31 dec 2013
Women and children watch the funeral of Lubna Hanash in Bethlehem, Jan. 23
Israel killed 27 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2013, making it the deadliest year for Palestinian fatalities since 2008, Israeli rights group B'Tselem said Monday.
According to data compiled by the rights group, three times as many Palestinians were killed in the West Bank in 2013 compared to 2012.
By contrast, in 2012 Israeli security forces killed eight Palestinians in the West Bank and 246 in the Gaza Strip, including at least 167 in its November war on the coastal territory.
In nine of the 2013 West Bank killings, Israeli military forces raided Palestinian communities during arrest operations.
Four of those killings involved an exchange of fire, according to Israel's army, while four other cases involved Israeli soldiers opening fire after stones had been thrown at them.
Seven other killings took place while Israeli soldiers were lying in wait to capture alleged stone throwers or after Israeli soldiers had used live fire against Palestinians throwing stones.
One Palestinian was killed when he tried to enter Israel without a permit, one female bystander was shot dead by soldiers, another man was killed after breaking into a military base with a tractor and one man was shot after allegedly assaulting a border police officer.
In the final case, the Israeli border police volunteer retracted his original claim that Antar Shalabi Mahmoud al-Aqraa had tried to stab him before being shot dead.
In the Gaza Strip, nine Palestinians were killed, four of whom were allegedly taking part in hostilities when they were killed and three who were not, B'Tselem said.
In one case the group said it is unknown if the victim was taking part in hostilities. Another Palestinian was assassinated by Israeli forces.
Three-year-old Hala Abu Sbeikha was killed last Tuesday in Gaza following an Israeli airstrike.
Investigations into killings 'slow and cumbersome'
B'Tselem says that over two years have passed since a new investigative policy by the MAG Corps unit went into effect, in which time 35 Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers.
A total of 23 investigations into the fatalities were launched, with the MAG corps reaching a decision on only five of the cases.
In one case, a decision was made not to open an investigation, in three cases the file was closed, and in another an Israeli soldier was indicted and convicted by plea bargain based on his admission, B'Tselem said.
"The sharp rise in fatalities in the West Bank only serves to intensify concern about lack of accountability. Admittedly, MPIU investigations are now launched almost automatically, yet the essence of the investigative mechanism remains unchanged," B'Tselem Director Jessica Montell said.
"It is slow and cumbersome and decisions are made only years after an incident takes place. Such a mechanism, in which practically no one is held accountable for the killing of Palestinians, does not serve as a deterrent and indicates disregard for human life."
Israel killed 27 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in 2013, making it the deadliest year for Palestinian fatalities since 2008, Israeli rights group B'Tselem said Monday.
According to data compiled by the rights group, three times as many Palestinians were killed in the West Bank in 2013 compared to 2012.
By contrast, in 2012 Israeli security forces killed eight Palestinians in the West Bank and 246 in the Gaza Strip, including at least 167 in its November war on the coastal territory.
In nine of the 2013 West Bank killings, Israeli military forces raided Palestinian communities during arrest operations.
Four of those killings involved an exchange of fire, according to Israel's army, while four other cases involved Israeli soldiers opening fire after stones had been thrown at them.
Seven other killings took place while Israeli soldiers were lying in wait to capture alleged stone throwers or after Israeli soldiers had used live fire against Palestinians throwing stones.
One Palestinian was killed when he tried to enter Israel without a permit, one female bystander was shot dead by soldiers, another man was killed after breaking into a military base with a tractor and one man was shot after allegedly assaulting a border police officer.
In the final case, the Israeli border police volunteer retracted his original claim that Antar Shalabi Mahmoud al-Aqraa had tried to stab him before being shot dead.
In the Gaza Strip, nine Palestinians were killed, four of whom were allegedly taking part in hostilities when they were killed and three who were not, B'Tselem said.
In one case the group said it is unknown if the victim was taking part in hostilities. Another Palestinian was assassinated by Israeli forces.
Three-year-old Hala Abu Sbeikha was killed last Tuesday in Gaza following an Israeli airstrike.
Investigations into killings 'slow and cumbersome'
B'Tselem says that over two years have passed since a new investigative policy by the MAG Corps unit went into effect, in which time 35 Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers.
A total of 23 investigations into the fatalities were launched, with the MAG corps reaching a decision on only five of the cases.
In one case, a decision was made not to open an investigation, in three cases the file was closed, and in another an Israeli soldier was indicted and convicted by plea bargain based on his admission, B'Tselem said.
"The sharp rise in fatalities in the West Bank only serves to intensify concern about lack of accountability. Admittedly, MPIU investigations are now launched almost automatically, yet the essence of the investigative mechanism remains unchanged," B'Tselem Director Jessica Montell said.
"It is slow and cumbersome and decisions are made only years after an incident takes place. Such a mechanism, in which practically no one is held accountable for the killing of Palestinians, does not serve as a deterrent and indicates disregard for human life."
29 dec 2013
Adel Muhammad Amarnah, 65
A Palestinian man died on Sunday at a flying checkpoint Israeli forces erected in the northern West Bank, the man's family said.
Adel Muhammad Amarnah, 65, was being rushed to a Jenin hospital when his car was stopped at a checkpoint near the village of Yaabad, his family told Ma'an.
An Israeli soldier told the driver of the car to "go back where he came from," the family said. After being held up for an extended period of time, the driver finally convinced the soldier to let the car through the checkpoint.
But Amarnah died before he reached Jenin's public hospital, where the doctors confirmed his death, his family said.
An Israeli army spokesman did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Israeli forces maintain severe restrictions on Palestinians' freedom of movement in the West Bank through a complex combination of fixed checkpoints, flying checkpoints, roads forbidden to Palestinians but open to Jewish settlers, and various other physical obstructions.
At any given time there are about 100 permanent Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank, while surprise flying checkpoints often number into the hundreds.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Palestinian old man dies at IOF roadblock
A Palestinian old man died afternoon Sunday at the Israeli military roadblock set up at the entrance to Yabad village, south of Jenin, after the Israeli soldiers delayed his passage for more than an hour. Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) manning the roadblock did not care less about the old man’s health condition and his relatives’ appeals that he was dying.
They said that Adel Amarne, 65, was on his way to Jenin government hospital, and charged the IOF soldiers with deliberately delaying his passage until they were certain of his death.
The old man arrived dead at the hospital, the sources said, adding that he was suffering from exhaustion and high pulse rate and could be saved if he was allowed to proceed to hospital earlier.
The witnesses said that the soldiers dealt with Amarne’s relatives with total disregard and did not care less about his condition which raised the ire of the citizens.
A Palestinian man died on Sunday at a flying checkpoint Israeli forces erected in the northern West Bank, the man's family said.
Adel Muhammad Amarnah, 65, was being rushed to a Jenin hospital when his car was stopped at a checkpoint near the village of Yaabad, his family told Ma'an.
An Israeli soldier told the driver of the car to "go back where he came from," the family said. After being held up for an extended period of time, the driver finally convinced the soldier to let the car through the checkpoint.
But Amarnah died before he reached Jenin's public hospital, where the doctors confirmed his death, his family said.
An Israeli army spokesman did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Israeli forces maintain severe restrictions on Palestinians' freedom of movement in the West Bank through a complex combination of fixed checkpoints, flying checkpoints, roads forbidden to Palestinians but open to Jewish settlers, and various other physical obstructions.
At any given time there are about 100 permanent Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank, while surprise flying checkpoints often number into the hundreds.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Palestinian old man dies at IOF roadblock
A Palestinian old man died afternoon Sunday at the Israeli military roadblock set up at the entrance to Yabad village, south of Jenin, after the Israeli soldiers delayed his passage for more than an hour. Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) manning the roadblock did not care less about the old man’s health condition and his relatives’ appeals that he was dying.
They said that Adel Amarne, 65, was on his way to Jenin government hospital, and charged the IOF soldiers with deliberately delaying his passage until they were certain of his death.
The old man arrived dead at the hospital, the sources said, adding that he was suffering from exhaustion and high pulse rate and could be saved if he was allowed to proceed to hospital earlier.
The witnesses said that the soldiers dealt with Amarne’s relatives with total disregard and did not care less about his condition which raised the ire of the citizens.
28 dec 2013
The Palestinian citizens in the 1948 occupied lands held their Friday prayers at Al-Qassam cemetery in Balad Al-Sheikh village, east of Haifa city, to commemorate the anniversary of the massacre which had been committed in the village by the Zionist gangs of Palmach and Haganah. Sheik Ra'ed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied lands, delivered the Friday Khutba (sermon) and led the prayers in the presence of political and national figures.
Sheikh Salah highlighted the atrocities that had been committed by the Palmach and Haganah gangs in the village, especially the massacre that claimed the lives of more than 60 Palestinian villagers on December 31, 1947.
Sheikh Salah also talked about the role needed to protect the Palestinian land and homes in the occupied territories.
"We protect our land not to preserve it for ourselves, but because it is a common right belonging to the whole Muslim nation. This is our holy land, the land of Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque, and we must make efforts commensurate with its stature," he stated.
Sheikh Salah highlighted the atrocities that had been committed by the Palmach and Haganah gangs in the village, especially the massacre that claimed the lives of more than 60 Palestinian villagers on December 31, 1947.
Sheikh Salah also talked about the role needed to protect the Palestinian land and homes in the occupied territories.
"We protect our land not to preserve it for ourselves, but because it is a common right belonging to the whole Muslim nation. This is our holy land, the land of Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque, and we must make efforts commensurate with its stature," he stated.