Illegal Israeli actions in OPT – Letter from Palestine

Identical letters dated 7 September 2004 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

  In grave breach of international law, including international humanitarian law, Israel, the occupying Power, continues to use excessive and indiscriminate force to launch lethal military attacks against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. In the early morning hours of today (Palestine time), the Israeli occupying forces carried out yet another deadly missile attack in the densely populated neighbourhood of Shijaia in Gaza City, a neighbourhood that has already suffered vast losses in terms of both human life and property as a result of the Israeli military campaign that continues to be waged against the Palestinian people. Helicopter gunships backed by Israeli tanks fired more than five missiles into a sports field, killing 15 Palestinian civilians. Israeli occupying forces claimed that they had “targeted a training camp”. In addition to those killed, at least 40 other Palestinians were wounded, 5 of whom are in critical condition. The high number of casualties overwhelmed the capacity of Gaza’s main hospital to treat and care for the wounded.

  Today’s deadly missile attack follows last week’s raid by the Israeli occupying forces in the town of Deir Al-Balah, in Gaza, in which four Palestinians were killed, including a 15-year-old boy, Mohammed Jamal Abu Musbeh. In addition to the killings, more than 52 other Palestinian civilians were injured in that raid. The Israeli occupying forces also destroyed another Palestinian home, damaged 20 others and razed at least 12 dunums of agricultural land.

  Tragically, the toll of death and destruction throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, continues to rise almost daily and the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate as Israel continues to pursue all of its illegal policies and practices against the Palestinian people. Such ongoing illegal Israeli policies and practices, including the continued construction of illegal settlements and the Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, constitute serious violations and grave breaches of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. The international community must address and continue to act to bring an end to all Israeli actions against the Palestinian people and to ensure Israel’s compliance with international law and its obligations as an occupying Power.

  This letter is in follow-up to our previous 198 letters to you regarding the ongoing crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, since 28 September 2000. These letters, dated from 29 September 2000 (A/55/432-S/2000/921) to 24 August 2004 (A/ES-10/278-S/2004/673), constitute a basic record of the crimes committed by the Israeli occupying forces against the Palestinian people since September 2000. For all of these war crimes, State terrorism and systematic human rights violations committed against the Palestinian people, Israel, the occupying Power, must be held accountable and the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

  Accordingly, in follow-up to the above-mentioned letters, it is my deepest regret to inform you that, since 18 August 2004, at least 34 more Palestinians, including 8 children, have been killed by the Israeli occupying forces, raising the total number of martyrs killed since September 2000 to 3,213 Palestinians. (The names of the martyrs who have been identified are contained in the annex to the present letter.)

  I would be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter distributed as a document of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly, under agenda item 5, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Nasser Al-Kidwa

Ambassador, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

Annex to the identical letters dated 7 September 2004 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Names of martyrs killed by the Israeli occupying forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem *

(Friday, 20 August-Tuesday, 7 September 2004)

    Friday, 20 August 2004

  Mohammed Abdullah Al-Hamaydeh (died from wounds sustained on 19 August 2004)

    Saturday, 21 August 2004

 Na’el Khalil Abu Gholeh

   Sunday, 22 August 2004

  Hussein Said Khalil Al-Ga’baari (died from wounds sustained on

18 August 2004)

   Monday, 23 August 2004

  Hazem Fuad Abu Zahri

   Tuesday, 24 August 2004

  Kamel Hassan Moussa Al-Astal

   Friday, 27 August 2004

  Jadou’a Ahadeel Al-Kurd (died from wounds sustained on 26 August 2004)

    Sunday, 29 August 2004

 Salameh Eid Muqbel Al-Sawarkeh

    Monday, 30 August 2004

 1.  Aicha Mohammed Hamad Al-Zibin

 2.   Hasnah Ahmed Salem Abu Fardeh

 3.   Yasser Abdel Rahman Al-Najjar

   Tuesday, 31 August 2004

  Mazen Majed Al-Agha (14 years old)

    Thursday, 2 September 2004

 1.   Mohammed Jamal Abdel Karim Barakah

 2.   Mohammed Jamal Abu Musbeh (15 years old)

 3.  Ahmed Ammer Abu Shaweesh

 4.   Shadi Samer Abu Ghurab (18 years old)

    Friday, 3 September 2004

 1.   Mohammed Ramadan Al-Jaro (18 years old)

 2.   Munir Shabaan Al-Sindi (16 years old)

    Saturday, 4 September 2004

  Wissam Mohammed Abu Zaekeh (died from wounds sustained on 30 August 2004)

    Tuesday, 7 September 2004

 1.   Ghasan Mohammed Obeid (18 years old)

 2.   Ayman Khaza’a Farahat (18 years old)

 3.  Fares Saidi Al-Sarsawi

 4.   Mohammed Abdallah Qanou’a

 5.  Ehab Mohammed Al-Deeb

 6.   Osama Awni Hijeleh

 7.  Said Yasser Odeh

 8.   Mutasam Fouad Al-Zirbatli

 9.  Mohammed Antar Jindeyeh

 10.   Aref Qasem

 11.  Mohammed Ibrahim

 12.  Adham Karim Qereqa’a

 13.   Bilal Zuhdi

 14.  Ahmed Khairy Iskafi

 15.  Ezat Ahmed Al-Wadeyeh

 16.   Yussef Abu Libdeh (18 years old; died from wounds sustained on 19 June    2004)

*   The total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by the Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 is 3,213.

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