Updates

B’Tselem expresses its deep sorrow over the killing of Ori Ansbacher, 19, from the settlement of Tekoa, by a Palestinian resident of Hebron. She was killed on 7 February near Ein Yael in Jerusalem. B’Tselem conveys its deep condolences to the Ansbacher family. One cannot but be shocked by the horrific circumstances of the incident. Assaults on civilians undermine all moral, legal and human principles. B’Tselem strongly condemns any and all such assaults.

Every day, Israel determines what the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank will look like – while they, themselves, are barred from taking part in decisions that shape their present and their future. Israel uses its power in a violent, arbitrary fashion, with blatant disregard for the safety, wellbeing and quality of life of the Palestinians who live under its control.

“Since the Israeli navy confiscated my hasake (boat) I’ve been out of work and can’t support my family. Things in the Gaza Strip are very bad because of the blockade, and there are no other jobs available. I used to make about 20 shekels a day fishing. That enabled me to buy food and drink for my family. Now our lives are very hard.” Tamer Zayed, Beit Lahiya, 27 August 2018

The death toll from the Israeli military’s unlawful use of live fire against March of Return protestors in Gaza who pose no threat to anyone continues to rise. So far, 195 have been killed, including 35 minors and 2 women. More than 6,000 have been wounded by live fire. The high number of casualties is a direct result of Israel’s criminal open-fire policy along the Gaza fence, which Israel refuses to change despite its lethal outcome. Below is a description of the deadly shooting of a young boy and a woman hit far from the fence, without posing a threat.

The report shows how the justices of Israel’s Supreme Court have validated the state’s planning apparatus in the West Bank, enabling it to continue implementing illegal policies. Time and time again, the justices have ignored the fact that the planning apparatus imposes an almost blanket prohibition on Palestinian construction with the object of enabling Israel to take over as much Palestinian land as possible. The report, Fake Justice: The Responsibility Israel’s High Court Justices Bear for the Demolition of Palestinian Homes and the Dispossession of Palestinians, is based on a careful examination of hundreds of High Court cases, judgments and decisions regarding the demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank. In none of these cases did the justices accept the arguments of the Palestinian petitioners.

On 6 Jan. 2019, after an Israeli bus was fired upon near the Beit El settlement, Israeli security forces went into the nearby town of al-Birah. During the raid, a policeman fired without justification at Fawaz ‘Abed (16) who was peeking out of an alley, fracturing his skull. The forces left without giving him first aid. Firing sponge rounds at minors is completely prohibited, as is firing them at close range at a person’s head, which could prove fatal or cause serious injury. Yet breaches of open-fire regulations go unpunished and the law enforcement system whitewashes such incidents. Just part of the routine of occupation.

On 10 Jan. 2019, plain-clothed Israeli police arrived at Dr. Karim Hussein’s home in Jabal al-Mukabber, East Jerusalem. They demanded he hand over security camera footage, even though they had explicitly arranged to collect it the next day from his brother’s home. The officers insisted on coming inside, despite refusing to present a search warrant. A confrontation ensued with other family members who arrived on the scene and thought that civilians were assaulting their relatives. One officer beat Dr. Hussein on the head and he lost consciousness. This incident is but another example of the violent, arbitrary police conduct that has long since become part of the daily life in East Jerusalem.

Every day, Israel determines what the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank will look like – while they, themselves, are barred from taking part in decisions that shape their present and their future. Israel uses its power in a violent, arbitrary fashion, with blatant disregard for the safety, wellbeing and quality of life of the Palestinians who live under its control.

B’Tselem’s investigation found that, contrary to official Israeli statements, Barghouti did not try to flee or run anyone over, nor could he have tried: two security vehicles blocked the taxi he was driving at either end, and he was surrounded by some 10 security personnel who shot him point-blank–an operation resembling an extrajudicial killing. Official attempts to sanction the killing in retrospect ensure no one will be held accountable.

On 14 Dec. '18, soldiers came to al-Jalazun R.C. after residents threw stones at them and began chasing uninvolved youths. They shot one - Mahmoud Nakhleh, 18 - in the back as he fled from 80 meters away, and then prevented residents from helping him and dragged him around. Only after 15 minutes did they permit his transferal to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. All the military personnel involved, whether the ground soldiers or the officials who issued a falsified statement to justify the shooting, conveyed disrespect for the injured youth's humanity and confidence that this case will be whitewashed like thousands of others.