Ref: 38/2009
Date: 19 March 2009
Time: 11:30 GMT
PCHR condemns IOF acts of reprisal on Hamas-affiliated political leaders in the West Bank.
PCHR strongly condemns the campaign of arrests waged by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) affiliated to Hamas and a number of the movement’s political leaders in the West Bank.
These arrests are forms of reprisal and collective punishment against Palestinian civilians, which are prohibited under Article 33 of the 1949 Geneva Convention which relates to the protection of civilians in time of war. PCHR calls upon the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Convention to ensure Israel’s compliance with the Convention. As an occupying power Israel has a responsibility to uphold the Convention, which prohibits acts of reprisals against protected persons and their property.
According to PCHR investigations, on the morning of Thursday, 19 March 2009, IOF carried out a series of incursions into the West Bank, during which they raided houses belonging to a number of PLC members from the Change and Reform Bloc affiliated to Hamas. Four people were arrested, along with other Hamas political leaders.
In the northern West Bank city of Nablus, IOF arrested:
1) Dr. Nasser al-Din Mohammed al-Sha’er, 48, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education in the former 10th Palestinian government;
2) ‘Issam Rashed al-Ashqar, 55, a professor at an-Najah National University;
3) ‘Adnan ‘Aahed ‘Asfour, 49, a leader of Hamas.
In Ramallah, IOF arrested:
1. Ayman Hussein Daraghma, 45, PLC member.
In Hebron, IOF arrested:
1. ar ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Ramadan, 42, PLC member
2. Dr. ‘Azzam No’man Salhab, 53, PLC member.
In Bethlehem, IOF arrested:
1. Khaled Tafesh Thwaib, 45, PLC member.
The arrests took place a few hours after Hamas’ declared an end to negotiations for the exchange of prisoners with Israel. This indicates they could be acts of pressure exerted by Israel on the Hamas leadership in order to resolve the case of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and conclude the prisoner exchange.
The arrest campaign also appears to be related to a special committee established by the Israeli government, whose mission is to exert pressure on Hamas and the Palestinian government in Gaza.
PCHR reiterates:
1) These arrests follow a pattern of acts of reprisal and collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population.
2) PCHR calls on the international community to immediately take measures to protect the Palestinian civilian population, in accordance with the principles of international humanitarian law and human rights and to prevent a further deterioration in the situation within the Occupied Palestinian Territory.