On Friday morning, December 3, Israeli soldiers killed Mahmud Abd a-Rahman Hamdan Kmel (A-Dab’i), in the village of Raba, southeast of Jenin. The IDF spokesperson issued a statement saying that Kmel was killed by soldiers as he was fled from a house in which he had hidden. Yet, B’Tselem’s investigation at the site of the incident raises grave suspicion that IDF soldiers executed Kmel as he was lying injured on the ground and after his weapon had already been taken away from him. B’Tselem’s investigation also indicates that soldiers threatened two Palestinians at gunpoint and forced them to carry the wounded man and search his body, in blatant contradiction of a High Court injunction. Read more about Serious suspicion that Israeli forces executed unarmed and Injured Palestinian
The Israeli army issued a statement yesterday (Tuesday 14th December 2004) that a decision would be made in the next 48 hrs concerning four Birzeit University students who were illegally ‘deported’ back to Gaza last month. An international letter writing campaign involving hundreds of academics from around the world has been launched demanding they are returned to the university to complete their degrees. All were due to graduate this year. Bashar Abu Salim is one of the four. Charles Stratford tells the story about what happened on the night of his arrest. Read more about "It Was Like Abu Ghraib": Israeli Abuse of Birzeit University's Gazan Students
The above leaflet was dropped on Gaza this morning from Israeli military helicopters. The translation says: TOTHEPALESTINIANPEOPLE. Your life is being harmed by irresponsible elements who exploit you by firing missiles from in between your houses at the Israeli settlements. These missiles backfire on you causing only destruction and loss of your source of living without leaving you any road to hope. Be aware !!! that firing missiles from your area will compel the Israeli Defense Forces to act in your area and to hit missile-launching elements in any place they act from. Get rid of terror which leads you to the bottom. Follow the road of hope. Do not allow the terrorists to come close to your area.” EI’s Nigel Parry reports. Read more about Leaflets of fear
Israeli forces fired an artillery shell at a school in Khan Yunis, wounding seven Palestinian children under the age of 9. Israeli forces positioned near Israeli settlements west of Khan Yunis opened fire at Palestinian homes and schools to the east and north of the settlements. An artillery shell hit the sport yard of an elementary school, approximately 600 meters to the northeast of the settlement. As a result, 6 schoolchildren were wounded as they were in the yard and a seventh one was wounded when she was inside a classroom. The children were evacuated in civilian cars to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. It was not the first time Israeli forces opened fire on the school. Read more about Israeli forces shell Palestinian school in Khan Yunis
“To understand human rights, human rights violations, and human rights enforcement, one must begin at the ground level, with the social and cultural setting of the abuse situation. This is not simply a legal requirement, but even more so a moral and political imperative. Whoever endeavors to protect human rights takes on the commitment to be fully human: to think, critique, imagine, argue, envision, cooperate, and take risks in concrete social contexts fraught with political consequences. Foremost among the risks of taking human rights seriously is reaching out to communicate. EI co-founder Laurie King-Irani offers some reflections on International Human Rights Day. Read more about International Human Rights: One day out of 365 is not enough
The Palestinian presidential election campaigns have not yet officially begun, but already there is much worry over Israeli-imposed restrictions on Palestinian movement, and how they might thwart the democratic election process. While Israel is making assurances that it will ease restrictions on movement during the election, recent events give reason to question their sincerity. Acting Speaker of Parliament Hassan Khreisheh dropped out of the race today, citing Israel’s refusal to allow him to travel to Gaza, and at 9:00 pm last night, presidential candidate Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi and his campaign delegation were detained and beaten at the Jaba checkpoint outside of Jenin while they were attempting to travel home to Ramallah. Read more about Israeli movement restrictions threaten Palestinian democratic elections
A group of Israeli soldiers serving in the Gaza Strip have reportedly admitted killing a 15-year-old Palestinian in Khan Yunus for sport. According to the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronoth, the incident took place in March when a group of newly graduated soldiers were on a hike near the town of Khan Yunus. According to the report, an undisclosed number of Givati brigade soldiers shot and killed Khalid Sulaiman Mahdi while he was working with his father on their farm. The boy’s father, Sulaiman Mahdi, told the paper the killing was “just for the sake of it”. Read more about Israeli soldiers 'shoot boy for fun'
On 1 December 2004, President of the Palestinian Authority Rawhi Fattouh ratified amendments made to the process of preparing the final record of voters. According to the amendments, article 15(1) of the law prescribes that “the record of voters being prepared in accordance with the law and the record of civil registration are the accredited records for the purpose of preparing the final electoral record to decide who has the right of voting and candidature to the Palestinian general elections and the elections of local councils..” This step has been strongly criticized by a number of civil society organizations and active political parties. Read more about Rights group calls for appropriate mechanism to ensure impartiality counting Palestinian votes
A contender for the forthcoming Palestinian presidential election has withdrawn from the race, citing serious flaws undermining the legality and legitimacy of the vote. Talal Sidr, who was the first candidate to nominate himself as successor to the late Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, said on Sunday that voter registration will deprive hundreds of thousands of Palestinians of their right to vote. According to the Palestinian Authority (PA) election committee, up to 72% of eligible voters have registered for the 9 January elections. “The right thing to do is to allow every Palestinian man and woman bearing an identity card to take part,” said Sidr during a press conference in Hebron. Read more about Palestine poll contender withdraws
Israeli forces have shot and seriously wounded a four-year-old Palestinian child in Rafah, in southern Gaza, witnesses and medical sources said. Palestinian medical sources listed Shayma Hasan Abu Shammala in critical condition after she was hit by several bullets fired by an Israeli soldier manning a military tower near the Egyptian-Gaza borders on Sunday. Muawiya Hasanayn, head of the emergency department at the Palestinian health ministry, said the child was transferred to the European Hospital in Gaza due to the gravity of her condition. Witnesses said the child was playing in the backyard of her home when the soldier opened fire on her. Read more about Israelis shoot 4-year-old child in Gaza
