Israel/OPT
09.07.02
Urgent Interventions
Israel: 18-year old Ms. Suhair Adel Qadadha seriously wounded at Surda checkpoint
Case ISR 090702
Disproportionate use of force / Attempted killing / Impunity
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), a member of the OMCT network, that an Israeli soldier opened fire upon a group of Palestinian commuters, seriously wounding 18-year old Ms. Suhair Adel Qadadha at Surda checkpoint on July 8th, 2002.
According to the information received, Palestinians were returning from Ramallah between 1.30 and 2 pm, due to the curfew that had been imposed upon them as part of the ongoing crisis in the region. As they were approaching the Surda checkpoint, located between Ramallah and several villages including Birzeit, an Israeli soldier stepped out of a military jeep and opened fire at the commuters.
According to the information received, the soldier did not warn the Palestinian commuters, nor did he ask for their identities before opening fire upon them. As a result of the shooting, seven months pregnant Ms. Qadadha was seriously injured when a bullet hit her in the head. Ms. Qadadha was admitted to Sheikh Zaid hospital in Ramallah, where she is now reported to be in a stable condition.
The International Secretariat of OMCT condemns this disproportionate and arbitrary use of force by an Israeli soldier, which has led to the serious injury sustained by Ms. Suhair Adel Qadadha. OMCT fears that Ms Qadadha will not be granted adequate reparation for her injury that the perpetrator of this attack will continue to enjoy impunity.
This attack comes against a background in which Palestinian civilians are subject to daily harassment, humiliation, beatings and other forms of violence perpetrated by Israeli soldiers at checkpoints. These include beatings (including with objects), kicking, punching, slapping; curses, insults and threats; forcing men at gunpoint to pair off and beat each other; forcing passengers to line up against a wall; forcing passengers to wait for hours in the heat with the windows of their cars rolled up and without air-conditioning; holding up passengers for hours at roadblocks without reason; confiscating ID cards and car keys of drivers attempting to pass checkpoints; asking for “passage fees” such as cigarettes or drinks; shootings at vehicles and pedestrians, sometimes resulting in injury or even death; and the deliberate damaging vehicles.
Impunity from liability for such acts has resulted in a general atmosphere of permissiveness in the ranks of the Israeli security forces and has contributed to recurrent patterns of abuse at checkpoints, although in rare cases soldiers have been punished for their behaviour.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
· order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
· guarantee that Ms Suhair Adel Qadadha receives adequate reparation;
· immediately take the appropriate measure to guarantee the cessation of the harassment and attacks to which Palestinians are being subjected at checkpoints;
· guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 651 2631 / 566 48 38
· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or + 972 2 628 8618
· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411
· Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 3704, E-mail: sar@mofa.gov.il
· The Supreme Court of Justice, Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 652 71 18
· Chief Military Attorney, Brigadier Menahem Finkelstein, Lishkat HaPatzar, HaKirya, Tel Aviv, Fax: (+972 3) 569 20 94
Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country.
Geneva, July 9th, 2002.
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Disproportionate use of force / Attempted killing / Impunity
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), a member of the OMCT network, that an Israeli soldier opened fire upon a group of Palestinian commuters, seriously wounding 18-year old Ms. Suhair Adel Qadadha at Surda checkpoint on July 8th, 2002.
According to the information received, Palestinians were returning from Ramallah between 1.30 and 2 pm, due to the curfew that had been imposed upon them as part of the ongoing crisis in the region. As they were approaching the Surda checkpoint, located between Ramallah and several villages including Birzeit, an Israeli soldier stepped out of a military jeep and opened fire at the commuters.
According to the information received, the soldier did not warn the Palestinian commuters, nor did he ask for their identities before opening fire upon them. As a result of the shooting, seven months pregnant Ms. Qadadha was seriously injured when a bullet hit her in the head. Ms. Qadadha was admitted to Sheikh Zaid hospital in Ramallah, where she is now reported to be in a stable condition.
The International Secretariat of OMCT condemns this disproportionate and arbitrary use of force by an Israeli soldier, which has led to the serious injury sustained by Ms. Suhair Adel Qadadha. OMCT fears that Ms Qadadha will not be granted adequate reparation for her injury that the perpetrator of this attack will continue to enjoy impunity.
This attack comes against a background in which Palestinian civilians are subject to daily harassment, humiliation, beatings and other forms of violence perpetrated by Israeli soldiers at checkpoints. These include beatings (including with objects), kicking, punching, slapping; curses, insults and threats; forcing men at gunpoint to pair off and beat each other; forcing passengers to line up against a wall; forcing passengers to wait for hours in the heat with the windows of their cars rolled up and without air-conditioning; holding up passengers for hours at roadblocks without reason; confiscating ID cards and car keys of drivers attempting to pass checkpoints; asking for “passage fees” such as cigarettes or drinks; shootings at vehicles and pedestrians, sometimes resulting in injury or even death; and the deliberate damaging vehicles.
Impunity from liability for such acts has resulted in a general atmosphere of permissiveness in the ranks of the Israeli security forces and has contributed to recurrent patterns of abuse at checkpoints, although in rare cases soldiers have been punished for their behaviour.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
· order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
· guarantee that Ms Suhair Adel Qadadha receives adequate reparation;
· immediately take the appropriate measure to guarantee the cessation of the harassment and attacks to which Palestinians are being subjected at checkpoints;
· guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 651 2631 / 566 48 38
· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or + 972 2 628 8618
· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411
· Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 3704, E-mail: sar@mofa.gov.il
· The Supreme Court of Justice, Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 652 71 18
· Chief Military Attorney, Brigadier Menahem Finkelstein, Lishkat HaPatzar, HaKirya, Tel Aviv, Fax: (+972 3) 569 20 94
Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country.
Geneva, July 9th, 2002.
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.