25 jan 2017
Hussein Salem Abu Ghosh 24
Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian on Wednesday evening after he allegedly carried out a car-ramming attack near an illegal Israeli settlement in the central occupied West Bank.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an that at around 7 p.m., the Palestinian "rammed his vehicle into a bus stop at the entrance of Kochav Yaakov," a settlement directly southeast of the city of Ramallah.
"In response to the immediate threat, Israeli forces fired at the assailant, resulting in his death," the spokesperson added, further claiming that Israeli soldiers found a knife in the Palestinian's vehicle.
She added that no Israelis were injured in the incident.
Locals identified the slain Palestinian as 24-year-old Hussein Salem Abu Ghush from the Qalandiya refugee camp, located south of Kochav Yaakov.
Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli soldiers left the Palestinian bleeding on the ground until he died, before putting him in a black body bag and putting him into a military vehicle headed towards Jerusalem.
According to Ma'an documentation, this is the seventh Palestinian to have been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of the year.
Five Israelis, either soldiers or police officers, have been killed by Palestinians during the same time period, all in alleged vehicular attacks.
Ma'an recorded the deaths of 112 Palestinians and 15 Israelis in 2016 as a result of violence from the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian on Wednesday evening after he allegedly carried out a car-ramming attack near an illegal Israeli settlement in the central occupied West Bank.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an that at around 7 p.m., the Palestinian "rammed his vehicle into a bus stop at the entrance of Kochav Yaakov," a settlement directly southeast of the city of Ramallah.
"In response to the immediate threat, Israeli forces fired at the assailant, resulting in his death," the spokesperson added, further claiming that Israeli soldiers found a knife in the Palestinian's vehicle.
She added that no Israelis were injured in the incident.
Locals identified the slain Palestinian as 24-year-old Hussein Salem Abu Ghush from the Qalandiya refugee camp, located south of Kochav Yaakov.
Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli soldiers left the Palestinian bleeding on the ground until he died, before putting him in a black body bag and putting him into a military vehicle headed towards Jerusalem.
According to Ma'an documentation, this is the seventh Palestinian to have been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of the year.
Five Israelis, either soldiers or police officers, have been killed by Palestinians during the same time period, all in alleged vehicular attacks.
Ma'an recorded the deaths of 112 Palestinians and 15 Israelis in 2016 as a result of violence from the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
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Ahmad Hazem Ata Zidani (al-Rimawi) 17
Israeli rights group B’Tselem released a report and video on Tuesday revealing that 17-year-old Ahmad Hazem Ata Zidani (al-Rimawi) was shot dead in December while fleeing from the scene of clashes with Israeli forces in the Ramallah-area village of Beit Rima in the central occupied West Bank. Zidani was shot dead when clashes erupted with Israeli forces in the village during an overnight raid. A 25-year-old resident of the village was also injured with an Israeli live bullet during the same incident. Camera footage caught by a CCTV camera installed on a nearby shop shows Zidani and several other Palestinian youths “throwing stones at military jeeps outside the frame, and then running for cover around the corner of a building. Zidani is the last to arrive, and is shot just as he reaches cover.” An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an at the time that a “violent riot, large crowds of rioters began throwing rocks at Israeli forces, injuring a border police officer.” “Forces then engaged in riot dispersal means, and the riot was dispersed,” the spokesperson said. “We are aware of reports that a rioter was killed and another was injured, and we are looking into that,” the spokesperson added. |
Local sources also highlighted at the time that Zidani’s father, Hazem Ata al-Rimawi, had been released from Israeli prison only three months ago, after completing a 15-year sentence.
Rights groups have routinely condemned Israeli authorities for their use of excessive force against Palestinians, including minors, during incidents that did not warrant a violent response.
Last week, Israeli forces killed 17-year-old Qusay Hassan al-Umour after shooting him with live ammunition in the chest at least three times during clashes in the Bethlehem-area village of Tuqu.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an at the time that "violent riots" erupted in Tuqu with "hundreds" of Palestinian youth throwing stones at Israeli border police.
"Israeli border police fired 0.22-caliber rounds towards the main instigator, resulting in his death," the spokesperson said.
However, a video of the events taken by Palestinian journalist Hisham Abu Sharqah immediately after al-Umour was shot seemingly contradicted the Israeli army's allegation that al-Umour was the "main instigator" in the clashes.
The video shows Israeli forces running towards the teenager's motionless body, lying in a field of olive trees at least 100 meters away from the road where the clashes were taking place.
As the Israeli soldiers reach al-Umour, one soldier can be seen stumbling on al-Umour's legs, while another one gets on top of him, forcefully turning him onto his back before more soldiers arrive. The video then shows four soldiers, each carrying one of al-Umour's arms or legs, dragging the motionless teen to the road in an area surrounded by soldiers and armored jeeps.
Last week an investigation was opened by the Israeli army in conjunction with military police, in accordance with the Israeli Justice Ministry's policy that a joint investigation “must be made into every instance of a Palestinian killed in the West Bank during a non-combat situation.”
Similarly, in October, 15-year-old Khalid Bahr was shot dead by Israeli forces in the West Bank Hebron-area village of Beit Ummar when Israeli authorities claimed a soldier shot Khalid for throwing rocks at Israeli forces.
An Israeli army spokesperson said at the time of Bahr's killing that soldiers were "attacked" by Palestinian youth throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers while they were patrolling the area near Beit Ummar.
However, an internal Israeli army investigation later revealed that the lives of Israeli soldiers were not at risk when the 15-year-old boy was killed.
Israeli authorities have also dramatically escalated their crackdown on Palestinian youth who are caught throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers, detaining hundreds of Palestinians for alleged stone throwing every year. Israeli rights group B'Tselem reported that from 2005 to 2010, "93 percent of the minors convicted of stone throwing were given a prison sentence, its length ranging from a few days to 20 months."
However, Palestinians have claimed that rock throwing by teenagers represents a natural reaction to the frustrations caused by the nearly half-century Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which has been shaped by everyday forms of violence, such as nightly military raids into Palestinian communities, arbitrary detentions, home demolitions, and frequent killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces.
Rights groups have routinely condemned Israeli authorities for their use of excessive force against Palestinians, including minors, during incidents that did not warrant a violent response.
Last week, Israeli forces killed 17-year-old Qusay Hassan al-Umour after shooting him with live ammunition in the chest at least three times during clashes in the Bethlehem-area village of Tuqu.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an at the time that "violent riots" erupted in Tuqu with "hundreds" of Palestinian youth throwing stones at Israeli border police.
"Israeli border police fired 0.22-caliber rounds towards the main instigator, resulting in his death," the spokesperson said.
However, a video of the events taken by Palestinian journalist Hisham Abu Sharqah immediately after al-Umour was shot seemingly contradicted the Israeli army's allegation that al-Umour was the "main instigator" in the clashes.
The video shows Israeli forces running towards the teenager's motionless body, lying in a field of olive trees at least 100 meters away from the road where the clashes were taking place.
As the Israeli soldiers reach al-Umour, one soldier can be seen stumbling on al-Umour's legs, while another one gets on top of him, forcefully turning him onto his back before more soldiers arrive. The video then shows four soldiers, each carrying one of al-Umour's arms or legs, dragging the motionless teen to the road in an area surrounded by soldiers and armored jeeps.
Last week an investigation was opened by the Israeli army in conjunction with military police, in accordance with the Israeli Justice Ministry's policy that a joint investigation “must be made into every instance of a Palestinian killed in the West Bank during a non-combat situation.”
Similarly, in October, 15-year-old Khalid Bahr was shot dead by Israeli forces in the West Bank Hebron-area village of Beit Ummar when Israeli authorities claimed a soldier shot Khalid for throwing rocks at Israeli forces.
An Israeli army spokesperson said at the time of Bahr's killing that soldiers were "attacked" by Palestinian youth throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers while they were patrolling the area near Beit Ummar.
However, an internal Israeli army investigation later revealed that the lives of Israeli soldiers were not at risk when the 15-year-old boy was killed.
Israeli authorities have also dramatically escalated their crackdown on Palestinian youth who are caught throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers, detaining hundreds of Palestinians for alleged stone throwing every year. Israeli rights group B'Tselem reported that from 2005 to 2010, "93 percent of the minors convicted of stone throwing were given a prison sentence, its length ranging from a few days to 20 months."
However, Palestinians have claimed that rock throwing by teenagers represents a natural reaction to the frustrations caused by the nearly half-century Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which has been shaped by everyday forms of violence, such as nightly military raids into Palestinian communities, arbitrary detentions, home demolitions, and frequent killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces.
24 jan 2017
Ahmed Hassan Shubair 17
Some might accept spying for the enemy under certain conditions, but this very notion does not exist in Ahmed Shubair’s dictionary, who considers it a betrayal and a violation of human dignity. “The struggle between death and life” was the fear that controlled Ahmed’s mind for two years, but he finally took his decision to die “standing like trees.”
“Daddy, in brief, they asked me to spy for them. I told them I prefer to die in Gaza over selling myself at a cheap price for them, and to harm my people and cause,” was the conclusion of 12 hours of interrogation the 17-year-old Ahmed Hassan Shubair spent inside the Israeli intelligence room, pressuring him to spy for them in return for allowing him to get needed medication, or else he would return to Gaza and die there.
Ahmed could not have the surgery he needed for the last few months and passed away, and with his death, he proved to be an example of honesty and wrote his name in history as a loving-person for his homeland, to be called the martyr of the siege.
Some might accept spying for the enemy under certain conditions, but this very notion does not exist in Ahmed Shubair’s dictionary, who considers it a betrayal and a violation of human dignity. “The struggle between death and life” was the fear that controlled Ahmed’s mind for two years, but he finally took his decision to die “standing like trees.”
“Daddy, in brief, they asked me to spy for them. I told them I prefer to die in Gaza over selling myself at a cheap price for them, and to harm my people and cause,” was the conclusion of 12 hours of interrogation the 17-year-old Ahmed Hassan Shubair spent inside the Israeli intelligence room, pressuring him to spy for them in return for allowing him to get needed medication, or else he would return to Gaza and die there.
Ahmed could not have the surgery he needed for the last few months and passed away, and with his death, he proved to be an example of honesty and wrote his name in history as a loving-person for his homeland, to be called the martyr of the siege.
Shubair suffered from congenital heart defects since he was born. He traveled 40 times for medication purposes, yet his attempts to travel recently have been faced with Israeli permit denial, after the Israeli intelligence officers failed to pressure him to work as a spy for them, and thus choosing to die in Gaza over working as a traitor for the Israeli occupiers.
The story of the child was repeated with his father. The Israeli occupation tried to pressure Ahmed’s father to work as a spy for them, but he refused, using his son’s need for medication. Hassan, Ahmed’s father, replied to the intelligence officer’s offer by saying, “As you care about your state, I care about my country and my people.”
Hassan Shubair, telling the PIC of the details of the death of his son Ahmed, said, “Since my son was born, he suffered from four heart defects, but he was always patient and hopeful that he will recover eventually. He lived his life on hope and he used to travel to Israeli hospitals from time to time to get needed medication.”
Security Check
Ahmed used to get medication in the past without facing any problem, but the last two years have been difficult for him. In 2015, his journey with suffering started and the Israeli occupation officers started bargaining Ahmed to work for them as a spy, making his life and the life of his family even harder.
Ahmed’s father explains, “The first time the Israeli intelligence offered Ahmed and his mother to spy for them was on 22 March 2016. The Israeli occupation pressured them and offered them medication in return for spying, but they refused. They were eventually allowed to travel.”
Ahmed’s father continued, “After the return of Ahmed and his mother to Gaza, they travelled again on 18 April 2016. The doctors set an appointment for them in September 2016 to have an open-heart surgery, but when they applied for permits to have the needed surgery, they were surprised to get rejection.”
Security Interview
On 10 October 2016, the parents took their sick child to the Israeli-controlled Erez Crossing to the north of Gaza to have an interview upon the request of the Israeli intelligence, starting a new stage of bargaining to pressure him to get medication in return for spying for them.
During the interview, which lasted for 12 hours, the Israeli intelligence tore down Ahmed’s medication permit in an attempt to pressure him to spy for them, and asked him questions about members in the Palestinian resistance groups, and his neighbors and friends, according to his mother.
The mother told the PIC, with her eyes full of tears, “My son refused considerable offers from the Israeli intelligence agents, who left him alone for long hours to psychologically pressure him, yet he was patient and sought God’s help.”
Ahmed’s mother pointed out that the Israeli intelligence officer offered her to work as a spy for them in return for allowing her son to get needed medication, but she firmly refused this offer, saying: “I am a house wife and I am not involved in such things, and my goal is to get medication for my son to recover just like the rest of the children of the world.”
The mother recalls her son’s dream before passing away when he told her that he “wishes to live six more months to get the high school certificate.” She continued, “He dreamed of becoming a heart doctor to help others like him,” yet after the last interview with the Israeli intelligence all doors were shut down in his face, and his health condition got worse until he passed away on 14 January 2016 after he performed the Dawn prayer and read Al-Kahf Chapter in the holy Quraan, and after we chatted with each other and after he helped me with the laundry.”
The story of the child was repeated with his father. The Israeli occupation tried to pressure Ahmed’s father to work as a spy for them, but he refused, using his son’s need for medication. Hassan, Ahmed’s father, replied to the intelligence officer’s offer by saying, “As you care about your state, I care about my country and my people.”
Hassan Shubair, telling the PIC of the details of the death of his son Ahmed, said, “Since my son was born, he suffered from four heart defects, but he was always patient and hopeful that he will recover eventually. He lived his life on hope and he used to travel to Israeli hospitals from time to time to get needed medication.”
Security Check
Ahmed used to get medication in the past without facing any problem, but the last two years have been difficult for him. In 2015, his journey with suffering started and the Israeli occupation officers started bargaining Ahmed to work for them as a spy, making his life and the life of his family even harder.
Ahmed’s father explains, “The first time the Israeli intelligence offered Ahmed and his mother to spy for them was on 22 March 2016. The Israeli occupation pressured them and offered them medication in return for spying, but they refused. They were eventually allowed to travel.”
Ahmed’s father continued, “After the return of Ahmed and his mother to Gaza, they travelled again on 18 April 2016. The doctors set an appointment for them in September 2016 to have an open-heart surgery, but when they applied for permits to have the needed surgery, they were surprised to get rejection.”
Security Interview
On 10 October 2016, the parents took their sick child to the Israeli-controlled Erez Crossing to the north of Gaza to have an interview upon the request of the Israeli intelligence, starting a new stage of bargaining to pressure him to get medication in return for spying for them.
During the interview, which lasted for 12 hours, the Israeli intelligence tore down Ahmed’s medication permit in an attempt to pressure him to spy for them, and asked him questions about members in the Palestinian resistance groups, and his neighbors and friends, according to his mother.
The mother told the PIC, with her eyes full of tears, “My son refused considerable offers from the Israeli intelligence agents, who left him alone for long hours to psychologically pressure him, yet he was patient and sought God’s help.”
Ahmed’s mother pointed out that the Israeli intelligence officer offered her to work as a spy for them in return for allowing her son to get needed medication, but she firmly refused this offer, saying: “I am a house wife and I am not involved in such things, and my goal is to get medication for my son to recover just like the rest of the children of the world.”
The mother recalls her son’s dream before passing away when he told her that he “wishes to live six more months to get the high school certificate.” She continued, “He dreamed of becoming a heart doctor to help others like him,” yet after the last interview with the Israeli intelligence all doors were shut down in his face, and his health condition got worse until he passed away on 14 January 2016 after he performed the Dawn prayer and read Al-Kahf Chapter in the holy Quraan, and after we chatted with each other and after he helped me with the laundry.”
A Palestinian human rights report has revealed that there is an increase in the number of deaths among Palestinians in Gaza due to entry denial by the Israeli authorities, especially those planning to travel to the West Bank, Jerusalem and the 1948 Territories.”
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights has revealed in statement that since the beginning of 2016, the number of Palestinians denied permits to cross the Erez Crossing to reach out to hospitals has increased, with 50% to 60% of them cancer patients.
The center noted that the coordination department at the PA has received 26,277 applications to get permits in 2016, 16,289 of which have been approved, with a total percentage of 61%, while 1,725 were rejected and the rest are still to be considered.
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights has revealed in statement that since the beginning of 2016, the number of Palestinians denied permits to cross the Erez Crossing to reach out to hospitals has increased, with 50% to 60% of them cancer patients.
The center noted that the coordination department at the PA has received 26,277 applications to get permits in 2016, 16,289 of which have been approved, with a total percentage of 61%, while 1,725 were rejected and the rest are still to be considered.