Ref: 18/2010

On
Saturday afternoon, 20 March 2010, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed
two Palestinian civilians, including a child, in cold blood in Iraq Bourin
village, south of Nablus. IOF
intentionally fired at the two civilians from a close range. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
(PCHR) condemns this crime, which demonstrates total disregard for the lives of
Palestinian civilians.  PCHR stresses
that failure to open investigation with suspected Israeli soldiers encourages
them to perpetrate more of such crimes.

According
to investigations conducted by PCHR and according to statements gives by
eyewitnesses, at approximately 11:30 on 20 March 2010, IOF moved into the east
of Iraq Borin village, south of Nablus. A number of Palestinian boys gathered and threw stones at Israeli
soldier who immediately responded by
firing, but no casualties were reported. The Palestinian boys withdrew into the
village, while IOF took position in the east of the village. At approximately 15:00, a Palestinian civil
Ford transit minibus, driven by Zakareya ‘Adel Qadous, arrived in the village
from Nablus. In the meanwhile, Israeli
soldiers were positioning approximately 30 miters to the east of the
intersection of Iraq Borin village, were out of their jeeps. The driver drove to the west of the village’s
entrance that branches to the east and to the west. Approximately 100 meters far from the
intersection, specifically in front of the mosque of the village, the driver
found out that there were inflaming tires and that the street was closed. He stopped and Mohammed Ibrahim Abdul Qader
Qadous, 16, and Usaid Abdul Naser Qadous, 20, stepped down from the minibus. As the driver turned around totravel back to
Nablus, Israeli soldiers opened fire at Mohammed, who was wounded by a bullet
to the heart, and Usaid who was wounded by a bullet to the head. A number of young Palestinians who were in
the scene transferred the two wounded persons to the minibus. After the minibus drove for approximately 20 meters, Israeli
military jeeps tried to stop it, but the driver managed to escape and reach
Nablus Specialized Hospital. Mohammed
arrived dead to the hospital, while Usaid underwent a prolonged surgery, but he
was pronounced dead on Sunday morning, 21 March 2010. Usaid was student at an-Najah National
University in Nablus.

PCHR
reiterates its condemnation of this serious crime and:

1. Asserts that this
crime is part of a series of war crimes committed by IOF in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory, which reflect total disregard for the lives of
Palestinian civilians.

2. Calls upon the
international community to take immediate action to put an end to such
crimes. PCHR further renews its demand
for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill
their obligation under Article 1 which stipulates “the High Contracting Parties
undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all
circumstances,” as well as their obligations under Article 146 which requires
that the Contracting Parties prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches
of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These
grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention
and under Protocol I Additional to Geneva Conventions.