Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Press Release, 30 December 2014
In excessive use of force, on 29 December 2014, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child and wounded another one in Beita village, southeast of Nablus. The incident took place when the children were hiking in a completely calm mountain area. Israeli forces could have arrested the children and questioned them in case they looked suspicious.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 13:00 on Monday, 29 December 2014, Imam Jamil Ahmed Dweikat (17) and Nael Tal’at Diab (16), both form Beita village, southeast of Nablus, were hiking in al-Sha’b area in al-Nimir Mountain, which is one kilometer from the aforementioned village. When they were 150 meters from al-Nimer swimming pool, northwest of “Allon” settlement road to the east of Za’tara intersection, an Israeli soldier opened fire from a distance of 100 – 150 meters. He fired 4 bullets which did not hit any of them. The children were frightened and they prepared to flee. The Israeli soldier fired a bullet at the right side of Emam Dweikat’s back. When the aforementioned child screamed in pain and fell on the ground, Nael Diab, who was walking one meter away from him, returned to help him. Dwikat told Diab to run away and leave him. Diab saw a soldier standing on a rock on the aforementioned mountain, so he tried to escape. The soldier fired two bullets; the first one missed Diab but the second one hit the back of his left thigh.
Nael kept walking one kilometer till he reached a safe area. He called his cousin who brought a Palestinian taxi and moved him to Beita Hospital. He was moved from there via the Palestinian Red Crescent Ambulance Service to “Rafidia” Hospital for treatment. It should be noted that Israeli forces are permanently present in the aforementioned area to protect settlers’ cars which travel across the aforementioned street that connects the mountain settlements with Israel.
PCHR strongly condemns this crime which is part of Israel’s policy of using excessive force against Palestinian civilians. Furthermore, PCHR calls upon the international community to take immediate and effective actions and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention 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.