Palestinian Center for Human Rights 28 February 2007
Palestinians attend a funeral for three Saraya Al-Quds activists who were killed by Israeli special forces this morning in the West Bank city of Jenin, 28 February 2007. (MaanImages/Raed Abu Baker)
PCHR strongly condemns the ongoing escalation of attacks by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in the West Bank, which has peaked with the extra-judicial execution of three members of the Islamic Jihad in Jenin on Wednesday morning. This latest crime has coincided with an ongoing IOF military operation in Nablus, which has been the second of its kind this week. PCHR holds IOF responsible for such escalation, which aims at increasing tension in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
On Wednesday morning, 28 February 2007, an IOF undercover unit extra-judicially executed three Palestinians in Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank. The victims are members of the Islamic Jihad, and one of them is the leader of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad) in the northern West Bank.
According to initial investigations conducted by PCHR, 08:00 on Wednesday, an IOF undercover unit moved into Jenin town, traveling in a civilian car with a Palestinian registration plate. The car followed a civilian vehicle, in which three Palestinians were traveling. When the car got close to the Palestinian civilian vehicle, IOF soldiers opened fire at it. The three Palestinian escaped in their vehicle towards Jenin refugee camp. When they reached the northern entrance of the camp, their vehicle collided with a wall and stopped. IOF soldiers continued to fire at them. The three Palestinians were killed by gunshots to the upper part of the body:
1) Ashraf Mahmoud Nafe’ al-Sa’di, 25, the leader of the al-Quds Brigades in the northern West Bank;
2) Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Naa’sa, 34, a member of the Islamic Jihad; and
3) ‘Alaa’ Braiki, 24, a member of the Islamic Jihad.
Al-Sa’di was first wounded and IOF soldiers could have arrested him, but they shot him dead from a zero range.
PCHR is gravely concerned over this latest escalation by IOF, and:
1) Condemns ongoing crimes committed by IOF in the OPT, which reflect their disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians.
2) Reiterates condemnation for extra-judicial executions committed by IOF against Palestinian activists, and believes that they serve to increase tension in the region and threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians
3) Calls upon the international community to immediately intervene to stop such crimes, and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in the OPT.
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