Soldier was involved in raid to re-arrest five Hamas members in Hebron who had been released by the PA the previous day.
The Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday that they have discharged a soldier who was involved in a raid on a West Bank Hamas cell, during which an elderly Palestinian civilian was killed.
The IDF raided Hebron earlier this month in order to re-arrest six Hamas members that the Palestinian Authority had released only the day before.
The man who was killed during the raid, Amr Qawasme, age 65, was reportedly asleep when soldiers broke into his home before dawn. His wife, Sobheye, said IDF troops brushed past her into the bedroom, where she heard several shots fired. When she went in, she found her husband in a pool of blood.
According to the IDF, one of the soldiers in the mission fired on Qawasme "following a suspicious movement that caused the soldier to feel that his life was threatened."
An investigation into the incident found that while this soldier fired "in accordance with IDF rules of engagement," a second soldier who followed the first one's lead and also began firing at Qawasme had acted "unprofessionally", and was thus discharged from his IDF service.
The IDF concluded the statement by saying they "deeply regret the death of Amr Qawasme."
http://bit.ly/g1mN4b
Soldier who accidentally shot Palestinian in his bed to be discharged
Southern Command Chief adopts findings of probe into accidental shooting death of 65-year-old Hebron man during operation to detain wanted Hamas terrorists; says soldier responsible acted 'unprofessionally' .
IDF Southern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi has decided not to extend the service of a career soldier who shot 65-year-old Palestinian Amr Qawasme to death in his bedroom during a recent detention operation in the West Bank city of Hebron.
During the operation the soldier spotted a regular army soldier opening fire and decided to open fire as well.
Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi determined that while the shooting was carried out because soldier felt his life was at risk, it was carried out in an "unprofessional manner.
The initial shooting was carried out when the Palestinian moved in a suspicious manner and caused the career soldier to believe his life was being threatened, particularly in light of the information the soldiers had on Hamas terrorist Wael Mahmoud Said Bitar, who was in the building during the accidental shooting.
Bitar was eventually arrested.
A senior IDF official told Ynet, "Obviously we would have prevented the tragic outcome if we could have, but this was an operation to detain wanted (terrorists), where everything happens very quickly and everyone is very alert.
"The first soldier felt he was in immediate danger, and understandably so. His comrade could have avoided the shooting. Even if the final outcome was unavoidable, he still acted unprofessionally," the official said.
On the day of the incident Judea and Samaria Division Commander Brigadier-General Nitzan Alon said the force opened fire after spotting a suspicious movement from Qawasme's direction while entering an apartment in the area.
"You must see it from the perspective of the force, which arrived to arrest terror activists, after a quick standing operation procedure. Such an incident, as tragic as it may be, can happen among dozens and hundreds of arrest which end without any casualties," he said.
Qawasme's wife described the events that occurred in her house in Hebron. "They broke into our house, about 60 armed soldiers. When they broke in I was praying but I immediately stopped to see what they wanted.
"One of the soldiers forcibly closed my mouth with his hand while another went into my old and ill husband's room and shot him in the head until he was dead," she said in tears. "Everything that happened was simply an act of vengeance on Palestinian families."
"My crippled son was in the house during the incident, he is in a very rough mental state. I myself have yet to digest the events, how and why it happened. Everything the soldiers said about my husband trying to attack them or interrupt them was a lie he was killed while he was sleeping. I can barely stand on my own two feet, our economic situation is very bad and I don't know how I will deal with life after this disaster which has fallen on our heads."
She added that "we will not stand by and allow this disaster to be forgotten. We will make every effort to reach the people who shot my husband and caused his death. We will ask the responsible elements to punish those responsible for the mental, social and financial anguish they have caused us."
http://www.ynetnews
Hebron accidental shooting: second soldier unprofessional
The findings of the IDF investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Amr Qawasme who was shot two weeks ago in Hebron, reveal that the first soldier who shot at the Palestinian operated in accordance with directives, but the second soldier carried out the shooting in an unprofessional manner.
In light of these findings, Southern Command Chief Major General Avi Mizrahi has decided not to extend the soldier's service
http://www.ynetnews
The Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday that they have discharged a soldier who was involved in a raid on a West Bank Hamas cell, during which an elderly Palestinian civilian was killed.
The IDF raided Hebron earlier this month in order to re-arrest six Hamas members that the Palestinian Authority had released only the day before.
The man who was killed during the raid, Amr Qawasme, age 65, was reportedly asleep when soldiers broke into his home before dawn. His wife, Sobheye, said IDF troops brushed past her into the bedroom, where she heard several shots fired. When she went in, she found her husband in a pool of blood.
According to the IDF, one of the soldiers in the mission fired on Qawasme "following a suspicious movement that caused the soldier to feel that his life was threatened."
An investigation into the incident found that while this soldier fired "in accordance with IDF rules of engagement," a second soldier who followed the first one's lead and also began firing at Qawasme had acted "unprofessionally", and was thus discharged from his IDF service.
The IDF concluded the statement by saying they "deeply regret the death of Amr Qawasme."
http://bit.ly/g1mN4b
Soldier who accidentally shot Palestinian in his bed to be discharged
Southern Command Chief adopts findings of probe into accidental shooting death of 65-year-old Hebron man during operation to detain wanted Hamas terrorists; says soldier responsible acted 'unprofessionally' .
IDF Southern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi has decided not to extend the service of a career soldier who shot 65-year-old Palestinian Amr Qawasme to death in his bedroom during a recent detention operation in the West Bank city of Hebron.
During the operation the soldier spotted a regular army soldier opening fire and decided to open fire as well.
Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi determined that while the shooting was carried out because soldier felt his life was at risk, it was carried out in an "unprofessional manner.
The initial shooting was carried out when the Palestinian moved in a suspicious manner and caused the career soldier to believe his life was being threatened, particularly in light of the information the soldiers had on Hamas terrorist Wael Mahmoud Said Bitar, who was in the building during the accidental shooting.
Bitar was eventually arrested.
A senior IDF official told Ynet, "Obviously we would have prevented the tragic outcome if we could have, but this was an operation to detain wanted (terrorists), where everything happens very quickly and everyone is very alert.
"The first soldier felt he was in immediate danger, and understandably so. His comrade could have avoided the shooting. Even if the final outcome was unavoidable, he still acted unprofessionally," the official said.
On the day of the incident Judea and Samaria Division Commander Brigadier-General Nitzan Alon said the force opened fire after spotting a suspicious movement from Qawasme's direction while entering an apartment in the area.
"You must see it from the perspective of the force, which arrived to arrest terror activists, after a quick standing operation procedure. Such an incident, as tragic as it may be, can happen among dozens and hundreds of arrest which end without any casualties," he said.
Qawasme's wife described the events that occurred in her house in Hebron. "They broke into our house, about 60 armed soldiers. When they broke in I was praying but I immediately stopped to see what they wanted.
"One of the soldiers forcibly closed my mouth with his hand while another went into my old and ill husband's room and shot him in the head until he was dead," she said in tears. "Everything that happened was simply an act of vengeance on Palestinian families."
"My crippled son was in the house during the incident, he is in a very rough mental state. I myself have yet to digest the events, how and why it happened. Everything the soldiers said about my husband trying to attack them or interrupt them was a lie he was killed while he was sleeping. I can barely stand on my own two feet, our economic situation is very bad and I don't know how I will deal with life after this disaster which has fallen on our heads."
She added that "we will not stand by and allow this disaster to be forgotten. We will make every effort to reach the people who shot my husband and caused his death. We will ask the responsible elements to punish those responsible for the mental, social and financial anguish they have caused us."
http://www.ynetnews
Hebron accidental shooting: second soldier unprofessional
The findings of the IDF investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Amr Qawasme who was shot two weeks ago in Hebron, reveal that the first soldier who shot at the Palestinian operated in accordance with directives, but the second soldier carried out the shooting in an unprofessional manner.
In light of these findings, Southern Command Chief Major General Avi Mizrahi has decided not to extend the soldier's service
http://www.ynetnews
15 jan 2011
Findings of Al-Haq's Investigation of the Wilful Killing of Umar Qawasmi by the Israeli Occupying Forces
Findings of Al-Haq's Investigation of the Wilful Killing of Umar Qawasmi by the Israeli Occupying Forces
The assassination of Umar Salim al-Qawasmi from Al-Haq - Human Rights on Vimeo.
On 7 January 2011, Umar Salim Qawasmi, a Palestinian resident of the al-Sheikh neighbourhood (in H1 area, administered by the Palestinian Authority) of Hebron, was the victim of an arbitrary execution committed during an arrest operation of five members of Hamas. The Israeli army confirmed they were conducting a raid for "wanted" Palestinians in the area, and that Umar Qawasmi was shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity.
The killing was apparently done in the context of an operation for the targeted assassination of another person, Wa'el Bitar. According to the Israeli army spokesperson, Wa'el Bitar is a senior member of Hamas and Umar Qawasmi was staying in the house of one of the terrorists (referring to Wa'el Bitar) when he was killed. The spokesperson also alleged that Umar Qawasmi burst out in the direction of Israeli soldiers during an attempt to arrest him.
Al-Haq has conducted a full investigation of the incident, the findings of which conflict with important aspects of Israel's official account.
Background to the Israeli army operation
Umar Qawasmi was killed in the early hours of 7 January 2011 during an Israeli military raid in Hebron. According to the Israeli army spokesperson, the operation was targeted at five out of six Hamas members who had been released the day before from Palestinian Authority (P.A.) prisons after having spent two years in custody without charges and due process.
Wa'el Muhammad Sa'id Bitar the man who was apparently the target of the Israeli army operation that killed Umar Qawasmi - was one of the six men released from P.A. custody on 6 January 2011. In 2008, the Israeli army had demolished Wa'el Bitar's home, claiming he was hosting members of Hamas there. As a result, Wa'el Bitar, who is Umar Qawasmi's nephew, was renting an apartment in the house owned by Umar Qawasmi's family and was residing there at the time of the incident.
Umar Qawasmi was 66 years old and the father of five boys and seven girls. His wife and his 45-year-old son Yousef, who is disabled and lives with his parents, were in the house at the time of the incident.
The circumstances of the killing of Umar Qawasmi
During the early hours of 7 January 2011, the Israeli military arrived at the four-storey house owned by the Qawasmi family in the al-Sheikh neighbourhood of Hebron. Umar Qawasmi and his family live in the first floor of the house, whilst Wa'el Bitar and his family live on the ground floor. The house is positioned on a hill and can be accessed from two sides; the eastern side leads directly to Umar Qawasmi's home on the first floor of the house while the northern side leads to the ground floor where Wa'el Bitar lives. The Israeli army appears to have mistakenly entered the first floor of the house from the eastern side, under the assumption that this was Wa'el Bitar's home.
Israeli soldiers entered the house at approximately 3:45 am using a special device that caused the lock of the front door to break. They entered Umar Qawasmi's bedroom. Umar Qawasmi was asleep on the far side of the bed, which was to the left of the room as the soldiers entered it. His wife, Subhiyya, was praying beside the bed and the light in the room was on. Subhiyya froze at the sight of a gun being pointed at her and of the five masked soldiers who were standing at the entrance of the bedroom. Within seconds, the soldiers shot Umar Qawasmi in his bed about fourteen times. After the shooting had stopped, soldiers pointed at Umar Qawasmi and asked his wife whether he was Wa'el Bitar. She said that he was not and showed the soldiers Umar Qawasmi's ID card.
The soldiers left Umar Qawasmi's house immediately after the shooting to go downstairs to Wa'el Bitar's house. Wa'el Bitar had heard the shooting upstairs and came out of the house with his hands raised in the air, almost immediately after soldiers had ordered him to surrender. Wa'el Bitar was arrested and soldiers returned shortly afterwards to take Umar Qawasmi's body.
At the scene of the shooting, Al-Haq's field researcher saw that the bedroom wall, the far side of the bed, a cupboard and part of the ceiling were covered in blood. There were visible bullet holes in the cushion and cover of the bed. The investigation conducted by Al-Haq confirms Umar Qawasmi's wife's account of the facts: the shooting occurred from a distance of about 2.5 to 3 metres by soldiers who were standing inside the bedroom, next to the door. Neighbours who witnessed the raid reported seeing about 50 soldiers in the neighbourhood during the night and early morning of the operation.
An ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) collected Umar Qawasmi's body from the Israeli police station in Givat Haavot settlement near Hebron later that morning. From a preliminary examination, the medical personnel of the PRCS found that Umar Qawasmi had six bullet holes in his head, two in his right arm and a few bullets had entered the right side of his chest. The right side of Umar Qawasmi's face and skull were disfigured and mutilated by the bullets.
The statements of the Israeli military confirm that the killing of Umar Qawasmi was a mistake. On the same day of the incident, the Israeli army spokesperson stated that the army regrets the incident and the central commander, brigadier Avi Mizrahi, ordered the commander of the division, brigadier-general Alon Nizan, to conduct a prompt investigation and to present its findings as soon as next week.
Legal analysis
The findings of Al-Haq's investigation demonstrate that Umar Qawasmi was the victim of an arbitrary execution by Israeli occupying forces, which constitutes a violation of both international humanitarian and human rights law. Under customary international humanitarian law, civilians are protected persons and must not be the target of attack and in case of doubt on the status of a target, the latter is to be considered a civilian. The intentional killing of civilians constitutes the war crime of wilful killing, which amounts to a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Those responsible for Umar Qawasmi's death have, prima facie, committed the war crime of wilful killing, for which they are individually criminally responsible, and for which they must be prosecuted by an independent and impartial tribunal in accordance with the standards of international criminal justice.
Given that Umar Qawasmi (who was sleeping) did not pose any threat to the life of the Israeli military, the latter were under an obligation to confirm his identity and arrest him, rather than kill him. The use of lethal force may only be justified when strictly unavoidable in order to protect the soldiers life. The circumstances of the incident suggest that the Israeli army intended to summarily execute Wa'el Bitar and killed Umar Qawasmi in the mistaken belief that he was Wa'el Bitar; they therefore neither intended nor attempted to execute an arrest.
Israel's policy of targeted assassinations
The Israeli government and judiciary continue to sanction the targeted assassination of Palestinian civilians, despite the illegality of such practices under international law. The Israeli government has officially been carrying out its policy of targeted assassination and extra-judicial killings since September 2000, the beginning of the second intifada. The policy has claimed, in the West Bank alone, the lives of approximately 314 Palestinians. Notwithstanding a decision of the Israeli High Court of Justice, which ostensibly places certain limitations on the military's ability to carry out targeted assassinations such as the requirement to assess the possibility of arresting the person first the illegal practice continues to be carried out by the military and sanctioned by the government.
Conclusions and recommendations
Al-Haq strongly condemns the wilful killing of Umar Qawasmi, which is part of Israel's illegal policy of targeted assassinations. Despite the Israeli military's claim that it will investigate the matter, given the military's track record of not investigating the killings of Palestinian civilians, it is very likely that no responsibility for this crime will emerge. The consistent disregard for Palestinians right to life is the result of endorsement at the political level of such violations, and of a climate of impunity created by the failure of the Israeli law enforcement and judicial systems to effectively address violations of international law committed by the military. Israel's use of operational debriefing and internal military investigation and prosecution mechanisms, is proof of the lack of independence and impartiality of the system, further confirmed by the lack of prosecutions of violations.
Al-Haq is processing its request to the Israeli Military Attorney General for a prompt criminal investigation and consequent prosecution of those responsible for the killing of Umar Qawasmi. Taking into account the fact that Israel has admitted this to be a case of mistaken identity, measures to bring justice to victims include not only the prosecution of the perpetrators but also compensation for the victims and their families. It should be recalled that amendments to Israeli law are underway (Amendment 8 to the Civil Wrongs (Liability of State) Law) to exclude the possibility of compensating innocent victims of Israeli military operations. In any case, the Israeli courts are likely to define this incident as an act of war, therefore no compensation would be granted.
In the likely absence of adequate investigations by the Israeli military that comply with international law standards, Al-Haq calls on the international community to ensure that those responsible for the wilful killing of Umar Qawasmi are held accountable through the mechanisms of international criminal justice and the use of universal jurisdiction in national courts.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!
http://bit.ly/gnhSvt
On 7 January 2011, Umar Salim Qawasmi, a Palestinian resident of the al-Sheikh neighbourhood (in H1 area, administered by the Palestinian Authority) of Hebron, was the victim of an arbitrary execution committed during an arrest operation of five members of Hamas. The Israeli army confirmed they were conducting a raid for "wanted" Palestinians in the area, and that Umar Qawasmi was shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity.
The killing was apparently done in the context of an operation for the targeted assassination of another person, Wa'el Bitar. According to the Israeli army spokesperson, Wa'el Bitar is a senior member of Hamas and Umar Qawasmi was staying in the house of one of the terrorists (referring to Wa'el Bitar) when he was killed. The spokesperson also alleged that Umar Qawasmi burst out in the direction of Israeli soldiers during an attempt to arrest him.
Al-Haq has conducted a full investigation of the incident, the findings of which conflict with important aspects of Israel's official account.
Background to the Israeli army operation
Umar Qawasmi was killed in the early hours of 7 January 2011 during an Israeli military raid in Hebron. According to the Israeli army spokesperson, the operation was targeted at five out of six Hamas members who had been released the day before from Palestinian Authority (P.A.) prisons after having spent two years in custody without charges and due process.
Wa'el Muhammad Sa'id Bitar the man who was apparently the target of the Israeli army operation that killed Umar Qawasmi - was one of the six men released from P.A. custody on 6 January 2011. In 2008, the Israeli army had demolished Wa'el Bitar's home, claiming he was hosting members of Hamas there. As a result, Wa'el Bitar, who is Umar Qawasmi's nephew, was renting an apartment in the house owned by Umar Qawasmi's family and was residing there at the time of the incident.
Umar Qawasmi was 66 years old and the father of five boys and seven girls. His wife and his 45-year-old son Yousef, who is disabled and lives with his parents, were in the house at the time of the incident.
The circumstances of the killing of Umar Qawasmi
During the early hours of 7 January 2011, the Israeli military arrived at the four-storey house owned by the Qawasmi family in the al-Sheikh neighbourhood of Hebron. Umar Qawasmi and his family live in the first floor of the house, whilst Wa'el Bitar and his family live on the ground floor. The house is positioned on a hill and can be accessed from two sides; the eastern side leads directly to Umar Qawasmi's home on the first floor of the house while the northern side leads to the ground floor where Wa'el Bitar lives. The Israeli army appears to have mistakenly entered the first floor of the house from the eastern side, under the assumption that this was Wa'el Bitar's home.
Israeli soldiers entered the house at approximately 3:45 am using a special device that caused the lock of the front door to break. They entered Umar Qawasmi's bedroom. Umar Qawasmi was asleep on the far side of the bed, which was to the left of the room as the soldiers entered it. His wife, Subhiyya, was praying beside the bed and the light in the room was on. Subhiyya froze at the sight of a gun being pointed at her and of the five masked soldiers who were standing at the entrance of the bedroom. Within seconds, the soldiers shot Umar Qawasmi in his bed about fourteen times. After the shooting had stopped, soldiers pointed at Umar Qawasmi and asked his wife whether he was Wa'el Bitar. She said that he was not and showed the soldiers Umar Qawasmi's ID card.
The soldiers left Umar Qawasmi's house immediately after the shooting to go downstairs to Wa'el Bitar's house. Wa'el Bitar had heard the shooting upstairs and came out of the house with his hands raised in the air, almost immediately after soldiers had ordered him to surrender. Wa'el Bitar was arrested and soldiers returned shortly afterwards to take Umar Qawasmi's body.
At the scene of the shooting, Al-Haq's field researcher saw that the bedroom wall, the far side of the bed, a cupboard and part of the ceiling were covered in blood. There were visible bullet holes in the cushion and cover of the bed. The investigation conducted by Al-Haq confirms Umar Qawasmi's wife's account of the facts: the shooting occurred from a distance of about 2.5 to 3 metres by soldiers who were standing inside the bedroom, next to the door. Neighbours who witnessed the raid reported seeing about 50 soldiers in the neighbourhood during the night and early morning of the operation.
An ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) collected Umar Qawasmi's body from the Israeli police station in Givat Haavot settlement near Hebron later that morning. From a preliminary examination, the medical personnel of the PRCS found that Umar Qawasmi had six bullet holes in his head, two in his right arm and a few bullets had entered the right side of his chest. The right side of Umar Qawasmi's face and skull were disfigured and mutilated by the bullets.
The statements of the Israeli military confirm that the killing of Umar Qawasmi was a mistake. On the same day of the incident, the Israeli army spokesperson stated that the army regrets the incident and the central commander, brigadier Avi Mizrahi, ordered the commander of the division, brigadier-general Alon Nizan, to conduct a prompt investigation and to present its findings as soon as next week.
Legal analysis
The findings of Al-Haq's investigation demonstrate that Umar Qawasmi was the victim of an arbitrary execution by Israeli occupying forces, which constitutes a violation of both international humanitarian and human rights law. Under customary international humanitarian law, civilians are protected persons and must not be the target of attack and in case of doubt on the status of a target, the latter is to be considered a civilian. The intentional killing of civilians constitutes the war crime of wilful killing, which amounts to a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Those responsible for Umar Qawasmi's death have, prima facie, committed the war crime of wilful killing, for which they are individually criminally responsible, and for which they must be prosecuted by an independent and impartial tribunal in accordance with the standards of international criminal justice.
Given that Umar Qawasmi (who was sleeping) did not pose any threat to the life of the Israeli military, the latter were under an obligation to confirm his identity and arrest him, rather than kill him. The use of lethal force may only be justified when strictly unavoidable in order to protect the soldiers life. The circumstances of the incident suggest that the Israeli army intended to summarily execute Wa'el Bitar and killed Umar Qawasmi in the mistaken belief that he was Wa'el Bitar; they therefore neither intended nor attempted to execute an arrest.
Israel's policy of targeted assassinations
The Israeli government and judiciary continue to sanction the targeted assassination of Palestinian civilians, despite the illegality of such practices under international law. The Israeli government has officially been carrying out its policy of targeted assassination and extra-judicial killings since September 2000, the beginning of the second intifada. The policy has claimed, in the West Bank alone, the lives of approximately 314 Palestinians. Notwithstanding a decision of the Israeli High Court of Justice, which ostensibly places certain limitations on the military's ability to carry out targeted assassinations such as the requirement to assess the possibility of arresting the person first the illegal practice continues to be carried out by the military and sanctioned by the government.
Conclusions and recommendations
Al-Haq strongly condemns the wilful killing of Umar Qawasmi, which is part of Israel's illegal policy of targeted assassinations. Despite the Israeli military's claim that it will investigate the matter, given the military's track record of not investigating the killings of Palestinian civilians, it is very likely that no responsibility for this crime will emerge. The consistent disregard for Palestinians right to life is the result of endorsement at the political level of such violations, and of a climate of impunity created by the failure of the Israeli law enforcement and judicial systems to effectively address violations of international law committed by the military. Israel's use of operational debriefing and internal military investigation and prosecution mechanisms, is proof of the lack of independence and impartiality of the system, further confirmed by the lack of prosecutions of violations.
Al-Haq is processing its request to the Israeli Military Attorney General for a prompt criminal investigation and consequent prosecution of those responsible for the killing of Umar Qawasmi. Taking into account the fact that Israel has admitted this to be a case of mistaken identity, measures to bring justice to victims include not only the prosecution of the perpetrators but also compensation for the victims and their families. It should be recalled that amendments to Israeli law are underway (Amendment 8 to the Civil Wrongs (Liability of State) Law) to exclude the possibility of compensating innocent victims of Israeli military operations. In any case, the Israeli courts are likely to define this incident as an act of war, therefore no compensation would be granted.
In the likely absence of adequate investigations by the Israeli military that comply with international law standards, Al-Haq calls on the international community to ensure that those responsible for the wilful killing of Umar Qawasmi are held accountable through the mechanisms of international criminal justice and the use of universal jurisdiction in national courts.
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this Blog!
http://bit.ly/gnhSvt
8 jan 2011
When killing an Old Man is Returning Fire
The IDF killed Amr Al Qawasme in his bed yesterday, but an Israeli news site claimed the soldiers “returned fire”
Early yesterday morning (Friday), IDF gunmen shot Amr Al Qawasme, aged 66 and residing in Hebron, to death, apparently while he was in bed. An early version of the IDF response, before the IDF was forced to “express its regrets” and admit that oops, we did it again, showed in the Nrg news site. It said (Hebrew) that the soldiers, while arresting a wanted man, “identified another Palestinian, who wasn’t supposed to be present in the building, and – according to them – behaved in a suspicious and threatening manner”. As a result, wrote Nrg, “The force was forced to return fire”.
Let’s dissect this short sentence. Everyone, the IDF Spokesman included, agrees that Al Qawasme wasn’t armed and certainly didn’t fire at anyone. Hence, “returning fire” is an impossibility. Returning fire is a process in which an armed force identifies shots fired in its direction, and fires back at the source. In this case, only one side fired: frightened gunmen – they are always frightened, dammit; who’s brilliant idea was it to arm these panic-prone young men? – shot a helpless old man, who was merely trying to climb out of bed. The “was forced” part of the sentence is also rather impressive: the gunmen didn’t really wanted to “return fire” towards an unarmed old man, they simply had no choice in the matter.
Most Israelis, naturally, don’t care. One less Palestinian. It’s a safe assumption that the gunmen and their commanders won’t pay any price for the incident. Just a Palestinian, after all. One can only imagine what would have happened if, during a search after a wanted Jew – say, Jack Teitel – one of the cops would suffer a panic attack and shoot to death his old and unarmed father. What riots we’d see, how the settler leadership would rise to its hindquarters, how a wave of shock would sweep the country.
But here, nu, just a Palestinian. And this time we can’t say he was a terrorist, planned on being a terrorist, or once considered being one. Just an old man, shot in his bed at dawn. A pointless killing. This embarrassment, this inability to say our hands did not spill this blood, is likely to have brought up the expression “returned fire”. We can’t say, after all, we shot an old man in his bed, even if all the signs point to that. Otherwise, how would we look ourselves in the mirror?
http://bit.ly/hHT5Fc
When killing an Old Man is Returning Fire
The IDF killed Amr Al Qawasme in his bed yesterday, but an Israeli news site claimed the soldiers “returned fire”
Early yesterday morning (Friday), IDF gunmen shot Amr Al Qawasme, aged 66 and residing in Hebron, to death, apparently while he was in bed. An early version of the IDF response, before the IDF was forced to “express its regrets” and admit that oops, we did it again, showed in the Nrg news site. It said (Hebrew) that the soldiers, while arresting a wanted man, “identified another Palestinian, who wasn’t supposed to be present in the building, and – according to them – behaved in a suspicious and threatening manner”. As a result, wrote Nrg, “The force was forced to return fire”.
Let’s dissect this short sentence. Everyone, the IDF Spokesman included, agrees that Al Qawasme wasn’t armed and certainly didn’t fire at anyone. Hence, “returning fire” is an impossibility. Returning fire is a process in which an armed force identifies shots fired in its direction, and fires back at the source. In this case, only one side fired: frightened gunmen – they are always frightened, dammit; who’s brilliant idea was it to arm these panic-prone young men? – shot a helpless old man, who was merely trying to climb out of bed. The “was forced” part of the sentence is also rather impressive: the gunmen didn’t really wanted to “return fire” towards an unarmed old man, they simply had no choice in the matter.
Most Israelis, naturally, don’t care. One less Palestinian. It’s a safe assumption that the gunmen and their commanders won’t pay any price for the incident. Just a Palestinian, after all. One can only imagine what would have happened if, during a search after a wanted Jew – say, Jack Teitel – one of the cops would suffer a panic attack and shoot to death his old and unarmed father. What riots we’d see, how the settler leadership would rise to its hindquarters, how a wave of shock would sweep the country.
But here, nu, just a Palestinian. And this time we can’t say he was a terrorist, planned on being a terrorist, or once considered being one. Just an old man, shot in his bed at dawn. A pointless killing. This embarrassment, this inability to say our hands did not spill this blood, is likely to have brought up the expression “returned fire”. We can’t say, after all, we shot an old man in his bed, even if all the signs point to that. Otherwise, how would we look ourselves in the mirror?
http://bit.ly/hHT5Fc
7 jan 2011
Hebron man executed during Israeli raid
Hebron man executed during Israeli raid
|
|
Omer Salim Al-Qawasmi 65
During an arrest raid in Hebron which appeared to target six Hamas men released from PA custody the day before, Israeli forces shot and killed a 66-year-old man in his bed, in what appeared to be a case of mistaken identity. Arrested in Hebron overnight were Wael Al-Bitar, Majdi E'beid, Ahmad E'wewy, Muhand Neirukh, Wisam Al-Qawasmi and Mohammad Suqieyah, all released from PA custody the day before, following intense lobby efforts from the detainees, who had been on hunger strike for weeks. The execution came during the arrest of Wael Al-Bitar, who was released to his home in Hebron, one floor under Omer Salim Al-Qawasmi, the elderly victim. The two lived in the Ash- Sheikh neighborhood of Hebron. Omer's son Raja'e was home when Israeli soldiers broke into the building and came up the stairs. It was during the dawn prayer and he said his mother was in the livingroom praying. "Soldiers forced her into my disabled brother's room, then entered my father's bedroom." He said he heard no shots fired, saw the troops leave the building and then "they arrested Wael, who lives on the first floor of our home." When the troops left the area with Al-Bitar, Raja'e said they went to check on his father. "We were shocked, he was drenched in blood, we did not hear shooting, I suppose they used a silencer to kill my father." |
Raja'e said the only reason he could think of for shooting his father, was that they thought Al-Bitar was living on the second floor of the building.
"They thought it was Wael so they fired bullets immediately after entering my father's room while he was sleeping in his bed, I guess they did not make sure of his identity."
Medical sources in Hebron's Governmental Hospital said Al-Qawasmi's body was received with several gunshot wounds to his upper body, and bullet wounds that had smashed his face.
An Israeli military spokesman said he was looking into the incident.
The six men detained during the raid had been released the day before by order from President Mahmoud Abbas, following a negotiation with the prisoners and their political party.
Most of the men had not been sentenced but were being held for various crimes by the PA, all connected to their involvement with the resistance movement and their affiliation with Hamas. Police had said that they could not guarantee the safety of the men, who were reportedly wanted by Israel.
Hebron Governor Kamel Ihmeid cast the move as an effort toward inter-Palestinian unity during a news conference in Hebron, where the prisoners had been moved to be closer to their families. Until late December, the prisoners were being held in Bethlehem.
http://www.maannews
Sources: Elderly Palestinian killed in IDF raid on Hamas cell in Hebron
IDF raided Hebron to re-arrest six Hamas members originally arrested after September's drive-by shootings against settlers in area, which killed four Israelis and left two injured.
A Palestinian resident of the southern West Bank city of Hebron was killed early Friday during an Israeli army raid on the city to arrest Hamas members, security and medical sources said.
The army raided Hebron to re-arrest six Hamas members that the Palestinian Authority had released only the day before following an intervention from the emir of Qatar.
Medical sources said a 65-year-old Palestinian, who was reported to be an unarmed civilian, was brought dead to hospital with several bullet wounds to the upper part of his body. They said the man had been shot in a building the soldiers had raided to arrest one of the Hamas members.
The dead man, Amr Qawasme, was asleep when soldiers broke into his home before dawn. His wife, Sobheye, said IDF troops brushed past her into the bedroom, where she heard several shots fired. When she went in, she found her husband in a pool of blood.
"I was praying when they entered. I do not know how they opened the door. They put their hand to my mouth and a rifle to my head," she told Reuters after Qawasme's body was removed.
"I was shocked. They did not allow me to talk. I asked them, 'What did you do?' They asked me to shut up."
Reuters Television footage showed Qawasme's sodden bed and bullet casings on the floor.
The PA had taken the six into custody in September in a campaign to arrest Hamas activists after a drive-by shooting against Israeli settlers in the area. In September of 2010, four Israelis were killed and two injured in two separate shooting attacks in the West Bank.
Hamas' military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, took responsibility for both shootings, one of which occurred on the eve of the start of direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in Washington.
The six Hamas members, all Hebron residents, were first held in a PA prison in Bethlehem, south of Hebron, but went on hunger strike, demanding to be moved to Hebron so that their families could visit them.
The PA moved only five to Hebron after about 40 days of the hunger strike and following coordination with Israel. The sixth remained in Bethlehem.
PA officials said Thursday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered their release after direct appeal from the emir of Qatar.
http://bit.ly/gVAus5
Initial investigation: Troops thought Palestinian made threatening gesture
Judea and Samaria Division Commander Brigadier General Nitzan Alon, expressed sadness over the death of a 65-year-old Palestinian who was killed Thursday night during the arrest of a terror suspect in Hebron.
According to the Brigadier General, an initial investigation into the incident reveals that the troops shot the Palestinian because he moved in what seemed like a threatening manner. "Out of dozens and hundreds of arrest operations we carry out, a saddening incident like this can occur," he said.
http://www.ynetnews
Hamas: Hebron shooting botched assassination attempt
The shooting of an elderly Palestinian man was a botched assassination attempt by Israeli forces, and represents an escalation against Palestinians by Israeli forces, a Hamas spokesman said Friday following the death.
Omer Salim Al-Qawasmi, 66, was shot in his bed several times in an incident Israeli officials said the military "regrets." He was the uncle of a man released from PA prison the day earlier.
The man, Wael Al-Bitar, was being hunted by the Israeli forces who broke into the home, and was arrested moments after Al-Qawasmi was shot.
Al-Bitar, who was detained in June 2008 by what witnesses at the time said were Israeli forces. The arrest followed a violent standoff as Israeli soldiers surrounded and demolished Al-Bitar's home, after demanding he give up a man who was staying in the building and stood accused of assisting a resistance fighter. The home was demolished around Al-Bitar, and the alleged fighter he was harboring killed in the demolitions. Later reports said Al-Bitar was detained by PA intelligence officials.
Israeli military officials said Al-Bitar assisted in the planning of a 2008 attack that killed one Israeli woman, and was behind the planning of several attacks that were thwarted.
Al-Bitar and five others being detained by the PA for "security related" offenses, were released after weeks of negotiations between prison officials, the PA and Hamas. Following the release Hamas officials said they were pleased that their men were no longer being held without cause.
On Friday, hours after the shooting of Al-Qawasmi and the detention of Al-Bitar and four or five others, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the"crime reflects the danger of the political arrests carried out by the Palestinian Authority," and said he held both the PA and Israel responsible for the death. He urged the PA to stop all political arrests and to protect Palestinians.
Abbu Zuhri demanded that the Arab League release the PA of its obligation to continue talks with Israel, and stop "giving Israel cover" for its actions against the resistance.
Before the detentions and slaying of one of the Hamas member's relatives, Hamas officials said their release would "create a positive atmosphere towards Palestinian conciliation."
Speaking from Gaza, Hamas leader Ayman Taha said he hoped the release "will be just the start, and we will see the release of all of the political prisoners in PA prisons."
Taha added that Hamas considered political arrest an unacceptable, a "prohibited national crime, particularly at this stage," explaining that arrests deepen division in the Palestinian community.
http://www.maannews
"They thought it was Wael so they fired bullets immediately after entering my father's room while he was sleeping in his bed, I guess they did not make sure of his identity."
Medical sources in Hebron's Governmental Hospital said Al-Qawasmi's body was received with several gunshot wounds to his upper body, and bullet wounds that had smashed his face.
An Israeli military spokesman said he was looking into the incident.
The six men detained during the raid had been released the day before by order from President Mahmoud Abbas, following a negotiation with the prisoners and their political party.
Most of the men had not been sentenced but were being held for various crimes by the PA, all connected to their involvement with the resistance movement and their affiliation with Hamas. Police had said that they could not guarantee the safety of the men, who were reportedly wanted by Israel.
Hebron Governor Kamel Ihmeid cast the move as an effort toward inter-Palestinian unity during a news conference in Hebron, where the prisoners had been moved to be closer to their families. Until late December, the prisoners were being held in Bethlehem.
http://www.maannews
Sources: Elderly Palestinian killed in IDF raid on Hamas cell in Hebron
IDF raided Hebron to re-arrest six Hamas members originally arrested after September's drive-by shootings against settlers in area, which killed four Israelis and left two injured.
A Palestinian resident of the southern West Bank city of Hebron was killed early Friday during an Israeli army raid on the city to arrest Hamas members, security and medical sources said.
The army raided Hebron to re-arrest six Hamas members that the Palestinian Authority had released only the day before following an intervention from the emir of Qatar.
Medical sources said a 65-year-old Palestinian, who was reported to be an unarmed civilian, was brought dead to hospital with several bullet wounds to the upper part of his body. They said the man had been shot in a building the soldiers had raided to arrest one of the Hamas members.
The dead man, Amr Qawasme, was asleep when soldiers broke into his home before dawn. His wife, Sobheye, said IDF troops brushed past her into the bedroom, where she heard several shots fired. When she went in, she found her husband in a pool of blood.
"I was praying when they entered. I do not know how they opened the door. They put their hand to my mouth and a rifle to my head," she told Reuters after Qawasme's body was removed.
"I was shocked. They did not allow me to talk. I asked them, 'What did you do?' They asked me to shut up."
Reuters Television footage showed Qawasme's sodden bed and bullet casings on the floor.
The PA had taken the six into custody in September in a campaign to arrest Hamas activists after a drive-by shooting against Israeli settlers in the area. In September of 2010, four Israelis were killed and two injured in two separate shooting attacks in the West Bank.
Hamas' military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, took responsibility for both shootings, one of which occurred on the eve of the start of direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in Washington.
The six Hamas members, all Hebron residents, were first held in a PA prison in Bethlehem, south of Hebron, but went on hunger strike, demanding to be moved to Hebron so that their families could visit them.
The PA moved only five to Hebron after about 40 days of the hunger strike and following coordination with Israel. The sixth remained in Bethlehem.
PA officials said Thursday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered their release after direct appeal from the emir of Qatar.
http://bit.ly/gVAus5
Initial investigation: Troops thought Palestinian made threatening gesture
Judea and Samaria Division Commander Brigadier General Nitzan Alon, expressed sadness over the death of a 65-year-old Palestinian who was killed Thursday night during the arrest of a terror suspect in Hebron.
According to the Brigadier General, an initial investigation into the incident reveals that the troops shot the Palestinian because he moved in what seemed like a threatening manner. "Out of dozens and hundreds of arrest operations we carry out, a saddening incident like this can occur," he said.
http://www.ynetnews
Hamas: Hebron shooting botched assassination attempt
The shooting of an elderly Palestinian man was a botched assassination attempt by Israeli forces, and represents an escalation against Palestinians by Israeli forces, a Hamas spokesman said Friday following the death.
Omer Salim Al-Qawasmi, 66, was shot in his bed several times in an incident Israeli officials said the military "regrets." He was the uncle of a man released from PA prison the day earlier.
The man, Wael Al-Bitar, was being hunted by the Israeli forces who broke into the home, and was arrested moments after Al-Qawasmi was shot.
Al-Bitar, who was detained in June 2008 by what witnesses at the time said were Israeli forces. The arrest followed a violent standoff as Israeli soldiers surrounded and demolished Al-Bitar's home, after demanding he give up a man who was staying in the building and stood accused of assisting a resistance fighter. The home was demolished around Al-Bitar, and the alleged fighter he was harboring killed in the demolitions. Later reports said Al-Bitar was detained by PA intelligence officials.
Israeli military officials said Al-Bitar assisted in the planning of a 2008 attack that killed one Israeli woman, and was behind the planning of several attacks that were thwarted.
Al-Bitar and five others being detained by the PA for "security related" offenses, were released after weeks of negotiations between prison officials, the PA and Hamas. Following the release Hamas officials said they were pleased that their men were no longer being held without cause.
On Friday, hours after the shooting of Al-Qawasmi and the detention of Al-Bitar and four or five others, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the"crime reflects the danger of the political arrests carried out by the Palestinian Authority," and said he held both the PA and Israel responsible for the death. He urged the PA to stop all political arrests and to protect Palestinians.
Abbu Zuhri demanded that the Arab League release the PA of its obligation to continue talks with Israel, and stop "giving Israel cover" for its actions against the resistance.
Before the detentions and slaying of one of the Hamas member's relatives, Hamas officials said their release would "create a positive atmosphere towards Palestinian conciliation."
Speaking from Gaza, Hamas leader Ayman Taha said he hoped the release "will be just the start, and we will see the release of all of the political prisoners in PA prisons."
Taha added that Hamas considered political arrest an unacceptable, a "prohibited national crime, particularly at this stage," explaining that arrests deepen division in the Palestinian community.
http://www.maannews
1 jan 2011
HRW Demands Criminal Investigation Into Death Of 20 y.o Palestinian Patient Denied Permit By Israel
HRW Demands Criminal Investigation Into Death Of 20 y.o Palestinian Patient Denied Permit By Israel
Anas Saleh 20
Human Rights Watch and other organizations have demanded a Criminal Investigation into the death of a 20 Year-Old Palestinian patient who was denied a permit by Israeli Authorities tolLeave Gaza. The Israeli authorities insisted that an unconscious patient appear for questioning by the Israel Security Agency; the patient died in Gaza while waiting for a response.
On 5 January 2011, Adalah in its own name and on behalf of Physicians for Human Rights Israel and Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Gaza) submitted a complaint to the Attorney General of Israel, Yehuda Weinstein and to the Israeli Military Advocate General, Avichai Mendelblit, demanding the opening of a criminal investigation and prosecution of those responsible into the suspicious death of Mr. Anas Saleh, a 20-year old Gaza resident, who died on 1 January 2011 from a liver disease in Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
Although the patient was in a critical medical condition, which was known to the Israeli authorities, Israel prevented his exit from Gaza for lifesaving medical treatment. Adalah Attorney Fatmeh El-Ajou filed the complaint on behalf of the victim whose case was followed and documented by PHR-I and Al Mezan.
The human rights organizations argue in the complaint that the denial of an exit permit in these circumstances is an act against the legal obligation to provide medical treatment to save the life of the patient, an act which brought about, or at least hastened, the death of the deceased.
The aforementioned act, or failure, raises the suspicion of manslaughter (section 298 of the penal law, 1977), and/or causing death by negligence (sections 304 and 309 (4) of the penal law, 1977) and responsibility for helpless person and violation of obligation of perant or of responsible person (sections 322 and 337 of the penal law).
In September 2010, Anas Saleh was diagnosed with a liver disease, Budd Chiari Syndrome (a clinical syndrome resulting from obstruction of the veins in the liver). Due to a lack of appropriate medical treatment in the Gaza Strip health system, his condition deteriorated into acute liver failure and hepatitis.
The patient was referred for lifesaving medical treatment to Muqassed Hospital in East Jerusalem, and a hospital referral and appointment were in his possession for 26 December 2010. On 13 December 2010 the family presented a request, via the Palestinian Liaison Office, to the Israeli authorities in order to obtain an exit permit from Gaza.
Thirteen days later, on 26 December 2010, the patient's hospital appointment date, the army informed the Palestinian Liaison Office that the patient must appear for interrogation by the Israel Security Agency (ISA or Shabak) on 30 December 2010 to further consider his request. However, on that date the patient was already unconscious, in a comatose state, and could not appear at the interrogation.
This information was forwarded, according to the Palestinian health coordinator, to the Israeli military on that same day, with a request to speed up the request procedure and to issue an exit permit from Gaza urgently.
Paradoxically, despite the ISA continued to insist that the patient appear for questioning. According to the father's testimony, on 28 December 2010 he received a telephone call from a man who introduced himself as an ISA representative, and requested that his ill son present himself for questioning on the following day. The father informed him that his son was in a coma and asked that he be allowed to leave for medical treatment without delay.
Throughout this process, medical documents substantiating the patient's medical condition were transmitted to the Israeli authorities. A final medical document confirming the patient's critical condition was sent on 29 December 2010.
The patient died in Shifa Hospital in Gaza 1 January 2011 at 18:00 (6 pm). Until today, no response to the request has been issued by the Israeli authorities.
Prof. Zvi Bentwich, PHR-I Chairperson states that: The patients could have been saved had he been granted immediate entry for emergency surgery.
This is just one of many examples of Israel's enduring intransigence towards residents of the Occupied Territories, which leads to unnecessary harm and in this case even led to a loss of life that could have been prevented.
Mahmoud AbuRahma, from Al Mezan, states that: The Israeli blockade has left thousands of victims suffering from the lack of medical care that is available only an hour away from them by car. He added that, Al Mezan and PHR-I have followed the cases of hundreds of patients who have been restricted from urgent medical treatment outside of Gaza, many of whom died and some of whom were arrested or delayed for long periods of time.
This situation is still causing inhumane conditions for the patients and, if it continues, it will result in grievances by many others"
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Al Mezan and Adalah are calling on the Israeli authorities to bring to justice those responsible for preventing 20 year-old Anas Saleh from leaving Gaza for life-saving treatment and ultimately causing his death and take the necessary measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Israel must fulfill its legal obligations towards Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip and guarantee patients full access to medical treatment.
Human Rights Watch and other organizations have demanded a Criminal Investigation into the death of a 20 Year-Old Palestinian patient who was denied a permit by Israeli Authorities tolLeave Gaza. The Israeli authorities insisted that an unconscious patient appear for questioning by the Israel Security Agency; the patient died in Gaza while waiting for a response.
On 5 January 2011, Adalah in its own name and on behalf of Physicians for Human Rights Israel and Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Gaza) submitted a complaint to the Attorney General of Israel, Yehuda Weinstein and to the Israeli Military Advocate General, Avichai Mendelblit, demanding the opening of a criminal investigation and prosecution of those responsible into the suspicious death of Mr. Anas Saleh, a 20-year old Gaza resident, who died on 1 January 2011 from a liver disease in Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
Although the patient was in a critical medical condition, which was known to the Israeli authorities, Israel prevented his exit from Gaza for lifesaving medical treatment. Adalah Attorney Fatmeh El-Ajou filed the complaint on behalf of the victim whose case was followed and documented by PHR-I and Al Mezan.
The human rights organizations argue in the complaint that the denial of an exit permit in these circumstances is an act against the legal obligation to provide medical treatment to save the life of the patient, an act which brought about, or at least hastened, the death of the deceased.
The aforementioned act, or failure, raises the suspicion of manslaughter (section 298 of the penal law, 1977), and/or causing death by negligence (sections 304 and 309 (4) of the penal law, 1977) and responsibility for helpless person and violation of obligation of perant or of responsible person (sections 322 and 337 of the penal law).
In September 2010, Anas Saleh was diagnosed with a liver disease, Budd Chiari Syndrome (a clinical syndrome resulting from obstruction of the veins in the liver). Due to a lack of appropriate medical treatment in the Gaza Strip health system, his condition deteriorated into acute liver failure and hepatitis.
The patient was referred for lifesaving medical treatment to Muqassed Hospital in East Jerusalem, and a hospital referral and appointment were in his possession for 26 December 2010. On 13 December 2010 the family presented a request, via the Palestinian Liaison Office, to the Israeli authorities in order to obtain an exit permit from Gaza.
Thirteen days later, on 26 December 2010, the patient's hospital appointment date, the army informed the Palestinian Liaison Office that the patient must appear for interrogation by the Israel Security Agency (ISA or Shabak) on 30 December 2010 to further consider his request. However, on that date the patient was already unconscious, in a comatose state, and could not appear at the interrogation.
This information was forwarded, according to the Palestinian health coordinator, to the Israeli military on that same day, with a request to speed up the request procedure and to issue an exit permit from Gaza urgently.
Paradoxically, despite the ISA continued to insist that the patient appear for questioning. According to the father's testimony, on 28 December 2010 he received a telephone call from a man who introduced himself as an ISA representative, and requested that his ill son present himself for questioning on the following day. The father informed him that his son was in a coma and asked that he be allowed to leave for medical treatment without delay.
Throughout this process, medical documents substantiating the patient's medical condition were transmitted to the Israeli authorities. A final medical document confirming the patient's critical condition was sent on 29 December 2010.
The patient died in Shifa Hospital in Gaza 1 January 2011 at 18:00 (6 pm). Until today, no response to the request has been issued by the Israeli authorities.
Prof. Zvi Bentwich, PHR-I Chairperson states that: The patients could have been saved had he been granted immediate entry for emergency surgery.
This is just one of many examples of Israel's enduring intransigence towards residents of the Occupied Territories, which leads to unnecessary harm and in this case even led to a loss of life that could have been prevented.
Mahmoud AbuRahma, from Al Mezan, states that: The Israeli blockade has left thousands of victims suffering from the lack of medical care that is available only an hour away from them by car. He added that, Al Mezan and PHR-I have followed the cases of hundreds of patients who have been restricted from urgent medical treatment outside of Gaza, many of whom died and some of whom were arrested or delayed for long periods of time.
This situation is still causing inhumane conditions for the patients and, if it continues, it will result in grievances by many others"
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Al Mezan and Adalah are calling on the Israeli authorities to bring to justice those responsible for preventing 20 year-old Anas Saleh from leaving Gaza for life-saving treatment and ultimately causing his death and take the necessary measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Israel must fulfill its legal obligations towards Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip and guarantee patients full access to medical treatment.
