance of approximately 80-100 meters.
Abdallah studied electrical engineering student at Birzeit University; he had almost completed his second year. His family lives in the village of Beit Sahur—a Palestinian town neighboring the illegal Israeli settlement construction on Mount Abu Ghnaim which has given rise to eleven days of demonstrations and over 450 Palestinian injuries. The university observed a day of mourning today and held a memorial service for Abdallah. A number of his friends as well as student leaders spoke at his memorial.
Witnesses reported that during the clashes soldiers had fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the demonstrators some of whom suffered light injuries until shortly before Abdallah was killed when an Israeli military officer was injured by stones thrown by the demonstrators. Subsequently, witnesses noticed two live bullets shot at "shoulder height". (The injury to the Israeli soldier was not reported to be life-threatening and, therefore, would not be adequate justification for the use of live ammunition.) Witnesses said they thought the bullets were explosive because of the way the rocks in the hill behind them exploded upon impact.
The witnesses reported that Abdallah was shot shortly thereafter with a single live bullet. According to a medical report issued by Ramallah Hospital, Abdallah was pronounced dead on arrival and was noted upon examination to have a penetrating gunshot wound on his left upper chest.
Abdallah was killed on the ninth day of clashes following Israel’s decision to proceed with building the illegal settlement of Har Homa on Mount Abu Ghnaim, near Abdallah’s hometown of Beit Sahur and Bethlehem. Abdallah was killed after two hours of clashes which took place in a context known by Israeli soldiers to be charged with tension. It is therefore not evident from available information what heightened threat would have justified the introduction of live ammunition. Furthermore, the location and nature of the wound raise serious questions about the possibility that the soldiers deliberately employed lethal force.
For this reason, Birzeit University welcomed the announcement of an official investigation of the killing and calls for the publication of the results of the investigation. Birzeit University also calls for the halt to the construction of illegal settlements which are counter-productive to Israel’s declared intention to participate in a peace process with the Palestinian people.
HRAP Press Release No. 3/97