2.4.2009
White phosphorous attack on a school in Gaza. Photo: Muhammad al-Baba, 17 Jan. '09
White phosphorous attack on a school in Gaza. Photo: Muhammad al-Baba, 17 Jan. '09
Palestinian kills Israeli boy and injures another
B'Tselem strongly condemns the killing of a 13 year-old boy and the injuring of a 7 year-old boy by a Palestinian in the settlement of Bat Ayin in the Bethlehem district. Deliberate attacks against civilians are immoral and constitute a war crime.

Calls for independent investigation into "Operation Cast Lead"
Israeli HR organizations: The speedy closing of the investigation into soldiers' testimonies from Gaza indicates that it was opened only in order to clear the military of blame for illegal activity during the operation.

Phosphorous victim from Gaza dies
Ghada Abu Halima, 21, a Gazan mother of two, died on 29 March from injuries sustained when the military shelled her house with white phosphorous during "Operation Cast Lead". In her testimony of 9 March, she described the attack, which killed 5 of her relatives.

Sharp rise in beating of Palestinians by security forces
Since "Operation Cast Lead", B'Tselem has documented 24 reports by Palestinians that police and soldiers had beaten them, indicating a sharp rise in violence by security forces towards Palestinians in the West Bank.

Punishment of policeman who killed Palestinian increased
The Israeli Supreme Court increased the sentence of a border policeman for killing 'Imran Abu Hamdiya in 2002. In an incident exposed by B'Tselem and al-Haq, four policemen threw Abu Hamdiya from a fast-moving jeep after they had abducted and abused him.

Gaza and Sderot: Life in spite of everything
B'Tselem joined ARTE to continue the award-winning online documentary series on the lives of civilians in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel, drawing attention to International Humanitarian Law, and the obligation it places on all sides to a conflict to protect civilians.

Waters across borders
The UN's World Water Day, commemorated this week, is dedicated to cross-border waters. The division of the water sources shared by Israelis and Palestinians is marked by blatant discrimination, causing a severe water shortage in the West Bank.