On Thursday, May 15th 2014, Israeli Occupational Forces (IOF) military snipers shot live ammunition at a crowd of protestors who had been demonstrating outside Ofer Prison in the West Bank, intentionally killing two and fatally injuring one. The three youths were neither posing a threat or engaged in direct confrontation with the IOF at the time of the shootings. More accurately, they were standing next to a store front removed from the clashes of the demonstration when they were violently and unlawfully targeted by Israeli gunfire. It was confirmed in hospital that the youths had been hit with live ammunition, as opposed to rubber bullets as the military claims, and that the both Nadeem Siam Nawara and Mohammad Mahmoud Odeh Abu Daher, 17 and 16 respectively, were killed by fatal shots to the chest. Mohammad Abdullah Hussein al-Azzeh (15) was shot whilst he had his back turned to the IOF sustaining critical injuries to his back and left lung, his condition is currently stable. The teenagers were unarmed when Israel chose to use excessive and fatal violence against them from a distance of over 200 metres. Footage from a security camera, released by Defence for Children International (DCI), only confirms the unlawfulness and illegitimate action that the military used showing that these shootings amount to deliberate executions. All three are recognised as children under international law.
International organisations, especially those that espouse to the protection and safety of children, are in place to both protect and fight for children’s human rights, to ensure they are able to grow and develop free from fear and violence in a world of security. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is used to establish children’s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children; those that uphold it, should ensure it applies to all children everywhere, including those that are most threatened.
MA’AN is surprised and disappointed in the lack of public condemnation towards the Israeli military in lieu of these executions. These children were targeted by live ammunition when they themselves presented no threat to those shooting: a clear violation of international law and a clear violation against their individual rights, yet silence has prevailed. As organisations who strive to protect children against violence and ensure their personal security, this crime committed by the IOF should have provoked more backlash from the international community. The excessive and indiscriminate violence clearly constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity.
We at MA’AN call on organizations whose very mandates state that they protect and ensure the safety of children, to join those with the United States and United Nations to call on Israel through a public statement. We urge you to call upon Israel for the following;
· A transparent independent investigation into the militaries actions during the demonstration;
· The solider and supervisor acting that day are brought to trial and held accountable for their actions against these children and security forces are made to adhere to the basic principles and international law on the use of force and firearms by occupational forces.
