In another blatant disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, on Saturday evening, 1 May 2004, Israeli occupying forces killed a Palestinian child and injured 9 other civilians, including 5 children in the Khan Yunis refugee camp. Preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR concluded that Israeli forces used excessive force when no threat was posed to the lives of Israeli soldiers, while disregarding the lives of Palestinian civilians, especially children. Since the beginning of the current Intifada in September 2000, 493 Palestinian children under 18 have been killed by Israeli occupying forces. Read more about Israeli forces kill Palestinian child in Khan Yunis
As a privileged young Israeli, Mordechai Vanunu took a risk and exposed Israel for operating an illegal nuclear weapons programme. While the rest of the world sought to reduce its weapons of mass destruction, Israel was evidently busy stockpiling them. After being illegally abducted from Italy, Vanunu served a sentence of 18 years imprisonment, 12 years of which were in solitary confinement. Now freed by the Israeli government, he leaves behind concrete walls, but will be thrown into a bureaucratic “prison” that denies him basic freedoms. Is this the democratic country in the Middle East that according to its government respects rule of law? Read more about Israel, a country that respects the rule of law?
This week Israeli forces killed 18 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 5 children. Ten of the victims were killed in four extrajudicial assassinations. Israeli forces conducted a series of invasions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In Rafah, Israeli forces demolished 27 homes, more than 300 Palestinians have become homeless. Israeli forces raided homes and arrested dozens of Palestinians. Israel continues to impose the total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations
The endorsement of Ariel Sharon’s unilateral plan of disengagement from the Gaza Strip and from parts of the West Bank by US President George W. Bush has angered many Palestinians and inflamed tensions throughout the Arab world. It has also surprised policy makers, diplomats and politicians from the European Union - including Britain, America’s closest ally - who have sought to distance themselves from Bush’s remarks. It prompted a rebuttal from French President Jacques Chirac in Algiers, who described it as a “dangerous and troubling precedent”. Victor Kattan looks at Sharon’s plan in light of international law. Read more about Ariel Sharon, George W. Bush, "Unilateral Declarations" and International Law
On 20 April 2004, Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians and injured about 40 others. This major Israeli military assault is focused on the Nada housing project, located between Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun in the nothern Gaza Strip. A large number of the victims were hit in the upper body. This indicates the intention of Israeli occupying forces to cause serious injury and fatalities among Palestinian civilians. Reports are still coming into PCHR about further casualties; this is of particular concern as Israeli forces have reportedly fired on ambulances that attempted to reach wounded Palestinians. Read more about Israeli forces kill 9 Palestinians and wound 40 others in Gaza Strip
On Thursday morning, 22 April 2004, Israeli occupying forces killed 3 Palestinians from Tulkarm refugee camp. They claimed that the three were armed and exchanged fire with them, but investigations conducted by PCHR refute this claim. The three victims were members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the military wing of Fatah movement. PCHR’s fieldworker in Tulkarem saw blood between cars and the place where their bodies were found. Eyewitnesses reported sounds of shooting indicating that the gunfire was directed from one side. According to medical sources, the victims were shot from a very close distance. Read more about Israeli forces kill three Palestinians in another extrajudicial execution
Less than 24 hours following the assassination of three Palestinians in Tulkarem, on Friday morning, 23 April 2004, Israeli occupying forces assassinated three Palestinians in Qalqilya and injured a fourth one. The four are members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the military wing of Fatah movement. Israeli forces claimed that the four Palestinians attempted to escape form arrest, however, investigations conducted by PCHR concluded that an undercover unit of Israeli occupying forces fired at the victims without any warning. The victims were hit by live bullets from the front, which refutes the Israeli claim that they attempted to escape. Read more about Israeli forces kill 7 Palestinians in two extrajudicial executions
On Saturday evening, 17 April 2004, Israeli occupying forces assassinated Dr. ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al-Rantissi, 57, leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip. The attack also killed two of Dr. al-Rantissi’s bodyguards, and wounded four civilian bystanders. This illegal and belligerent act is implemented within the context of Israeli authorities’ threats to assassinate Hamas leaders, which have been articulated by Israeli political and military officials for the past two years. Read more about Israel assassinates Dr. Abdul 'Aziz al-Rantissi, leader of Hamas
U.S. President George W. Bush should raise Israeli human rights violations in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip when he hosts Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the White House on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch said today. “President Bush has said that respect for human rights is central to his administration’s policy in the Middle East,” said Joe Stork, acting Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “But that policy won’t have any credibility unless he presses Sharon to address Israel’s routine violations of basic Palestinian rights.” Read more about Bush Should Press Sharon on Rights Violations
This week Israeli forces killed 8 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children. One of the victims died from an injury sustained in a previous extrajudicial execution. In Rafah, Israeli forces destroyed 38 Palestinian homes. Israeli forces invaded a number areas in the occupied Palestinian territories, raided homes and arbitrarily detained dozens of Palestinians. Israeli forces continue to shell residential areas, injuring a number of Palestinians. Israel continues the construction of the Separation Wall for which more land is confiscated. Israeli settlers continue attacks on Palestinian civilians and properties. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations
