Field Update

On Friday, 26 June 2020, gunmen attacked Dr. Aziz Al-Dweik’s House in Hebron for the second time in a week, throwing explosive devices and shooting in the air before fleeing the area. Data indicates that the attack targeted Dr. Dweik’s son, Anas (35)who is an ophthalmologist, on personal grounds. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns both attacks and calls upon the Public Prosecution to seriously investigate them and stresses the importance of exerting all efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 00:50 on Friday, 26 June 2020, gunmen attacked Dr. Aziz Al-Dweik’s house in al-Jame’a neighborhood in Hebron, which is located in an area that falls under Palestinian security jurisdiction. Dr. Dweik is the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) which was dissolved by a Constitutional Court decision. The gunmen threw 4 explosive devices at the house and opened fire in the air before fleeing the area in their vehicle.

Earlier last week, on Sunday, 21 June 2020, a gunman threw a suspicious object at Dr. Anas’ apartment on the first floor of the family’s two-story house. The explosion did not cause any material or human damage; surveillance footage showed a masked person in a vehicle with an Israeli registration plate that fled from the area. Palestinian police arrived at the scene, received a copy of the videotape, and opened an investigation into the incident.

In both attacks, the gunmen appeared to escape in a vehicle with an Israeli registration plate into H2 Areas in Hebron, which are under full Israeli security control.

PCHR condemns this incident which constitutes a blatant attack on the rule of law in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and calls upon the Public Prosecution to open a serious investigation into it, prosecute the perpetrators and bring them to justice.