PRESS RELEASE
Appeal for Urgent Intervention
Against the killing of Palestinians by the Israeli Occupation Forces
Ref.: 108/2000
Date: 9.30am, 30 September, 2000
PCHR calls upon the international community and the High Contracting Parties (HCP) to the Fourth 1949 Geneva Convention to immediately intervene in order to stop the ongoing massacre carried out by the Israeli Occupation Forces in the occupied Palestinian territory. The clashes have so far resulted in the death of seven Palestinian civilians and more than three hundred casualties.
Reports from the field stress the intention of Israeli Occupation Forces to impose their control over the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem and to suppress Palestinian protests against the provocative visit of Ariel Sharon to the Dome of the Rock, one of the holiest sites in Islam. The visit of Ariel Sharon on Thursday 28 September was a clear provocation to all Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians. The Israeli Government has always been aware of the consequences of such a provocative gesture, yet the Government facilitated the visit under the protection of hundreds of Israeli soldiers.
Clashes were reported during Ariel Sharon’s visit and several Palestinians were injured in the area of the Dome of the Rock and subsequently in other locations of the West Bank.
On Friday, 29 September, Israeli Occupation Forces reinforced their presence within the site of the Dome of the Rock. Civilian protests were met by heavy shooting with live ammunition, rubber coated bullets and teargas. Seven Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli Occupation Forces and more than two hundred were injured – 30 civilians were severely injured. Soon after, the protests spread to different parts of the West Bank and more than one hundred civilians are reported injured.
Since early morning on 30 September, protests took place throughout the occupied Palestinian territory. More than seventy civilians have been injured in the Gaza strip. The majority of them are under the age of 17. According to PCHR field workers, clashes between Palestinian civilians and Israeli Occupation Forces occurred near the settlements of Netzarim and Kfar Darum in the middle areas of the Gaza Strip, in Khan Younis, Rafah and Erez. PCHR field workers reported that the Israeli Occupation Forces fired indiscriminately against protesters with live ammunition, rubber coated bullets and tear gas.
Khalid Abdel Razzaq Hmaid, 16 years old and Mohamed Nawaf Abu Owaimer, 15 years old, were shot respectively in the head and the heart. They are currently in a very critical condition at Shifa Hospital. Mohammed Jamil Al-Qassas, 16 years old and an unidentified teenager were both shot in the chest and are now being treated at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
PCHR holds the Israeli Occupation Forces and the Government of Israel responsible for the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory. It was triggered by the attempt of Arial Sharon to visit the Muslim holy site in Jerusalem, and was fueled by the unjustifiable and heavy presence of Israeli troops inside the compound of the Dome of the Rock during the Friday prayers.
Furthermore, PCHR condemns the Israeli Occupation Forces excessive use of force which constitute a grave breach to the Fourth 1949 Geneva Convention and resulted in:
PCHR urges the High Contracting Parties (HCP) to the Fourth 1949 Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal obligations under the Convention. PCHR calls upon the HCP to halt the conspiracy of silence with regard to Israel’s continued grave breaches of the Geneva Convention, and immediately intervene to protect Palestinian civilians in the occupied territory.
PCHR calls upon the international community and the UN Secretary General for their immediate action to stop the Israeli activities against Palestinians.
PCHR calls upon the European Union to take effective measures against Israel and activate Article 2 of the Israeli – European partnership agreement with regard to respect human rights.
Trial Version
