OccupationalHazard.org 10.16.02

The Occupation - 10/16/02

80% Of Palestinians Killed
by IDF While Enforcing Curfew are Children

B'Tselem

For the past four months, Israel has imposed a full curfew, unprecedented in scope and length, on hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. This curfew constitutes collective punishment, and as such is in contravention of international law.
B'Tselem has found that in many cases IDF soldiers fire live ammunition at civilians who are outside their homes during curfew. Over the past four months, soldiers have killed fifteen Palestinian civilians in these circumstances. Twelve of the dead were under the age of sixteen. Testimonies presented in the report also describe the firing of tear-gas at civilians, both to notify the residents of imposition of curfew and to punish residents who were ostensibly violating curfew.
Lethal Curfew criticizes the lack of clarity of the procedures for imposing and lifting curfews. The testimonies presented in the report indicate that residents often do not know that a curfew has been imposed. This combination of the use of live fire and the lack of clarity makes leaving the house - even in the most urgent circumstances - life endangering.
In conclusion, B'Tselem demands that the defense establishment:

Cease using curfew as a permanent policy;

Immediately stop the use of gunfire and tear gas to enforce curfews, and investigate every incident in which soldiers fire at Palestinians who violated curfew;

Establish clear procedures for instituting and lifting curfew, and ensure that all the residents are notified that curfew has been imposed.

The report may be downloaded here: http://www.btselem.org/Download/2002_Curfew_Eng.doc

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80% Of Palestinians Killed by IDF While Enforcing Curfew are Children
B'Tselem





For the past four months, Israel has imposed a full curfew, unprecedented in scope and length, on hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. This curfew constitutes collective punishment, and as such is in contravention of international law. B'Tselem has found that in many cases IDF soldiers fire live ammunition at civilians who are outside their homes during curfew. Over the past four months, soldiers have killed fifteen Palestinian civilians in these circumstances. Twelve of the dead were under the age of sixteen. Testimonies presented in the report also describe the firing of tear-gas at civilians, both to notify the residents of imposition of curfew and to punish residents who were ostensibly violating curfew. Lethal Curfew criticizes the lack of clarity of the procedures for imposing and lifting curfews. The testimonies presented in the report indicate that residents often do not know that a curfew has been imposed. This combination of the use of live fire and the lack of clarity makes leaving the house - even in the most urgent circumstances - life endangering. In conclusion, B'Tselem demands that the defense establishment: Cease using curfew as a permanent policy; Immediately stop the use of gunfire and tear gas to enforce curfews, and investigate every incident in which soldiers fire at Palestinians who violated curfew; Establish clear procedures for instituting and lifting curfew, and ensure that all the residents are notified that curfew has been imposed. The report may be downloaded here: http://www.btselem.org/Download/2002_Curfew_Eng.doc
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