Ref: 08/2010

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the shooting
incident at the Qalqilya office of Mr. ‘Emad Noufal, a Member of the
Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) representing the Change and Reform
Parliamentary Bloc. PCHR calls upon the Attorney-General’s office to seriously
investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 00:30
on Monday, 08 February 2010, unknown persons fired from a distance of
approximately 25 meters at the office of PLC Member ‘Emad Noufal, which is
located on the second floor of the Eyad commercial compound in the centre of
Qalqilya. No casualties were
reported. According to sources in the
Palestinian security services and the police, a car stopped near the building and
a person stepped out, fired at the office and then got into the car and left
the area. Soon after, Palestinian
security services arrived and established a number of checkpoints across the
town in an attempt to find the car. The
suspect has not been identified so far. 

According to Noufal, the walls and windows of his office have been
damaged. He stated that several bullets
were fired at the northern façade of the office building from a pistol. He did not accuse anyone, but believed that
the attack was an attempt to damage the positive atmosphere that has recently
arisen concerning national reconciliation talks. Palestinian security services stated that
they were investigating in various directions and were considering the
possibility of a personal conflict with Noufal as a motive for the attack as
well. 

PCHR strongly condemns this attack on the office of PLC Member ‘Emad
Noufal which represents part of the state of security chaos and proliferation
of weapons plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and calls upon the
Attorney-General’s office to investigate it thoroughly and bring the
perpetrators to justice.