     us marine | Monday, December 04, 2000 - 04:50 pm
Today, 3 December 2000, 26 Palestinians were injured at the entrance of the
mosque in the West Bank village of Hussan near Bethlehem. Five of them were
hit in the upper part of the body and seriously injured by live ammunition,
namely Raid Muhammad Hamarari (24), Ismat Tareq Ali Hamarari (16), Sabri
Shoshi (27), Bilal Fahri Hamarari (19) and Hassan Salih Ali Noufal (20).
According to information collected by LAW, a man was hit when shots were
fired from a white van at worshipers entering the Hussan mosque for 6 o'
clock prayers. Village residents believe that the attack was carried out by
Israeli settlers. After the incident, confusion and unrest arouse. Israeli
soldiers, who were standing near the mosque, reacted by throwing tear gas on
the worshipers and opening fire on the crowd.
Ambulances and medical personnel attempting to evacuate the injured were
hindered. This was confirmed by Peter Qumri, the director of Beit Jala
hospital, who stated that ambulances were facing serious difficulties in
reaching the wounded. The village of Hussan has been under closure and thus
completely sealed off for a month. At the time of writing, clashes, which
erupted after the incident, continue and power has been cut off in Hussan
and the nearby village of Nahaleen.
In the village of Al Khader, also near Bethlehem, heavy machine gunfire by
the Israeli army caused damage to 10 houses and to the main power station.
At 4 p.m., the Al Ram checkpoint near Dahyat al Barid, on the
Jerusalem-Ramallah road, was closed and so were the side roads. Palestinians
on their way to the Iftar (breaking the fast) were thus effectively
prevented from reaching their homes. In some instances harassment of
Palestinians walking through the checkpoint was reported; 2 men were
detained at Al Ram checkpoint.
At 6 p.m. the Israeli army launched missiles on Khan Younis in the Gaza
Strip. As a result of the attack, 4 Palestinians were reported injured by
shrapnel, namely Nidal Mahmoud Abu Shamal (30); Jamal Muhammad Khalifa (40);
Muhammad Darwish Miqdad (25) Ibrahim Abed al Rahman al Darshawi (28).
Yesterday evening, 2 December 2000, the Israeli army used tank-missiles and
heavy machine guns in Hebron. A Palestinian woman and 3 men were reported
injured: Feisa Mustafa Amro (27) was injured by shrapnel in the head;
Mahmoud Mahil Fatalfta (17) was hit by a bullet and 15-year-old Hani Mazen
al Julani was seriously injured by a bullet in the back. During the attack
on the Hebron neighbourhoods of Dwerban, Sanjar and Dahyat al Zeitun 12
houses were damaged.
LAW is deeply concerned about the attack on peaceful Palestinian worshipers
attending the mosque who according to international humanitarian law a high
level of protection.
LAW condemns the excessive use of force by the Israeli security forces and
the policy of closure as a form of collective punishment.
LAW condemns the destruction of Palestinian property by the Israeli
occupying forces. The destruction of property of the occupied civilian
population, which is not of military necessity, is a violation of
international humanitarian law.
LAW calls on the international community to pressure Israel to respect the
provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention and to implement UN resolutions
242, 338 and 194.
LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the
Environment is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preserving human
rights through legal advocacy.
LAW is affiliate to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ),
Fédération Internationale des Ligues de Droits de l'Homme (FIDH), World
Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and Member of the Euro- Mediterranean
Human Rights Network |
