Pray for peace....demand ACCOUNTABILITY
by Kathryn Shihadah
Commentary on a report published on 14 May 2018 by Relief Web
GO HERE TO TELL YOUR CONGRESS PERSON "HOLD ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE."
By 8pm local time on 14 May 2018, the Israeli forces had killed 57 protesters in the Gaza Strip. Among those killed were 6 children and 1 person with disability. At least another 2,000 persons were injured, including 304 children, 77 women, 10 journalists, and 3 paramedics. 1,114 of the injured were shot with live ammunition and at least 70 persons are in serious or critical condition at hospitals, according to medical sources.
Al Mezan's documentation shows that at approximately 3am, Israeli forces entered the eastern areas of Gaza's five districts...
[NOTE THAT ISRAEL ACTUALLY TRESPASSED INTO GAZA, BUT GAZANS WHO EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE BORDER ARE SHOT.]
Palestinian paramedics raise their arms as they recover injured demonstrators during clashes with Israeli forces near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel east of Gaza City, May 14, 2018.
...and flattened the sand dunes that protesters had built up for protection, indicating an intention on the part of the Israeli forces to improve visibility for the purpose of targeting protesters. The Israeli forces also fortified the border fence with barbed wire. At approximately 6:30am, Israeli drones fire-bombed tents and field-based medical units. Some of the tents were destroyed.
[LET'S REPEAT THAT: "MEDICAL UNITS WERE FIRE-BOMBED."]
Israeli forces escalated attacks on journalists, using live fire and injuring 10 while they covered the demonstrations, even though they were wearing visible PRESS-marked vests.
[Q: TARGETING JOURNALISTS...IS THAT EVEN LEGAL?
A: IT'S A WAR CRIME.]
Al Mezan also documented the continued targeting of medical teams and equipment, which disrupted rescue operations.
[Q: IS IT OK TO TARGET MEDICAL PERSONNEL?
A: ALSO A WAR CRIME.]
Ziad Al Nabaheen, a paramedic working for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, was seriously injured in the abdomen by live fire. Also, Ibrahim Al Talalqa and Ahmed Obaid, both paramedics in the Military Medical Services (MMS), were injured by shrapnel from live fire. An ambulance of the MMS was also damaged by live fire.
Palestinian journalist injured by Israeli soldiers in Gaza
[YES, AMBULANCES TOO. AND HOSPITAL TENTS.]
Al Mezan's documentation shows that since the start of the demonstrations on 30 March 2018, at least 99 [MAKE THAT 105] Palestinians have been killed, including 11 children, 2 journalists, 1 person on crutches and 3 persons with disability.
During the same period, 6,938 were injured, including 1,244 children, 253 women, 42 paramedics, and 59 journalists—of them 3,615 were hit by live fire.
Despite having expertise in using nonlethal means to disperse violent demonstrations, the Israeli military chose to use live fire against demonstrators across the border in Gaza.
While continuing to verify the documentation of incidents on the ground, Al Mezan reiterates its strong condemnation of the use of lethal and other excessive force by the Israeli forces, including sharpshooters, to police demonstrations. Palestinians in Gaza have the right to peacefully assemble to demand their fundamental and inalienable human rights. The case of protesters, who pose no serious threat to the Israeli forces, being shot lethally indicates a bold continuation of unlawful targeting practices, despite its legal consequences and international condemnation.
Al Mezan asserts that the Israeli forces' lethal and injurious targeting of protected civilians corresponds with the grave breaches of willful killing and willfully causing great suffering or serious injury unlawful under the Fourth Geneva Convention. This conduct is codified as war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which Al Mezan is cooperating with in the context of pursuing accountability for international crimes.
In recognition of the dramatic humanitarian and legal implications of today's escalation, Al Mezan is urging the international community to take prompt steps to protect unarmed protesters and their right to peaceful assembly, to pressure Israeli forces to abstain from using unlawful force, and to allow free movement of patients, medical personnel, and medicines and equipment.
