In a failed assassination attempt targeting
Riyad 'Abd al-Ghani (30) from Saida village in Tulkarem yesterday,
Sunday November 17, 'Abd al-Ghani's brother Mohammad was killed
instead.
According to information gathered by
LAW, at around 4:30pm a group of Israeli 'Musta'ribeen' belonging
to the Israeli border police entered Saida, surrounding the house
of 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Ghani in the middle of the village. The
Musta'ribeen were supported with tanks, APCs and a helicopter which
witnesses saw hover over the village. One of the Musta'ribeen ordered
over a loudspeaker for Riyad 'Abd al-Ghani to leave the house.
His two brothers Mohammad (25) and Imad (29) exited the house, upon which the Israeli forces opened fire upon them without warning. Mohammad was killed instantly by bullets riddled through his body. His brother Imad was shot twice in the legs.
The Musta'ribeen confiscated Mohammad's body and detained Imad for around two hours before allowing him to transported to hospital in a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance.
Israeli sources claimed that the two men were injured/killed when Riyad exited the house and attempted to escape. However eyewitnesses told LAW that Riyad was not in the house at the time.
At least 174 Palestinians have so far been killed in extra-judicial executions committed by Israel, including 64 Palestinian bystanders.
LAW emphasizes that extra-judicial executions constitute willful killings, which are a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and as such constitute war crimes subject to universal jurisdiction.
Extra-judicial killings cannot be reconciled with the Fourth Geneva Convention, which seek to protect the lives of protected persons, and violate human rights norms that affirm the right to life and the prohibition on execution of civilians.
LAW strongly condemns Israel's assassination policy. Israel is legally responsible for the acts of its agents, and is under corresponding obligations to ensure that its agents adhere to the Convention and to prosecute those agents who commit grave breaches.
All state signatories to the Fourth Geneva Convention have also the right and are under a positive obligation to seek out and prosecute individuals responsible for committing or commissioning grave breaches, wherever the perpetrators are. Article 148 of the Fourth Geneva states that 'no High Contracting Party shall be allowed to absolve itself or any other High Contracting Party of any liability incurred by itself or by any other High Contracting Party...'
Israel's ongoing human rights violations further illustrates the need for the immediate deployment of an international protection presence to prevent violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention and to protect Palestinian protected persons within the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organization dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. LAW is affiliate to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT).
LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, PO Box 20873, Jerusalem, tel. +972-2-5833530, fax. +972-2- 5833317, law@lawsociety.org, www.lawsociety.org.