On Monday, a young Palestinian was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers near the West Bank city of Nablus, allegedly for “throwing stones”. Witnesses say the young man was shot without provocation. The tragic death adds to a long list of fatal, unprovoked shootings.
The 19 year-old Palestinian was identified as Imam Jamil Dweikat, reports Celine Hagbard from the International Middle East Media Center. The shooting happened at the Zaatara or Tappuah checkpoint near the Palestinian West Bank city of Nablus.
The body of Dweikat hasn’t yet been released by the Israeli military, reports Hagbard, adding that Israeli forces claimed that “he had been throwing stones towards the soldiers patrolling near the checkpoint”.
Another youth was shot and brought to the hospital in Nablus with several gunshot wounds.
Witnesses to the shooting contradict the military’s statements, saying that the shooting was unprovoked.
At least fifty Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli occupied West Bank in 2014, in addition to the over 2,300 who were killed during Israel’s 51-day bombardment and invasion of Palestine’s coastal region, the Gaza Strip in July and August 2014.
The last victim of the disproportional and unprecedented bombardment of the Gaza Strip succumbed to his injuries last week.
Arguably, the shooting must be considered an act of war due to the fact that Israel militarily occupies the Palestinian West Bank.
Even if the 19-year-old Imam Jamil Dweikat had thrown stones at soldiers, international law dictates that any use of military force must be proportional.
In November, the consultancy firm Forensic Analysis identified the Israeli soldier who shot and killed the 17-year-old Palestinian teenager Nadim Nowarah, six months earlier.
Forensic Analysis is funded by the European Research Council.
The analysis, based on images and sound from CNN and CCTV footage revealed that an Israeli soldier fired at the boy.
The fatal shooting was unprovoked. Nadim Nowarah was shot from behind while he was calmly walking his way.
The murderer of the teenager, and Israeli soldier who was standing with a group of soldiers on a roof. (see related article and video below)
F/AK – nsnbc 30.12.2014
Palestine: Forensic Video Analysis Identifed Nowarah’s Killer
http://nsnbc.me/2014/12/30/israeli-soldiers-shoot-young-palestinian-claiming-he-was-throwing-stones/