PRESS RELEASE

Thirteen Palestinian Teenagers Injured by Israeli Soldiers

 Re., 72/99

Date: 21 July, 1999

Israeli soldiers opened fire yesterday, July 20, against a group of Palestinian youth and injured 13 of them with “rubber bullets.” The shooting took place at about 11:30 a.m. when dozens of Palestinian teenagers demonstrated near an Israeli military post close to Netzarim settlement, to the south of Gaza City. The youth were protesting settler activities in the area. Eyewitnesses informed the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) that the Israeli soldiers fired at the demonstrators, injuring 13 of them with “rubber bullets.”

According to PCHR reports, this is the second incident in the area within six weeks. On June 3, 1999, Israeli soldiers in the very same location fired rubber bullets at six Palestinians who were participating in a peaceful march to protest settlement activities.

PCHR notes that the 18 Israeli settlements and more than 50 military posts and checkpoints in the Gaza Strip are a major threat to stability in the region; they are a source of continuous tension between Palestinian civilians and Israeli soldiers and settlers.

PCHR reiterates its appeal to the international community to secure protection for Palestinian civilians against illegal Israeli activities. PCHR also states again its demand that the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention take the necessary measures to ensure respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

For More Information Contact:

Palestinian Center for Human Rights

Tel/Fax: (+) 9727 2824776 / 2823725

E-mail: pchr@trendline.co.il

Web-page: www.pchrgaza.org