Updates

Israel’s High Court of Justice today (7.5.2012) rejected appeals by Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahlah against their continuing administrative detention, ruling that a hunger strike cannot be a factor in determining the duration of detention. This follows a report from Physicians for Human Rights-Israel that both prisoners are near death. The two prisoners began their strike on 1 March 2012 to protest the renewal of their detention. Both are now hospitalized at Assaf Harofeh Hospital in Rishon LeZion. Israel’s use of administrative detention blatantly contravenes international law; the army must release all administrative detainees or give them a fair trial.

The MAG Corps informed B'Tselem today that it has closed the Military Police investigation file in the complaint into the killing of 21 members of the a-Samuni family in the Gaza Strip. The file was closed without taking any measures against those responsible. In response, Adv. Yael Stein, B'Tselem's head of research, said: it is unacceptable that no one is found responsible for an action of the army that led to the killing of 21 uninvolved civilians, inside the building they entered under soldiers' orders, even if this was not done deliberately. The way the army has exempted itself of responsibility for this event, even if only to acknowledge its severity and clarify its circumstances, is intolerable.

On the night of 27 March 2012, soldiers in civilian clothing entered Kafr Ramun near Ramallah. B’Tselem has learned that three brothers from the village, thinking they were being robbed, came outside armed with a club and two knives to defend their property and were shot by the soldiers. Uniformed soldiers who came to the scene during the incident, also shot two of the brothers, who were already wounded. One brother died of his wounds and the other two sustained injuries. B’Tselem demanded an investigation into this incident and was informed Today, 24 April 2012, that an investigation was ordered by the MAG corps

A new film that was obtained by B'Tselem shows the minutes that preceded the violent incident in which the Former Jordan Valley Brigade deputy commander assaulted international and Palestinian protesters. In response, B'Tselem Executive Director Jessica Montell, said: "The video disproves claims that the soldiers responded to violence by the activists. This severe case of violence illustrates the sense of impunity felt by the deputy brigade commander. In fact Israeli security forces are almost never held accountable for violence against Palestinians."

B’Tselem wrote to the Military Police and the Military Advocate General Corps requesting they launch a Military Police Investigation into the death of a Palestinian demonstrator and the wounding of dozens of others when live ammunition was used against protesters during a Land Day demonstration in the Gaza Strip on Friday, 30 March 2012.

Kamel a-Taramsi, age 24, has acromegaly, a rare endocrine disease. Following years of misdiagnoses, a-Taramsi was finally referred to al-Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem for treatment unavailable in Gaza. A-Taramsi got a permit to leave Gaza and travel to East Jerusalem but when he arrived at Erez crossing, the ISA subjected him to a lengthy interrogation without regard for his condition, and threatened him with arrest. A-Taramsi was ultimately released, but not allowed to travel to East Jerusalem. He has since been unable to obtain the required permit.

Uri Zaki will speak at Harvard University on April 17, 2012 at 5:30 pm.

Please click above for additional information.

On 26 March 2012, B'Tselem USA presented the panel, “Holding Israel To A Universal Standard or a Higher Standard on Human Rights?” 

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Physicians for Human Rights-Israel reported that administrative detainee Hanaa Shalabi, 30, declared a hunger strike when arrested on 16 February 2012 “in protest of her violent detention, the humiliating and hurtful search that was conducted on her upon her detention, and also in protest of being held in administrative detention.” According to PHR-Israel her life is in danger. Israel’s use of administrative detention blatantly breaches these rules. The military must release all the administrative detainees or prosecute them, in accordance with due process.