Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Press Releases, 08 December 2013
According to investigations conducted by the PalestinianCenter for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 16:30 on Saturday, 07 December 2013, dozens of Palestinian children gathered at the southern entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah, near the UNRWA school, nearly 300 meters from the fence of “Beit Eil” settlement. They set fire to rubber tires and threw stones at Israeli soldiers. Israeli soldiers who got out of the settlement and those stationed on an observation tower at the fence opened fire at the children. As a result, Wajeeh Wajdi Mustafa al-Ramahi, 15, was seriously wounded by a live bullet to the left side of his back. The child was evacuated in a private car to Palestine Medical Compound in Ramallah, where he underwent a surgery, but he succumbed to his wound. Medical sources declared his death at approximately 17:10.
PCHR is deeply concerned over this crime, which further proves the use of excessive force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in disregard for the civilians’ lives. Therefore, PCHR calls upon the international community to take immediate and effective actions to put an end to such crimes and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances, and their obligation under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions.