Ref: 90/2020

Date: 19 September 2020

Time: 11:15 GMT

On Friday, 18 September 2020, a Palestinian dentist died after he suffered a heart attack due to Israeli soldiers’ firing of concussion grenades approximate to him, near the Annexation Wall, southwestern Jenin, northern West Bank. The dentist was en route to his clinic, located in a village inside Israel.

According to PCHR investigations, at approximately 14:30 on Friday, 18 September 2020, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) deployed by the Annexation Wall, near Barta’a checkpoint, southwestern of Jenin, shot stun grenades and tear gas canisters at Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel via holes in the annexation wall, some going to work in Israel. Several stun grenades fell near the late dentists, Nedal Mohammed Akram Jabarin (54), from al-Marah neighborhood in Jenin, while he was at least 100 meters away from the gates. Jabarin was going to his dental clinic in Barta’a village, located behind the annexation wall. As a result, he suffered a heart attack and was transported to Dr. Khalil Suleiman Governmental Hospital in Jenin where he was pronounced dead. Jabarin’s family confirmed to PCHR’s fieldworker that the deceased did not suffer any illnesses or any health problems.

It should be noted that the late Dr. Jabarin had two dental clinics, one in Jenin and the other in Barta’a village; the latter was recently opened, and he was heading for work at the Barta’a clinic when he was killed. Dr. Jabarin went through one of the holes in the annexation wall due to the Israeli-imposed full lockdown on the West Bank since Friday morning for the Jewish New Year; the lockdown will continue until Sunday midnight, as well as the 3-week complete lockdown announced in Israel due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While stun and tear gas grenades are widely used across the globe to disperse protests and gatherings, they are often used by IOF in violation of international standards which prohibit shooting such grenades directly at people. This practice has led, in dozens of cases, to death and extreme injuries. Additionally, the explosion of stun grenades near targeted persons causes temporary hearing loss as well as direct injuries.

One of the most prominent cases that PCHR documented was the killing of Ziad Muhammad Ahmed Abu ‘Ain (55), Director of the Palestinian Authority Commission against the Annexation Wall and Settlement Activity, after Israeli soldiers assaulted him and tear gas grenades fired by IOF fell near him during a peaceful protest in Turmus Ayya, northern Ramallah.

Additionally, PCHR documented 9 deaths among Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, by tear gas grenades that hit them directly during the Great March of Return protests in eastern Gaza Strip; PCHR also documented 6 other civilian deaths in the West Bank, including 1 child, due to Israeli stun and tear gas grenades since 2010.

Stun grenades contain magnesium-based pyrotechnic chemicals, that ignite when a key is removed, it explodes with a bright glare that lasts a few seconds, which produces a loud bang at

160 – 180 decibels, which exceeds the threshold of pressure a human ear withstands, especially if it detonates in close proximity of in a closed space. If a stun grenade explodes near persons, it causes temporary hearing loss and may cause imbalances if it affects the  ear fluids.[1]

PCHR condemns IOF’s systemic use of stun and tear gas grenades against Palestinian civilians in violation of crowd dispersal and firing standards and considers it an additional proof of IOF’s disregard for Palestinian civilian lives.

PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community to engage in immediate action to end the Israeli occupation’s crimes, and its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfil their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention, noting that these violations are considered war crimes under Article 147 of the same convention, and under the First Additional Protocol to the Convention, to guarantee the right to protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied territory.

[1] For more information, please visit: https://www.inclo.net/issues/lethal-in-disguise/