Israel/OPT
28.04.00
Urgent Interventions
Israel/Palestine Autonomous Areas: excessive use of force by Israeli occupying forces
Israel: excessive use of force by Israeli occupying forces
Case ISR 280400
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 for Human Rights (LAW), a member of the OMCT network, of the excessive use of force by Israeli occupying forces in the demolition of houses in the Palestinian Territories.
According to information gathered by LAW, an estimated 30 heavily armed soldiers arrived in the neighbourhoods of Mares Al Mithqah, Ra’s Al Labad and Harab Odeh at 3:30 am on 25th April 2000, forced the residents out of their houses, seized their IDs, registered their numbers and then tore down the houses and the tents.
In his affidavit, Mahmoud Hamdan, 60, retired, stated that he, his wife, his daughter Dima (27), his son Samed (10), his other son Rida (10), his daughter in law, Kifaya, and her children, Guram (3) and Tha’er (7), were sleeping in their tent when the soldiers arrived. They woke the residents and ordered them to leave the tent. They also tried to confiscate the power generator. Hamdan said, “We refused to leave the tent and my son Rida prevented them from taking the generator away. They ran towards him and beat him until he fell to the floor. A military doctor was summoned to examine him, and he asked the soldiers to refrain from attacking him. A few minutes later, a group security personnel in civilian clothing appeared; the soldiers pulled the young Palestinian boy and told the group that they could beat him. His sister Dima tried to save her brother but she was beaten with the butt of a rifle by one of the soldiers. Amid the confusion, the tent was torn down.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants in the occupied territories;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. guarantee adequate restitution, compensation and rehabilitation to all injured people;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
Mr. Ehud Barak, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)566 48 38 / 691 79 15 E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.il or feedback@pmo.gov.il
Dr. Yossi Beilin, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 Email: sar@justice.gov.il
Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax:(+972-3)691 69 40
Minister of the Interior, Mr. Natan Sharansky, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411 Email:sar@moin.gov.il
Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)582 67 69
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 35 06 E-mail: ask@israel-info.gov.il
Minister of Internal Security, Ministry of Internal Security P.O Box 18182, 3 Sheirkh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala jerusalem, 91181, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 582 67 69 E-mail : sar@mops.gov.il
Geneva, April 28, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Case ISR 280400
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 for Human Rights (LAW), a member of the OMCT network, of the excessive use of force by Israeli occupying forces in the demolition of houses in the Palestinian Territories.
According to information gathered by LAW, an estimated 30 heavily armed soldiers arrived in the neighbourhoods of Mares Al Mithqah, Ra’s Al Labad and Harab Odeh at 3:30 am on 25th April 2000, forced the residents out of their houses, seized their IDs, registered their numbers and then tore down the houses and the tents.
In his affidavit, Mahmoud Hamdan, 60, retired, stated that he, his wife, his daughter Dima (27), his son Samed (10), his other son Rida (10), his daughter in law, Kifaya, and her children, Guram (3) and Tha’er (7), were sleeping in their tent when the soldiers arrived. They woke the residents and ordered them to leave the tent. They also tried to confiscate the power generator. Hamdan said, “We refused to leave the tent and my son Rida prevented them from taking the generator away. They ran towards him and beat him until he fell to the floor. A military doctor was summoned to examine him, and he asked the soldiers to refrain from attacking him. A few minutes later, a group security personnel in civilian clothing appeared; the soldiers pulled the young Palestinian boy and told the group that they could beat him. His sister Dima tried to save her brother but she was beaten with the butt of a rifle by one of the soldiers. Amid the confusion, the tent was torn down.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all inhabitants in the occupied territories;
ii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. guarantee adequate restitution, compensation and rehabilitation to all injured people;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
Mr. Ehud Barak, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)566 48 38 / 691 79 15 E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.il or feedback@pmo.gov.il
Dr. Yossi Beilin, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 Email: sar@justice.gov.il
Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax:(+972-3)691 69 40
Minister of the Interior, Mr. Natan Sharansky, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411 Email:sar@moin.gov.il
Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)582 67 69
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 35 06 E-mail: ask@israel-info.gov.il
Minister of Internal Security, Ministry of Internal Security P.O Box 18182, 3 Sheirkh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala jerusalem, 91181, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 582 67 69 E-mail : sar@mops.gov.il
Geneva, April 28, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.