TITLE: Two Palestinians Killed In Attacks By Israeli Settlers

AUTHOR:

LAW

DATE: January 9, 2001

Yesterday evening during clashes between Palestinian civilians and Israeli settlers and security services in Kufur Hares in Salfit, Muhammad Souf (27) was shot in the chest by Israeli settlers. Souf, a father of two children, died of his injuries on the way to Rafeedia hospital in Nablus. Today, a bus with Israeli settlers from Homesh settlement entered the village of Seelit Al Thaher in the Jenin area. After Palestinian pupils from the nearby secondary school had thrown stones at the bus, Israeli settlers responded with open fire aimed at the school and adjacent houses. At 9:00 a.m., the same bus accompanied by two Israeli military jeeps returned to the village. Due to the resistance of village residents to prevent the bus from entering again, Israeli soldiers and settlers opened fire. Abd Al Hamid Khanfar (27) was shot in the head. Palestinian ambulances were prevented from carrying out the required first aid because of shots directed at them by Israeli settlers and soldiers. Because of the continuing military closure, Khanfar had to be carried with a private car on an unpaved road to Tulkarem hospital, which lasted 20 minutes. Consequently, he died of his wounds on the way to the hospital. Nihad Naser (18) from Atara, pupil of the secondary school of Seelit Al Thaher, was hit in the left hand and sent to Tulkarem hospital for treatment. LAW condemns the ongoing infractions of basic standards of international humanitarian law and human rights law by Israeli settlers and Israeli security services. LAW calls upon Israel, the Occupying Power, to comply with its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention and abstain from causing physical suffering or extermination of Palestinian protected persons. LAW – The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. END top