Since the morning, Palestinians have demonstrated throughout the occupied Palestinian territories in protest to the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians.
The Israeli occupation forces have continued to reinforce their presence in the occupied Palestinian territories with more troops and vehicles. They have established new military sites. The number of martyrs killed by the Israeli occupation forces has so far increased to 116, including 31 children under 18, and more than 3,200, more than one third of whom are children, have been wounded.
This morning, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on some children and boys who demonstrated near an Israeli military site in the area of Erez in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The child Wae'l Mhmoud Emad, 13 years, was killed by the Israeli occupation forces. He received a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head from a 20- meter distance or less. Medical sources of Shifa' hospital in Gaza stated that a rubber-coated metal bullet penetrated the child's forehead and settled in his head. PCHR's field officer in the mentioned area reported that 4 boys were wounded by live ammunition and 11 were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets. He added that dozens of boys were hurt due to inhaling tear gas which was used intensively by the Israeli occupation forces. In the vicinity of the settlement of Kfar Darom, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on some boys demonstrated in the area. As a result the child Salah Fawzi Nejem, 15 years, from the refugee camp of Al-Maghazi was killed by a bullet in the heart, 5 were wounded by live ammunition and one by rubber-coated metal bullets.
PCHR reported that the Israeli occupation forces placed a roadblock this afternoon on the main road linking between the north and south of the Gaza Strip (Salah El-Din Street), 20m away from a roadblock of the Palestinian security forces to the south of the settlement of Kfar Darom. He added that a tank and a military jeep of the Israeli occupation forces were at the roadblock, and Israeli soldiers were stopping and checking cars coming from the south towards Gaza city. It is worth mentioning that such a roadblock is the first of its kind since the redeployment of the Israeli occupation forces under the Interim Agreement in May 1994.
In Khan Yunis, 11 boys were wounded today by live ammunition and 13 were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets fired by the Israeli occupation forces at some boys demonstrated near an Israeli military outpost to the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis. Additionally, dozens of children and boys were hurt due to inhaling tear gas used by these forces. PCHR's field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces reinforced their presence in the area establishing a new military outpost 200 meters away to the east of a military roadblock of the Israeli occupation forces at the entrance of the eastern road between Salah El-Din Street and the borders (Kissufim crossing). Armored vehicles were also seen along the road between Al-Salqa valley and Al-Qarara to the east of Deir El-Balah. In Hebrom, clashes broke out this afternoon between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces centered in the northern area of the city. The Israeli occupation forces responded firing live ammunition at demonstrators. As a result, Nae'l Ali Al-Zama'reh, 25 years, was killed by a bullet in the chest, and 5 were wounded by live ammunition fired by the Israeli occupation forces. Other clashes broke out in Hebron after escorting the child Majed Al-Hawamdeh, from the village of Al-Sammou', who was killed yesterday in clashes at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh, to his final resting - place.
The Israeli occupation forces opened fire on the Palestinians who demonstrated after the funeral and killed Emad Ismail Al-Hawamdeh, 23 years, from the village of Al-Sammou' by a bullet in the heart. PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community and the High Contracting Parties to Geneva Fourth Convention for immediate interventions to stop the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls for immediate providing international protection for Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories, as it is the only way to prevent more deterioration of the situation. "End"
Israeli Troops Kills Three Today, One Boy of 13 22 October 2000 4:30 pm + 2 GMT Today, 22 October 2000, Israeli forces have killed three Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory. Nael Al Zamara, aged 25 years, from Halhoul was killed by a bullet to the chest during clashes in the West Bank. Imad Hawamdah, aged 23 years, from Assumua village near Hebron was shot in the heart by live ammunition. Wa'el Al Nasheet, a 13 year old boy, from Jabalia refugee camp was shot in the head by a rubber coated metal bullet during near Erez checkpoint in the Gaza Strip.
The killings are being investigated but the evidence is that Israeli forces used disproportionate and excessive force in a manner intended to kill. The recent deaths bring the Palestinian death toll to 116, 35 are children. LAW is pursuing the following:
* The Israeli government is made responsible for the violence committed against Palestinian civilians.
* Those responsible for this act are investigated and brought to trial.
* Immediate action is taken to protect Palestinians civilians and force Israel to comply with articles of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
For the 23rd consecutive day, the belligerent Israeli Occupation Forces continue the aggression against the Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In this context, the Israelis continued to use a full range weaponry in a, noticeably, excessive manner against the unarmed Palestinians.
During the last 24 hours, yesterday and this mourning, the belligerent Israeli Occupation Forces, killed at least 5 Palestinians and injured tens others.
The Palestinian martyrs were:
1 Omar Ismail Albhaisi 21/10 16 Deir- Albalah Head injury.
2 Faiz Husein Alqaimari 21/10 33 Hebron Head injury.
3 Tariq Ismail Abd- Arrahman Alhantouli 21/10 22 Silet Aldahir/ Jenin Back injury by 2 bullets.
4 Majid Ibrahim Hauamdah 21/10 16 Al-Tireh/ Ramallah Head injury.
5 Wail Imad Annashit 22/10 14 Jabalya Head injury.
The total number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli soldiers and settlers reaches 118 and the number of injured is higher than 6000. The continuing state of silence demonstrated by the international community encourages the Israelis to continue their aggression against the Palestinians; something they seem very persistent to perform. In light of all of this, AL-MEZAN Center for Human Rights perceives the state of silence of the international community in regard to what is happening in the Occupied Palestinian Territories highly dangerous.
AL-MEZAN also emphasizes what was mentioned in its previous releases that the international community must immediately intervene to end the evident Israeli grave breaches to the international humanitarian law, especially the 4th Geneva Convention. The international community is also requested to provide protection for the Palestinian civilians and present the Israeli war criminals before trial as soon as possible.
The new wave of bloodshed in the Middle East has its starting point in Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands. There can be no peace without justice, and the Oslo Accords are inherently unjust.
The Socialist Party supports a just peace in the Middle East, based at a minimum on fill enforcement of the Geneva Conventions, an end to the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and equal rights for all Israeli citizens. We support the institution of a truly independent Palestinian state.
The Socialist Party calls for the immediate cessation of all aid to Israel, including the sale of military equipment of any kind. U.S. aid has been used by Israel to fashion one of the most powerful military machines in the world. The U.S. government's complicity with the Israeli occupations should end now.
Shaun Richman McReynolds/Hollis 2000 Campaign
339 Lafayette Street, 303 New York,
NY 10012 Phone: (212)780-9405 Fax: (212)982-4586 http://www.votesocialist.org .