Ref: 23/2012
Date: 26 February 2012
Time: 12:00 GMT
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the crime committed by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), resulting in the death of a Palestinian who was participating in a peaceful demonstration in al-Ram village, north of Occupied Jerusalem, in protest of attempts by IOF and settlers to storm the al-Aqsa Mosque. PCHR stresses that IOF used excessive lethal force against the peaceful demonstration, for the purpose of preventing Palestinians from organizing such demonstrations.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 15:00 on Friday, 24 February 2012, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered near the northeastern entrance of al-Ram village, north of Jerusalem, to organize a peaceful demonstration in protest of attempts by IOF and Israeli settlers to storm the al-Aqsa Mosque. Some of the protesters walked towards the gate of an IOF camp, 200 meters from the entrance of al-Ram village. A number of them managed to set fire to tires inside the camp. In the meantime, a large personnel carrier arrived from the camp, and approximately 20 Israeli soldiers stepped down from the carrier. The Palestinian men who had entered the camp immediately fled to the entrance of al-Ram village. The soldiers who were deployed near the gate of the IOF camp fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. They then walked towards the entrance of al-Ram village, and the Palestinian demonstrators threw stones at them. At the same time, one of the demonstrators, Tala’t Abdul Rahman Diab Ramiya, 24, threw fireworks at the soldiers who were near the entrance of al-Ram village. The soldiers responded by firing bullets. Around 20 minutes later, Ramiya threw fireworks again, at around 15 soldiers who were at the entrance of the village, approximately 50 meters from him. It was around 16:18 when a military officer, who was positioned behind the soldiers, opened fire at Ramiya, who was wounded by a bullet that penetrated his right armpit and exited from his back. Ramiya fell onto the ground and was transferred, by a Palestinian car, to al-Salam Medical Center in al-Ram village. The Center was closed, and Ramiya was carried to a car belonging to the Jerusalem Governorate. Shortly thereafter, an ambulance from a Palestinian medical team arrived and transferred Ramiya to the Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah. At approximately 20:00 on the same day, Ramiya was pronounced dead. Eyewitnesses stated to a PCHR fieldworker that Ramiya was shot by a bullet fired by an Israeli officer who was wearing a black bulletproof vest, with the intention to kill Ramiya. The Israeli officer was 50 meters away from Ramiya. Eyewitnesses reported that Ramiya did not pose any threats to the soldiers and that the soldiers could have used less lethal force or they could have arrested him.
PCHR reiterates its condemnation of this new crime and views it with grave concern, and:
