LAW Press Release

Monday 15 May 2001

53rd Anniversary of Al Nakba: 4 Palestinians killed and 110 injured at time of release (9.30 pm)

Today, Tuesday 15 May 2001, the Palestinian people commemorated the 53rd anniversary of Al Nakba, the 1948 Palestinian catastrophe when hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated and uprooted from their homeland to make way for the establishment of the state of Israel. The Palestinian people marked this painful anniversary by means of peaceful demonstrations in towns and villages across the country, in an attempt to remind the world of their suffering. Yesterday, on the eve of the anniversary, the Israeli army once again escalated its onslaught against the Palestinian people, killing seven including 5 National Security Force members in one incident (see yesterdayís LAW press release). This morning, 35-year-old Abdil Hakeem Al Manaímeh from the Amer Housing Project in Beit Lahia, Gaza, was killed after Israeli soldiers opened fire at a Palestinian civilian car. The Israeli forces have kept his body for the time being. During the Nakba day demonstrations, the Israeli army responded with excessive force, in most cases opening heavy and random gunfire against unarmed protesters. At around midday today, Israeli soldiers positioned at the northern entrance of Al Bireh and on the roofs of nearby houses, opened live fire at Palestinian demonstrators. Following clashes between demonstrators and Israeli soldiers, Israeli forces fired ammunition and 500-800 mm artillery shells at demonstrators and buildings in Al Baluí quarter, leaving two dead: … 18-year-old Abdel Jawad Khalil Shihada, a Ramallah Military Intelligence Apparatus member from Al Sheikh Radwan quarter in Gaza, was hit in the head by a fragmenting bullet. At the time of his death he was not wearing the uniform of military intelligence but was in civilian clothes and standing with other civilian demonstrators. Today was his 18th birthday. … 22-year-old Burhan Al Shakhsheer from Al Ram, north Jerusalem, was hit by a live bullet that penetrated through the neck and settled in his head. 10 people were injured, including 8 Palestinian civilians and 2 French journalists. The injured Palestinians are: … Luíay Shaheer Mustafa, 23, from Beiteen village, live bullet in the chest. He is now in a very critical condition. … Sameh Ali Othman, 23, from Ein Yabrood village, live bullet in the left thigh. … Mohammed Waíel Siam, 18, from Ramallah, shrapnel wounds in the face and chest. … Zeidan Dirgham Othman, 42, from West Liban village, shrapnel wounds in the left arm. … Rami Abdil Jabbar al Najjar, 17, from Yitma village, live bullet in the left thigh … Mohammed Ishaq Totah, 32, from Al Bireh, shrapnel in the left arm … Falah Abdel Karim Salah, from Deir Abu Mishal village, rubber bullet in the right thigh. … Mohammed Ahmad Jbour, 23, from Hebron, live bullet in stomach The French journalists injured were: … Bernard Yjert, a cameraman for France 2 TV. He was hit in the chest by a live bullet, although fortunately he was wearing a bullet-proof vest and so escaped serious injury. … Joachim Ija received a rubber bullet in the right leg. At around 11 am, Israeli forces attempted to break into the village of Hares, near Salfit. Abdel Rahim Souf from Hares telephoned his 31-year-old brother Issa Souf and asked him to round up the village children and get them safely inside. As he was doing this, carrying his three-year-old nephew, he was confronted by Israeli soldiers and an argument broke out. He turned away from the soldiers, still carrying his nephew, and they opened live fire, hitting hit him in the right shoulder. The bullet penetrated his right lung and settled in his backbone. He had his mobile telephone in his hand at the time of being shot, and pressed the ëredialí button that would connect him again with his brother, Abdel Rahim. He managed to tell him that he had been shot. Abdel Rahim rushed to the scene, but the soldiers prevented him from reaching Issa and fired a stun grenade at him. Their other brother arrived and was also prevented from reaching Issa. It was only 30 minutes later, due to the intervention of the Palestinian Liaison office, that he was finally allowed to be taken in a private car to the nearby Kuful Hares clinic, where an ambulance arrived 20 minutes after that. Souf was transferred to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, where medical sources have informed LAW that the bullet in his spine has resulted in permanent paralysis. He is currently in intensive care in a critical condition. In Hebron at midday, clashes broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli forces in Al Zawyeh Gate square and Al Shalaleh Street, adjacent to the dividing line with the occupied part of the city. Israeli forces stationed at the dividing line and on the rooftops of nearby houses opened fire with live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets, injuring 21citizens: 1. Muhannad Muhareb Adawi, 16, metal bullet in the left hand. 2. Muhammad Al Hirbawi, 38, metal bullet in the palm of the right hand, leaving it badly and probably permanently damaged. 3. Ahmad Idíeis, 16, metal bullet in the right side of the chest. 4. Muntaser Al Natsheh, 10, metal bullet in the eye. 5. Fares Jradat, 17, metal bullet in the left ear. 6. Tariq Al Shawabkeh, 17, two metal bullets in the chest and left hand. 7. Muhammad Abu Ayyash, 16, two metal bullets in the legs. 8. Nayef Abu Sharakh, 50, two metal bullets, in the right hand and right leg. 9. Firas Al Qisrawi, 21, metal bullet in the right thigh. 10. Maha Abu Meizar, 34, metal bullet in the right shoulder. 11. Aseel Abu Rayyan, 17, metal bullet in the right leg. 12. Khamis Idkeidek, 16, metal bullet in the head. 13. Muhammad Al Sharif, 27, metal bullet in the left leg. 14. Mizyen Iskafi, 30, metal bullet in the left hand. 15. Muhammad Al Qasheesh, 15, metal bullet in the left leg. 16. Diyaí Zalloum, 17, live bullet in the left hand. 17. Barakat Zahidah, 60, metal bullet in the left hand. 18. Saher Al Shareef, 22, gunshot shrapnel in the face and eyes. 19. Bashshar Sultan, 21, metal bullet in the right knee. 20. Majdi Al Masalmeh, 17, metal bullet in the head. 21. Muhammad Amru, 15, metal bullet in the back. In Nablus, Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers clashed at the southern Nablus checkpoint in Kufur Qalil. Israeli soldiers opened fire, injuring 8: … Walaí Habroun, 17, from Askar refugee camp, live bullet in the right foot. … Muhammad Abdil Hameed, 19, live bullet in the left foot. … Ibrahim Abu Harus, 16, from Askar refugee camp, live bullet in the left thigh. … Hikmat Inibtawi, 12, from Nablus, live bullet in the left leg. … Baker Daraghmeh, 20, from Tubas, live bullet in the abdomen. … Tawfeeq Milhem, from Tulkarem, live bullet in the abdomen. … Hatem Abu Eisha, 21, from Balata refugee camp, live bullet in the left leg. … Mazen Abu Ali, 24, from Nablus, live bullet in the feet. In Tulkarem, Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated metal bullets at demonstrators at Al Khaduri Institute square and injured the following: … Hazem Thyab, 20, from Tulkarem refugee camp, hit in the head. … Muítasem Oneh, 13, from Tulkarem refugee camp, hit in the right thigh. … Muhammad Jitawi, 11, from Nour Shams refugee camp, hit in the head. … Thaíer Al aaíraj, 13, from Thanaba, hit in the right armpit. … Mahmoud Al Hamshari, 26, from Tulkarem refugee camp, hit in the left hand. … Muhammad Abu Taímeh, 20, from Qafeen, hit in the left hand. … Mahmoud Matar, 20, from Tulkarem, 2 metal bullets in the head and back. … Imad Abdo, 15, from Shweikeh, hit in the left foot. … Ahmad Farghalli, 15, from Shweikeh, hit in the left foot. … Tawfeeq Milhem, 23, from Tulkarem, hit in the head. … Abdel Rahman Haron, 14, from Iktaba, hit in the head. … Muhammad Tayeh, 32, from Tulkarem, hit in the right hand. … Muhammad Al Damiri, 12, from Tulkarem refugee camp, hit in the left hand. … Zaher Daqa, 25, from Ateel, hit in the head. … Muhammad Hattab, 16, from Tulkarem, hit in the right foot. … Saleh Nassar, 27, from Tulkarem refugee camp, hit in the right hand. … Muhammad Alaryieh, 10, from Tulkarem, hit in the chest. … Ayman Al Tirawi, 20, from Tulkarem, hit in the face. … Zuheir Taneeb, 23, from Irtah, hit in the left foot. … Maher Abdullah, 30, from Sayda, hit in the hand. … Muhammad Anbas, 17, from Tulkarem, hit in the right leg. … Fares Khalifah, 12, from Nour Shams refugee camp, hit in the right thigh. In the Gaza Strip, 17-year-old Muhammad Abu Jaser from Jabalia refugee camp died instantly after being hit by a bullet in the heart when Israeli soldiers stationed at Erez crossing opened live fire at demonstrators. Five other Palestinian youngsters were also injured: … Iyyad Al Bahri, 18, from Beit Lahia, 2 live bullets in the right thigh and forearms. … Saber Al Ashqar, 18, from Jabalia refugee camp, live bullet in the right foot. … Alaí Ahmad, 18, from Beit Lahia housing project, live bullet in the left leg. … Mahmoud Abu Ramadan, 12, from Gaza, live bullet in the head. … Khaled Al Miqyad, 12, from Jabalia refugee camp, live bullet in the right hand. Another demonstration was held at Al Shuhadaí junction, to which Israeli soldiers also responded with live ammunition, injuring three: … Ayman Mansour, 16, from Al Nsirat refugee camp, 2 live bullets in the leg and right shoulder. … Hassan Al Aydi, 20, from Al Nsirat refugee camp, live bullet in the head (surface injury). … Salah Al Taweel, 12, from Al Nsirat refugee camp, live bullet in the left leg. Israeli soldiers used excessive force against the demonstration organised by the citizens of Deir Al Balah near Kfar Darom settlement east of the city, opening live fire at them and injuring 13: … Abdullah Al Maghazi, 13, from Deir Al Balah, hit in the right foot. … Fares Abu Al Araj, 11, from Deir Al Balah, hit in the pelvis. … Heijar Abu Amra, 12, from Deir Al Balah, hit in the right leg. … Raíed Al Attar, 25, from Deir Al Balah, hit in the back. … Ali Hiji, 36, from Deir Al Balah, hit in the right hand. … Saeed Al Hanouti, 14, from Deir Al Balah, hit in the head. … Ibrahim Al Aklouk, 17, hit in the left thigh. … Raíed Fayyad, 13, hit in the left leg. … Muhammad Madi, 12, hit in the right leg. … Mahmoud Al Areeni, 16, hit in the left leg. … Seif Abu Ghirbal, 16, hit in the right foot. … Yousif Al Danaf, 24, hit in the left thigh. … Shadi Fatayer, 20, hit in the right thigh. At Al Mintar (ëKarnií) crossing, east Gaza, Israeli forces used live ammunition and artillery against unarmed Palestinian civilian demonstrators, injuring seven: … Muhammad Shanyoura, 16, from Al Zaytoun quarter in Gaza, shrapnel in the hands. … Ahmad Suboh, 14, from Al Zaytoun quarter in Gaza, live bullet in the back. … Salem Al Hallaq, 16, from Al Daraj quarter in Gaza, live bullet in the back. … Muhammad Zahra, 19, from Al Wihdeh quarter in Gaza, surface gunshot wound in the head. … Ahmad Al Ajleh, 17, from Al Shujaíyeh quarter in Gaza, live bullets in the face and jaw. … Awad Al Ajal, 16, from Al Zaytoun quarter in Gaza, artillery shrapnel in the head. … Alaí Abu Arabiya, 16, from Al Sheikh Radwan quarter in Gaza, live bullet in the thigh. At Al Tufah checkpoint, west of Khan Younis refugee camp, 11 Palestinian civilians were wounded after live ammunition was fired at demonstrators: … Bilal Abu Aker, 7, gunshot in the abdomen (critically injured). … Nayef Barbakh, 10, gunshot in the left leg. … Amani Saqer, 17, shrapnel in the right hand. … Muhammad Al Qarra, 15, gunshot in the right knee. … Hani Abu Iílayyan, 20, gunshot in the left foot. … Sliman Al Aíraj, 16, gunshot in the back. … Khaled Al Astal, 12, surface gunshot in the head. … Faraj Abu Shihab, 20, gunshot in the left thigh. … Sami Barbakh, 20, gunshot in the left knee. … Arafat Abu Mustafa, 22, gunshot in the right thigh. … Muhammad Ibreis, 18, gunshot in the right thigh.

 

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