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| PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights PRESS RELEASE |
|
Ref: 167/2004
Date: 22 November 2004
Time: 09:00 GMT
3 Palestinians Extra-Judicially Killed by Israeli Occupation Forces
On Sunday evening, 21 November 2004, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed an extra-judicial killing in Bitounia town, southwest of Ramallah, which left 3 members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (the military wing of Fatah movement) dead. The killing was carried out by an undercover unit of IOF, whose members often disguise as Palestinian civilians. Israeli military sources claimed that Israeli soldiers, members of an undercover unit, killed 3 Palestinian, including Mohammed Ghassan, whom they described as a prominent activist of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. Ghassan had left his shelter only a few hours before he was killed. Later, IOF claimed that the 3 victims fired at the undercover unit that attacked them and injured one of its members, but investigations conducted by PCHR refuted this claim.
According to preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 19:15 on Sunday, 21 November 2004, an undercover unit of IOF disguised as Palestinian civilians moved into Bitounia town, southwest of Ramallah traveling in a civilian car that had a Palestinian registration plate. The car stopped opposite to al-‘Attari fuel station in the main street, and 3 persons who were wearing civilian clothes got out of it. They broke into ‘Ali al-Hatab’s bakery shop and held all those who were there. In the meantime, a Palestinian civilian car, a grey BMW, stopped near the bakery shop. Immediately, members of the Israeli undercover unit who were in the first civilian car opened fire at the BMW car and immediately withdrew from the area. Palestinian ambulances arrived at the area and evacuated bodies of 3 Palestinians from the targeted car to Ramallah Hospital. According to medical sources, each one of the victims was hit by several live bullets to the head and the neck. The victims were identified as:
1. Mohammed Ghassan Liftawi, 26, from Ramallah;
2. Salama Ya’qoub, 27, from ‘Ein ‘Arik village west of Ramallah; and
3. Nasser Sa’id Baker Jawabra, 28, from ‘Assira village near Nablus.
PCHR remains gravely concerned about such escalation by the Israeli government and its occupation. Israeli violations of human rights, including extra-judicial and indiscriminate killings, further indicate Israel’s disregard for international law and humanitarian law, which prohibit such acts that constitute grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949), in particular article 147. PCHR asserts that the policy of extra-judicial killings officially adopted by the Israeli government serves to increase tension in the region and threatens the lives of Palestinian civilians. PCHR reiterates its calls for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations to ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Public Document
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