Ref: 04/2018
On Wednesday, 03 January 2018, in excessive use of force, Israeli forces killed a 17-year-old child and wounded 3 others during their incursion into Deir Netham village, northwest of Ramallah. By the killing of al-Tamimi child, the number of the killed civilians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip increased to 12 civilians, including a child. These incidents came in light of the ongoing tense atmosphere following the U.S. President’s Donald Trump Decision on 06 December 2017, to recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel and move the U.S. Embassy to it. Moreover, the number of the wounded civilians increased to 880 civilians, including 127 children, 13 journalists, and 4 paramedics. 383 of them were hit with live bullets, 239 were hit with metal bullets and 257 were hit with tear gas canisters throughout their bodies. It should be noted that 570 of the wounded civilians were in the Gaza Strip while 310 were the West Bank.
This high number of casualties, and killed persons proves that Israeli forces deliberately aiming at dropping the highest number of victims among Palestinian protestors. PCHR’s follow-up showed that it is clear that the Israeli forces heavily and upon a decision use live ammunition, to confront the unarmed civilians through direct sniper operations in peaceful and nonviolent protests knowing that those protestors did not pose any threat or harm to the lives of the Israeli soldiers.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 13:20, large number of Israeli forces amounted more than 70 soldiers moved into Deir Netham village, northwest of Ramallah. After the soldiers deployed the streets, more military backups, including vehicles and armed personnel carriers, arrived at the area and closed the two main entrances to the village. They then raided and searched houses and topped their roofs and damaged the houses contents. The soldiers then arrested Mo’yad al-Tamimi, who suffers from a mental disability. Meanwhile, dozens of young men and youngsters gathered on the village streets and near the northern entrance to it. They threw stones at the Israeli soldiers, who topped the houses’ roofs. The soldiers heavily fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them and between houses. As a result, the electricity cut off the whole village. As a result, 3 civilians sustained metal bullet wounds throughout their bodies. At approximately 13:50, a soldier stationed at the abovementioned entrance fired a live bullet from a distance of 30 meters at Mos’ab Feras al-Tamimi (17) when he approached a military vehicle in an attempt to help Mo’yad , who was arrested earlier. Mos’ab was hit with a live bullet to his neck and settled there. He then was transferred via a PRCS ambulance to the Al Istishari Hospital in al-Raihan Suburb, north of Ramallah where he underwent a surgery. Doctors classified Mos’ab’s injury as serious. After a short time, Mos’ab succumbed to his wounds because the live bullet settled in a very sensitive area causing him an internal bleeding. The spokesperson of the Israeli forces claimed that the Israeli forces opened fire a t a Palestinian during clashes that erupted near Deir Netham village on suspicion of carrying a weapon to justify this crime.
PCHR follows up with deep concern the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and seriously consider the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians participating in nonviolent and peaceful protests, in violation of the international humanitarian law standards.
PCHR also condemns the Israeli forces’ use of lethal and excessive force against the protesters and believes it is as a result of giving Israel the green light following the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. PCHR also emphasizes that this decision is complicity in a crime of aggression and directly threatens the international peace and security.
PCHR also reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the oPt.
