FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 13, 2000
(Washington, DC) -- Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) today activated its membership to call for an independent international investigation by the United Nations into the serious human rights abuses in Israel and the Occupied Territories, including the areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, and urged the US government to support such a call.
"It is the responsibility of both the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to respect and maintain the rule of law, which includes the protection of human life and safety at all times," said William F. Schulz, AIUSA Executive Director.
Amnesty International members in the US are writing to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright urging that she support an independent and impartial international investigation, which should report to the Commission on Human Rights, the General Assembly and the Security Council. The authorities concerned should be obliged to cooperate with such an investigation.
"There should be no impunity for individuals who carry out unlawful killings and other human rights abuses, which both Palestinians and Israelis have fallen victim to in the last two weeks," said Schulz.
Amnesty International condemned the torture and killings of the Israeli soldiers in Ramallah/al-Bireh yesterday, and called on the Palestinian Authority to ensure that the killings are promptly and thoroughly investigated and that the perpetrators are brought to justice in trials that meet international standards.
Amnesty International also condemned the punitive attacks on Palestinian facilities carried out by Israeli forces yesterday in the wake of the killings, and which resulted in the injury of at least 25 people.
Over the last two weeks the organization has consistently condemned the excessive and extensive use of lethal force in situations where lives were not at imminent risk, and which has resulted in the deaths of about 100 people.
Amnesty International reiterates its call for a United Nations investigative team. This investigative team should be independent and include criminal justice and other experts known for their impartiality and integrity, and should investigate all serious human rights abuses that took place since September 29th in Israel, the Occupied Territories and south Lebanon.
For immediate release 13 October 2000
DCI/PS views with grave concern yesterday's excessive and disproportionate Israeli attack on Palestinian civilian areas. In the past 24 hours, the world has watched as Israeli military forces launched an unprecedented missile attack on Palestinian cities throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip, leading to a further escalation in the ongoing confrontations between Palestinian protestors and the Israeli occupation authorities. Beginning yesterday afternoon and continuing through the evening, Israeli helicopter gunships fired numerous missiles into the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and Gaza. In addition, Israeli helicopter gunships hit locations in Hebron, Salfit, and Jericho, in the West Bank, with missiles and ammunition. The attack, which Israeli Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ehud Barak justified as retaliation for the killing of two Israeli soldiers in Ramallah yesterday, targeted locations in densely populated residential and commercial centers. Over 25 people were injured in the attack, including 4 Palestinian children. Palestinian homes and businesses surrounding the areas targeted in the attack suffered damage, including shattered windows and structural damage. Moreover, Palestinian residents, in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, experienced power outages throughout the evening.
Yesterday's attack was the latest show of force in what has been an ongoing siege against the Palestinian civilian population of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War prohibits the implementation of collective punishment or reprisals against protected persons and their property. Since the outbreak of confrontations over two weeks ago, Israeli military forces have routinely utilized excessive and disproportionate force against Palestinian civilians. Such uses of force include firing live ammunition into groups of Palestinian protestors and firing into Palestinian residential areas with high-velocity ammunition and missiles, both from the ground and from helicopter gunships hovering over Palestinian cities. The affects of the siege on the Palestinian civilian population have been extensive. In just over two weeks, over 100 Palestinians have been killed, including 26 children, with an additional 4 declared clinically dead. Recent statistics indicate that over 3,000 Palestinians have been injured, including over 1,100 children.
Moreover, the Israeli occupation authorities have placed an internal closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, effectively imprisoning Palestinian civilians within their immediate city or town. The Old City of Hebron has been under complete curfew for 13 days. In the Palestinian village of Selit Al-Thaher, near Jenin, the Israeli army, yesterday, fired tear gas towards a secondary school, one canister of which entered a classroom, suffocating 20 Palestinian students. In the Old City of Hebron, Israeli military forces have transformed a Palestinian girls school into a military installation.
In addition, illegal Israeli settlers continue their attacks against Palestinian civilians, shooting towards Palestinian residents and destroying private property. These attacks are carried out with the full knowledge of the Israeli military forces, and, often, under their protection. Attacks have been particularly intense in the Hebron District. Last night, in the village of Sa'ir, settlers attacked and damaged five homes. Near the illegal Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba, to the northwest of Hebron, settlers fire bombed a Palestinian car, totally destroying it. In the same area, Palestinian cars were set on fire in the area near Ta'lim settlement, and, settlers from Kufr Eztion, to the north of Hebron, stoned Palestinian cars, injuring one civilian. In the village of Dura, settlers from the nearby settlement of Hagai fired towards Palestinian homes. Thus far, five Palestinian civilians have been killed as a result of settler attacks in the past two weeks.
In light of the above and the escalation of events in the past 24 hours, DCI/PS calls for the following:
Today, DCI/PS submitted its summary report regarding the recent Israeli attack on Palestinian civilians to Mr. Giorgio Giacomelli, the UN Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights. The following is an excerpt of the report highlighting the findings of DCI/PS fieldwork. PLEASE SEE THE COMPLETE REPORT ATTACHED.
Since the outbreak of the clashes, DCI/PS has documented the deaths of 24 Palestinian children. These children ranged in age from 18 months to 18 years old. According to DCI/PS fieldwork, each one of these children died after being hit with live ammunition, including one child whose head was ripped in two after being hit with a missile. All of them were shot in the upper parts of their body, with at least 12 of them being shot in the head. At least 3 were hit with dum-dum bullets, which explode upon impact. There are an additional 5 Palestinian children, ranging in age from 9 to 17, who have been declared clinically dead after being shot with live ammunition in the head.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (West Bank) and the Ministry of Health (Gaza Strip), as of 11 October 2000, 1, 148 Palestinian children have been injured as a result of the Israeli attack. DCI/PS has full information regarding 474 cases. Of those, 84 were wounded with live ammunition, 313 with rubber coated steel bullets, and 67 suffered suffocation from tear gas (please see tables below). In addition, Israeli military forces beat 10 children. The age distribution is as follows: 25 children 8 years and under; 67 children between 9 and 12; 167 children between 13 and 15; and, 215 children from 16 to 18 years of age. Breaking down the figures of the total number of children injured by live ammunition or rubber coated steel bullets, 397 cases, we see that 198, or 49.87% were hit in the upper part of their body, while 199 were injured in the other parts of the body, including the limbs (166) and pelvic area (8). 112 children were hit in the head; an additional 20 in the eyes; 16 in the back; 11 in the neck; 19 in the chest; and 20 in the abdomen. Six children were wounded in both the limbs and upper body. These figures reflect that the Israeli military forces are successfully targeting the upper part of the body with an apparent intent to kill or seriously injure.
Israeli settlers have been attacking Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories with total support from the Israeli occupation troops.
Since the time clashes began between the occupation troops and Palestinian civilians on 28 September 2000, after the provocative visit of Likud opposition leader Ariel Sharon, the region has been witnessing unprecedented activity of the Israeli extreme right in both Israel and the occupied territories. The result has been devastating: 5 Palestinians have been shot dead, 3 by settlers in the occupied territories and 2 shot by the Israeli police in Nazareth during the clashes that took place when settlers from Upper Nazareth launched their attack against the Palestinian community in the city. Eyewitnesses say that settlers have taken part in the shooting.
Settlers and Jewish racist extremists have been waging attacks inside the green line since 6 October 2000. These orchestrated attacks are meant to terrorize Palestinian civilians and target their lives and property. Reports say that settlers have used live bullets in many cases under the cover and eye of the Israeli occupation troops and in total impunity.
In light of this dangerous turn in the events, LAW has prepared this report to describe these dangerous attacks. The report deals with the features of these attacks and describes some of the events that took place despite the difficulties faced by the field researchers to monitor and document these incidents. Field researchers have also found it difficult to move around due to the military siege imposed by the Israeli occupation troops in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
First: Murder of Civilians Settlers have used live bullets against Palestinians in a 'shoot to kill' policy. They also employed other means such as severe torture and deliberate running over. Palestinians have unfortunately fallen victims to this policy such as Sara Hasan, 1 and a half year old from the village of Qasra, Isam Hamad, 39, from the village of Um Asafa, Mohammad Bouzieh, 39, from Kuful Hares, all from the occupied West Bank. Meanwhile, 2 Palestinians, Omar Akawi, 42, and Wisam Yazbak, 26, were killed in the city of Nazareth. 30 other civilians were injured, 5 of whom sustained very serious injuries after the clashes with the Upper Nazareth (Nazaret Ilit)settlers.
On 1 October 2000, one a half year-old Sarah was taken to the hospital by her father HasanOn the way home, fully armed settlers opened fire on their car, instantly killing Saran and injuring Hasan's 20-year-old niece.
On 8 October 2000, the body of Isam Hamad, 36, from Um Safa, Ramallah, was found in a field near his village located near the Halmeesh settlement. His brother, Basam, stated that Isam was driving to his village when an Israeli military vehicle ordered him to stop. He was then taken in the direction of the Halmeesh settlement. Hamad was found dead the next morning in a field near Pisgot settlement. When the family members tried to take the body, they were fired at from the settlement. They managed to take the body to their house and later to the hospital in Ramallah. Preliminary examination has shown that he was hit with a sharp tool in the head, his face was burned and his hands were broken. He had bruises on his back and his left leg had been burned with an iron. Evidence of electrocution were also found.
On 8 October 2000, an estimated one thousand Israeli extremist settlers from Natzeret Illit (Higher Nazareth), supported by the Israeli police, attacked East Nazareth; they broke into the homes of the Palestinian residents, and fired at Palestinian civilians killing Omar Ikawi, 42, and Wisam Yazbik, 26, and wounding thirty people, five of them critically. The deaths of Ikawi and Yazbik raise the death toll of Palestinians within the Green Line, (in Israel) to 13.
On 11 October 2000, Mohammad Bouzieh, 39, from Kuful Hares in the district of Salfit was overrun by a settler. An eyewitness stated that a car carrying an Israeli license plate was spotted driving away from the accident site.
Second: Blockage of Roads As the oppressive operations by the Israeli occupation troops were gaining momentum, settlers in the West Bank took to the streets blocking exits and entrances to the major towns and villages and assaulting Palestinian civilians and their property. During the attacks, settlers used all sorts of weapons including stones, axes and batons. They rampaged villages, destroying cars and property. On 6 October, settlers opened fire at a car wounding the passengers at the Za'tara junction in the district of Nablus. On the same evening, two Palestinian civilians, Tha'er Said, 21, and Amjad Safarini, 25, from the village of Safarine in Toulkarem, were brutally assaulted and wounded in the shoulders and face by settlers and had their car smashed.
On 8 October 2000, in another incident, a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance was attacked smashed by settlers near the settlement of Shilo. The ambulance received a call that settlers had beaten Palestinians. Upon arrival to the area, the paramedics found out that the report was false. On their way back, a military Jeep offered to accompany the ambulance into Ramallah saying that there were settlers on the road that could assault them. Along the way, settlers did stop the ambulance and the jeep. The soldiers got out of their jeep to speak with the settlers and the settlers ran top to the ambulance and attacked it.
On 10 October 2000, two Palestinian reporters on their way back to Nablus were pelted with stones thrown by settlers. The two Palestinians reported the incident to Israeli troops but nothing was done about it. On the same evening, settlers from Ofra assaulted Mustafa Qasem from Silwad hitting him with a sharp tool on the head. In another incident, settlers also assaulted Mohammad Qasem, from the village of Beitin. The two Palestinians were transferred to hospital for treatment.
Third: Assault on individual and property Armed, protected and supported by Israeli troops, the Israeli settlers have waged a number of attacks and assaults on the civilian Palestinian population particularly the cities and surroundings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Al Bireh and other parts of the West Bank.
Settlers tried entering and sealing off the Orient House in East Jerusalem under the protection and sight of the Israeli occupation troops. However, angry Palestinian youth challenged them and pushed them off. The settlers also took to the Azahra Street, of East Jerusalem and sealed off the exits and entrances of the city. In another incident, Hussein Atawil, 20, was wounded as young Palestinians took to the street to prevent the settlers from gaining access to the Shu'fat Refugee Camp. In other incidents, settlers rampaged motorway # 1 and stoned Palestinian cars.
Settlers attacked the village of Bidya near Nablus. They burned shops and destroyed electric power lines. Meanwhile, Israeli bulldozers blocked the roads and installed make shift checkpoints preventing villagers from leaving. They also fired at Palestinian houses.
In the village of Huwara, settlers attacked Palestinian houses and broke the windows with stones and bullets. They also attacked the new built mosque, burning copies of the Holy Koran and other religious books. The mosque 's carpets were also set on fire.
In the district of Hebron, three Palestinian civilians from the village of Sourif were wounded when settlers opened fire on them at the Beit Ummar junction. Settlers in the city of Hebron hassled Palestinian residents, pelting them with rocks, beating them or setting dogs on them.
On October 4, Aqel Awad's house came under fire from the nearby settlement of Pisgot. Aqel's daughter stated that she and her family members were in the house in the evening when live bullets were fired at the house. She stated, ' I was ironing my clothes at that time, so I stopped. My father, 80 years old, was in his room that overlooks the settlement. He is an old man partially paralysed. I went to check on him. When things calmed down, I went out to the balcony to close the door and I was hit with a bullet in the eye, but I did not hear the shot. I fell to the floor and I shouted for rescue. I tried to crawl into the room. My mother and brother came to my rescue. I was later transferred to the Ramallah hospital. The injury was close to the eye. I was later taken to the Arazi Ophthalmic hospital for further treatment especially as glass blisters had filled my eye. I was later discharged. When I arrived home, I found out that my brother was also hit with a bullet in the same place where I had been hit before. No one heard any shots. The bullet hit him in the stomach and exited through his back. He was in critical condition but is believed to be improving. My brother is 54 years old. He lives in the States and he was here on a visit.'
The following is a list of a number of Palestinians whose property or being had been assaulted:
LAW reiterates the following:
. The Israeli government is fully responsible for situation that has developed in the Occupied Territories and the violence committed against Palestinian civilians by Israeli settlers
. LAW demands that those responsible for this aggression against Palestinians be investigated and brought to trial.
.We demand that the United National Security Council take immediate action to protect Palestinians civilians and force Israel to comply with articles of the Fourth Geneva Convention
LAW PO Box 20873 Jerusalem Tel: 00 972 2 583 3428/3298/3537/3530/3430 Fax: 00 972 2 583 3317 Email: law@lawsociety.org Website: http://www.lawsociety.org