Ref: 48/2013
Date: 12 May 2013
Time: 11:10 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) calls upon the Attorney General to investigate the circumstances of the killing of Khaleda Tayseer Kawazbah (44) by members of the Palestinian police force in Sa’ir village, east of Hebron, and subsequent incidents in which four members of the same family were wounded. PCHR calls on the government in Ramallah to take the necessary measures to regulate the use of firearms by law enforcement officers and ensure their commitment to the Palestinian laws and international standards relevant to the use of firearms.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR and testimonies of eyewitnesses, at approximately 20:30 on Wednesday, 08 May 2013, Nawwaf Mohammed Kawazbah (47) was with his wife Khaleda (47), their son Tha’er (25), and Tha’er’s wife in a store in the centre of Sa’ir village, east of Hebron, in the south of the West Bank. Four Palestinian policemen arrived at the store and ordered Nawwaf to go with them, but a quarrel erupted. A number of civilians gathered in the area, and a policeman fired in the air to disperse the crowd. Nawwaf and his family got into their white Mazda, which has an Israeli registration plate, and left the area.

The family travelled to al-‘Ein Square in the centre of the village, which is about 45 metres away from the store. Two policemen who were outside the police station opened fire at the vehicle’s tyres and doors in an effort to force Nawwaf to stop. Nawwaf’s wife, Khaleda, was wounded. The vehicle continued on to Sa’ir valley. After around fifteen minutes, Nawwaf returned to the police station at al-‘Ein Square, fired at the building, and left. After some time, more members of the al-Kawazba family attacked the police station again, as it was reported that Khaleda had been killed.

At approximately 21:30 on the same day, a member of the Palestinian Security Services arrived to the place, and clashes broke out between the two parties. As a result, four civilians from the al-Kawazba family were wounded. The wounded were:

1. Sultan Kawazba, who sustained a bullet wound in the abdomen;
2. Nedal Kawazba, who sustained two bullet wounds in the right leg and knee and a shrapnel wound in the chest;
3. Hamza Kawazba, who sustained a bullet wound in the right thigh; and
4. Tamer Kawazba, who sustained a bullet wound in the hand.

The wounded were transported to Hebron and al-Ahli governmental hospitals in Hebron to receive the necessary medical treatment.

In a subsequent development, at approximately 21:00 on Friday, 10 May 2013, a number of civilians driving different vehicles arrived in the vicinity of Sa’ir police station and opened fire. In response, the police opened fire wounding Samer Kawazba in his leg. Police then arrested the wounded man. At approximately 22:00 on the same day, back-up units arrived and deployed in the village and around the police station. They erected a number of checkpoints at the northern and western entrances of the village.

At approximately 23:00, security officers opened fire on a white Skoda Octavia vehicle and wounded 3 civilians inside. The wounded were:

1. Taleb Ali al-Dayafeen (35), from ‘Anatta village, in the north of Jerusalem, who was wounded by a bullet to the chest;
2. Mohammed Abdul Rahman Abu Znaid (33), from Doura village, in the south of Hebron, who was wounded by a bullet to the abdomen; and
3. Omar Mohammed al-Jahaleen (21), from al-Jahaleen area, in the east of Bethlehem, who was wounded by a bullet to the left shoulder and a bullet to the right hand.
   In his testimony to PCHR’s fieldworker, al-Jahaleen stated that a Palestinian security officer had stopped the above-mentioned vehicle, spoken with the driver, was and then allowed the vehicle to pass. As soon as the vehicle had driven about 50 metres away, the Palestinian security officers opened fire at it, wounding the three persons. The wounded were transported to Hebron and al-Ahli governmental hospitals in Hebron to receive the necessary treatment. Medical sources described the wounds of al-Dayafeen and Abu Znaid as serious. Samer Kawazba remains in detention.
   In light of the above, PCHR:
4. Calls upon the Attorney General to investigate the circumstances of the killing of Khaleda Kawazba and the subsequent incidents, make the findings of the investigation public, and take the necessary legal measures;
5. Calls upon the government in Ramallah to take the necessary measures to impose restrictions on the use of weapons by law enforcement officers and guarantee their commitment to the Palestinian laws and international standards relevant to the use of weapons; and
6. Stresses that law enforcement officers have no right to fire at civilians, unless exposed to real danger that threatens their lives or the lives of persons under their protection, and always in accordance with the international standards relative to the use of weapons.