Ref:43/2018
On Sunday, 08 April 2018, Palestinian civilian Mohammed Sobhi ‘Anbar (46) from Tulkarm refugee camp succumbed to wound he sustained after being hit shot by guards from Israeli security company at Jabarah military checkpoint, south of Tulkarm. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) calls for immediate and impartial investigation into the circumstances of his injury, arrest and death and reveal the powers granted for the private security companies working for Israel, particularly since many Palestinian civilians were killed by guards working in those companies in earlier times.
According to PCHR’s investigations and eyewitnesses’ statements, at approximately 08:00 on Sunday, 08 April 2018, medical sources at “Meir” Medical Center in “Kfar Saba” city in Israel announced the death of Palestinian prisoner Mohammed Sobhi ‘Anbar (46) from Tulkarm refugee camp, succumbing to wounds he sustained earlier. Mohammed was hit with 3 live bullets throughout his body on 02 April 2018 after Israeli security company guards stationed at Jabarah checkpoint, south of Tulkarm opened fire at him claiming that ‘Anbar attempted to carry out a stab attack against the soldiers. The Israeli forces arrested ‘Anbar after wounding him and took him to “Meir” Medical Center where he underwent several surgeries in which doctors cut off one of his legs. ‘Anbar further suffered from fractures to the pelvis. He stayed at the abovementioned hospital since the date of his injury until his death was announced. ‘Anbars’ bothers Ibrahim and sister Jamilah were at the hospital, but the Israeli forces prevented them from visiting him during the whole period. This Israeli forces’ conduct indicates that there are suspicions about the circumstances of ‘Anbar’s injury, his detention at the hospital and preventing him from speaking to his brothers; thus preventing him from revealing the circumstances of the gunfire, which was not justified in any means. According to dozens of cases of similar shooting circumstances documented by PCHR, the Israeli forces usually claim that they exposed to stabbing of run-over attacks. PCHR fears that ‘Anbar was subjected to medical negligence like hundreds of detainees in Israeli jails.
Mohammed’s brother Ibrahim ‘Anbar said to PCHR’s fieldworker that:
“My sister Jamila and I have been in the hospital since my brother Mohammed entered it. The Israeli forces prevented us from seeing him. Today, in the morning, they hid the news of his death, but we knew that he died. The Israeli forces are still preventing us from seeing him and doctors are trying to hide his health status. We are attempting to summit needed papers to receive the corpse after the military liaison officially informed us that Mohamed died and we could receive his corpse.”
It should be noted that the Israeli security guard companies began organizing the movement and supervising the crossings between the oPt and Israel upon the Israeli government’s decision to privatize around 54 crossings, including Jabarah checkpoint. The privatization plan was overseen by a special body of the Israeli army ministry established in 2005 by its former minister, Shaul Mofaz.
Palestinian civilians in both sides complain about the maltreatment they received by the Israeli security guards, the tightening inspection and insult that civilians and traders are subjected to, and the use of sniffer dogs while inspection. The Palestinian civilians also complain that the crossings became stations of abuse, insult and humiliation of the Palestinians dignity
PCHR holds Israel fully responsible for the behavior of the Israeli security guard companies that employed to serve them. Thus, PCHR:
