Field Update

On Thursday, 11 February 2010, unknown gunmen fired
at the house of journalist Mostafa Sabri in Qalqilya, but no injuries were
reported.

According to investigations conducted by the
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and the testimony of Sabri’s wife,
unknown gunmen fired at the house of Mostafa Ali Abdullah Sabri, 43, in the Ghyada
neighborhood of Qalqilya city in the northern West Bank at approximately 00:00
on Thursday.  His family stated that they
had heard three gunshots from a pistol fired at the outer walls of the
house.  However, they did not know who
the perpetrators were and why they shot at the home.  In her testimony, Sabri’s wife, Laila Naji
Dawood, said that the firing had been pre-planned because at approximately
19:00 on Monday, 08 February 2010, big stones had been thrown at the door.  A family member immediately looked for the perpetrator,
but did not find anyone.  In addition, on
Tuesday, 09 February 2010, unknown persons had arrived suddenly in a white car,
which stopped in front of the house for some time.

It is worth noting that this attack is the second of
its kind within a week targeting homes and offices of figures affiliated to
Hamas in Qalqilya.  On Monday, 08
February 2010, unknown gunmen fired at the office of Emad Noufal, Member of the
Palestinian Legislative Council, from the Change and Reform Bloc of Hamas.  The office is on the second floor of Eyad
Mall at Martyr Abu Ali Eyad Square, opposite the Arab Bank in the center of
Qalqilya.  No casualties were reported.

PCHR strongly condemns the attack on Sabri’s house in
Qalqilya, which constitutes part of the ongoing state of security chaos in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory.   PCHR
further calls upon the Attorney-General’s office to seriously investigate the
attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.