Israel/OPT
03.10.00
Urgent Interventions
Israel: Israeli forces have continued to use live ammunition for a fourth day to disperse demonstrators
Case ISR 021000.1
Follow-up to Case ISR 021000
Geneva, 3rd October 2000.
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information that Israeli forces have continued to use live ammunition for a fourth day to disperse demonstrators.
According to the Palestinian Society for the Protection for Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), a member of the OMCT network,, as of 8 pm local time on 2nd October 2000, 14 Palestinians, 7 inside Israel, 2 in Gaza and 5 in the West Bank had been killed. The total number of Palestinians killed in 4 days is 41. 396 Palestinians have been injured, 18 of which are in a critical condition.
Furthermore, in a report by the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), a member of the OMCT network, it has been noted that Israeli forces are violating the guidelines for rubber-coated metal bullet use. According to PHRMG, these violations have included firing from less than the required minimum safety distance, firing at the head rather than the leg, targeting innocent civilians and targeting children. Used in such a manner, rubber-coated metal bullets can no longer be claimed as a safe weapon for crowd dispersal. Instead they are the cause of serious and disfiguring injury, and permanent eye loss.
According to the information received from LAW, inside the green line, seven civilians have died: Aseel Hasan Atili, from Arrabeh, Ahmad Ibrahim Siam Jabrin, in Um El Fahm died from injuries he sustained yesterday as did Rami Hatem Gharra from Jet village in Al Muthaltah and Imad Farraj Gneim. Walid Abdel Min Eim and Abu Saleh, both from Sahkneen village were killed as were Ala Khaled Mansour from Arabe village and Iyad Lauabne from Nazareth city.
In Gaza, two were killed: Mahmoud Gazi Al- Nabih, 29, from Al-Sabra neighborhood and Salah Abu Qnais, 24 (a member of Palestinian intelligence forces). Both were shot in the upper body.
In Jericho three have been killed, Hatem Al-Najar, 22, (a member of national security forces) died from a gunshot wound, as did civilian Ibrahim Samih Barahmeh, 27. The third person has not yet been identified.
In Nablus, Wael Tayseer Qatawi, 14, from Balata refugee camp died after being shot in the eye near Joseph’s Tomb.
In Ramallah, Ahmad Sami Fayad, 25, member of the national security forces from Ramallah.
Husam Ismail Al-Hamshari, 22, from Tulkarem City was pronounced clinically dead.
Reports confirm that Israeli forces have used helicopters to combat large groups of protestors, which have also been used to bomb two civilian buildings near the Netzarim junction in Gaza, the National Security Forces building, four ambulances and the car of a Chinese jounalist. The use of machine gun fire has also reportedly increased the number of injuries. Furthermore, it should be noted that two Palestinians are reported to have been hit with internationally outlawed “dumdum” bullets.
The International Secretariat of OMCT reiterates its grave concern over these killings and injuries. Furthermore, OMCT is appalled that many injuries are reportedly in the upper parts of the body, particularly the eyes.
OMCT calls on the Israeli authorities to put an immediate end to this use of excessive force against Palestinian demonstrators.
Actions requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
i. put an immediate end to the use of excessive force and the use of live ammunition against demonstrators in accordance with international human rights standards, in particular Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials;
ii. guarantee adequate compensation to the families of all victims and medical assistance to all injured people;
iii. ensure that all law enforcement agencies conform to international human rights standards and a thorough and impartial investigation into all deaths and injuries in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses
Ehud Barak, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street Hakirya, Jerusalem 91007, Israel, Faxes: +972 2 566 4838 and +972 3 691 7915
Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax : + 972 2 6285 438
Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax: +972 3 697 62 18.
Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax : + 972 2 5826 769.
The Embassy of Israel in your respective countries.
Geneva, 3rd October 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up to Case ISR 021000
Geneva, 3rd October 2000.
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information that Israeli forces have continued to use live ammunition for a fourth day to disperse demonstrators.
According to the Palestinian Society for the Protection for Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), a member of the OMCT network,, as of 8 pm local time on 2nd October 2000, 14 Palestinians, 7 inside Israel, 2 in Gaza and 5 in the West Bank had been killed. The total number of Palestinians killed in 4 days is 41. 396 Palestinians have been injured, 18 of which are in a critical condition.
Furthermore, in a report by the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), a member of the OMCT network, it has been noted that Israeli forces are violating the guidelines for rubber-coated metal bullet use. According to PHRMG, these violations have included firing from less than the required minimum safety distance, firing at the head rather than the leg, targeting innocent civilians and targeting children. Used in such a manner, rubber-coated metal bullets can no longer be claimed as a safe weapon for crowd dispersal. Instead they are the cause of serious and disfiguring injury, and permanent eye loss.
According to the information received from LAW, inside the green line, seven civilians have died: Aseel Hasan Atili, from Arrabeh, Ahmad Ibrahim Siam Jabrin, in Um El Fahm died from injuries he sustained yesterday as did Rami Hatem Gharra from Jet village in Al Muthaltah and Imad Farraj Gneim. Walid Abdel Min Eim and Abu Saleh, both from Sahkneen village were killed as were Ala Khaled Mansour from Arabe village and Iyad Lauabne from Nazareth city.
In Gaza, two were killed: Mahmoud Gazi Al- Nabih, 29, from Al-Sabra neighborhood and Salah Abu Qnais, 24 (a member of Palestinian intelligence forces). Both were shot in the upper body.
In Jericho three have been killed, Hatem Al-Najar, 22, (a member of national security forces) died from a gunshot wound, as did civilian Ibrahim Samih Barahmeh, 27. The third person has not yet been identified.
In Nablus, Wael Tayseer Qatawi, 14, from Balata refugee camp died after being shot in the eye near Joseph’s Tomb.
In Ramallah, Ahmad Sami Fayad, 25, member of the national security forces from Ramallah.
Husam Ismail Al-Hamshari, 22, from Tulkarem City was pronounced clinically dead.
Reports confirm that Israeli forces have used helicopters to combat large groups of protestors, which have also been used to bomb two civilian buildings near the Netzarim junction in Gaza, the National Security Forces building, four ambulances and the car of a Chinese jounalist. The use of machine gun fire has also reportedly increased the number of injuries. Furthermore, it should be noted that two Palestinians are reported to have been hit with internationally outlawed “dumdum” bullets.
The International Secretariat of OMCT reiterates its grave concern over these killings and injuries. Furthermore, OMCT is appalled that many injuries are reportedly in the upper parts of the body, particularly the eyes.
OMCT calls on the Israeli authorities to put an immediate end to this use of excessive force against Palestinian demonstrators.
Actions requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
i. put an immediate end to the use of excessive force and the use of live ammunition against demonstrators in accordance with international human rights standards, in particular Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials;
ii. guarantee adequate compensation to the families of all victims and medical assistance to all injured people;
iii. ensure that all law enforcement agencies conform to international human rights standards and a thorough and impartial investigation into all deaths and injuries in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, in particular the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses
Ehud Barak, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street Hakirya, Jerusalem 91007, Israel, Faxes: +972 2 566 4838 and +972 3 691 7915
Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax : + 972 2 6285 438
Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax: +972 3 697 62 18.
Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax : + 972 2 5826 769.
The Embassy of Israel in your respective countries.
Geneva, 3rd October 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.