B’Tselem inquiry: No justification for shooting and killing Samir ‘Awad, 16. Budrus, 15 Jan 2013

[Jefferson23]

On 15 January 2013, 16-year-old Palestinian Samir ‘Awad was killed by live ammunition that Israeli soldiers fired at him near the Separation Barrier at Budrus. A B’Tselem inquiry reveals that the soldiers were not in danger at any time. Nevertheless, and in total contravention of open-fire regulations, they shot ‘Awad three times.

On the morning of Tuesday, 15 January 2013, after his last examination before school’s mid-year break, 16-year-old Samir ‘Awad of the village of Budrus, went along with a few friends to the Separation Barrier south-west of Budrus, about 300 meters from the school. B’Tselem Field Research Iyad Hadad gathered testimony from several of the teenagers, one of whom watched from a distance. According to their testimonies, the boys planned to throw stones at military patrols along the fence, as teenagers in the area often do. They said that when they approached the Separation Barrier, they saw that one of its gates was open. Therefore, they thought that soldiers must be nearby and tried to find them. The Separation Barrier is made up of a primary fence and secondary rows of barbed wire around it. The barbed wire is meant to prevent access to the primary fence, but near Budrus there are several openings in the barbed wire. One boy went through a makeshift opening in the first barbed wire fence, saw nothing, and came back out. Samir ‘Awad then went through the opening alone, and continued on to the primary fence.

Military sources told the media that Israeli soldiers of the 71st Armored Corps Battalion were concealed in a nearby ambush. B’Tselem’s inquiry shows that the soldiers were on the side of the Separation Barrier facing Budrus. According to the information that B’Tselem collected, when Samir ‘Awad was between the barbed-wire fence and the main fence, four soldiers appeared on the scene and the other teenagers fled to the village. At this point, ‘Awad apparently tried to run away, but was caught between the two fences. The soldiers called for him to stop and fired in the air. Then they shot at his leg while he was trying to flee. He was wounded and fell to the ground, but when he tried to continue running, the soldiers shot him again. He was wounded by a bullet in the back and a bullet to the head.

According to media reports in Hebrew, the initial investigation by the Israeli military found that ‘Awad was shot in contravention of open-fire regulations. The reports also stated that there were contradictions among the soldiers’ versions.

remainder: http://www.btselem.org/firearm/20130221_killing_of_samir_awad_budrus

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

1. Kick.

Yet another article that the apoligistas fly from in droves. How can you spin facts?

[Violet_Crumble]

2. Horrible. So much for the open fire regulations...

'Open-fire regulations permit soldiers to use live ammunition only in cases of real and immediate mortal danger. In this instance, the soldiers were clearly in no danger whatsoever. Firing live ammunition at a fleeing person whose back is to the soldiers and who poses no immediate danger whatsoever, is unlawful and in complete contravention of open-fire regulations.'

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Palestinian deaths raise concern over Israeli army use of live fire

At least five unarmed young Palestinians, including a 21-year-old woman, have been shot dead by Israeli soldiers in 13 days since the start of the year, prompting mounting concern about the unwarranted use of live fire. A sixth was killed on his 17th birthday last month, and a seventh death this month is disputed by the Israeli military.

The commander of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in the West Bank, Brigadier-General Hagai Mordechai has ordered all commanders to reiterate to all soldiers the rules of engagement, a military spokesman told the Guardian.

The use of live fire is permitted only in extreme circumstances, and shooting to kill only in a life-threatening situation. "None of [the dead] posed a threat that justifies the use of lethal force," said Sarit Michaeli, of the Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem and the author of a report published on Monday which analyses the IDF's use of crowd control weapons in the West Bank. "Swift action by the army is required to transmit a clear message to soldiers that the lives of Palestinians have equal value and that firing live ammunition in non-life threatening situations is illegal."

The youngest to be killed was 15-year-old Salah Amarin, who died last Wednesday, five days after being shot in the head during clashes near Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem. According to the IDF, he had been launching stones from a slingshot.

The same day as Amarin died, Lubna al-Hanash, 22, was shot in the face while walking on a college campus south of Bethlehem. According to the IDF, a routine patrol in the area had opened fire in self-defence after being "confronted by Palestinians with Molotov cocktails". But Suad Jaara, a friend who was injured in the shooting, told the Palestinian news agency Ma'an: "An Israeli soldier was shooting from his rifle while a white car was parked on the roadside. There was no one in the area except Lubna and I."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/28/palestinian-deaths-israel-army-live-fire

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. And as expected team apology runs for cover.

Military sources told the media that Israeli soldiers of the 71st Armored Corps Battalion were concealed in a nearby ambush.

In the grand spirit of Ariel Sharon's Sabra and Shatila this sounds intentional.

[Jefferson23]

5. It's not the first time and won't be the last, sadly. n/t

[delrem]

7. An ambush with lures.

"They said that when they approached the Separation Barrier, they saw that one of its gates was open. Therefore, they thought that soldiers must be nearby and tried to find them."

w.r.t. rock throwing, it's easy enough for heavily armed occupation troops behind barbed wire barriers to take enough steps back so the rocks are ineffective. No need to shoot into Palestine. In fact, pitted against rocks, heavily armed occupation troops transported in armored carriers always have to be "out hunting" looking for it, to be in the least way vulnerable.

[Jefferson23]

9. Regarding your description of the rock throwing, this is depcicted in the documentary

5 Broken Cameras. It's one thing to read about it and realize it yet entirely bizarre to see
it on film.

[azurnoir]

8. of course the hope is to sink an op

as opposed to one on oh say Tibet with almost 200 replies which should get attention and proves well proves something

[delrem]

10. Ah, but the one on Tibet,

about the concerned Israeli activist who wants to initiate a "Tibet freedom flotilla" to sail into Tibet's major ocean port with lifesaving humanitarian supplies and face down China's seige, that one's a DUzy.

[azurnoir]

11. well maybe the it needs to be explained to this concerned person

that in Tibet the sea is made of grass

[Violet_Crumble]

13. Has Elder of Ziyon or Algemeiner touched this one yet?

I'd be surprised if they had, as when I had a quick look they were too busy crowing about how the 'anti-Israel' films failed at the Oscars and trying to whip up some hysteria over the spread of Islam into Africa.

I imagine once 'credible' sources like that get hold of the story, this thread will take on a life of its own....

[azurnoir]

14. well you know world class publications like that have to set their priorities

report the important stuff, but they say Islam's spreading into Africa? heavens, I haven't looked at them but I'll have check that out

[Jefferson23]

6. Amnesty International’s written statement to the 22nd session of the UN Human Rights Council

(25 February- 22 March 2013):

The Need for Accountability for Gaza/Israel conflicts

MDE 02/001/2013
20
February 2013
Amnesty International wishes to address the issue of justice, truth and reparation for human
rights violations, including war crimes and other crimes under international law, committed by
both parties during the eight-day military escalation of the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel
in November 2012.

These violations took place after the failure of both the Israeli government and the Hamas de
facto administration to conduct investigations in conformity with international law into war
crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by both Israeli forces and Palestinian
armed groups during the 2008-2009 armed conflict in Gaza and southern Israel.

Despite the submission of several authoritative reports to the Human Rights Council, the UN Secretary
General, and the General Assembly, the UN Security Council has not referred the Gaza
situation to the Prosecutor of the ICC. Lack of accountability for crimes under international
law, including war crimes, in 2008-2009 is fuelling a cycle of impunity and violations.
Israeli forces launched a major military operation, code-named “Pillar of Defense”, on Gaza on
14 November 2012, beginning with an airstrike that killed the leader of the military wing of
Hamas. In the following eight days, before a ceasefire was reached on 21 November with
Egyptian mediation, some 150 Palestinians, including more than 30 children and
approximately 70 other civilians, and six Israelis, including four civilians, were killed. Israeli
forces, Hamas’ military wing and other Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes. The
Israeli air force carried out bomb and missile strikes on residential areas, including strikes that
were disproportionate and caused heavy civilian casualties. In some cases, Israel does not
appear to have complied with its obligation to distinguish at all times between civilian objects
and military objectives, launching some indiscriminate strikes which damaged or destroyed
civilian property, media facilities, government buildings and police stations. The Israeli navy
also shelled populated coastal areas with artillery in indiscriminate attacks.


On 18 November 2012, 10 members of the al-Dalu family, including four children under the
age of eight, a teenage girl, and four women, and two of the family’s neighbours were killed
when their home was struck in an Israeli air strike on Gaza City. Israeli military spokespersons
stated variously that the strike was an accident, or was intended to hit a militant, but gave
different names for the target without providing evidence to support their claims.


remainder: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE02/001/2013/en/2e16eba0-23a0-4242-8796-301d0d3a1f28/mde020012013en.pdf

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

12. Kick