PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS-ISRAEL

PRESS RELEASE

29.10.2000
 
Severe conclusions from the analysis of the injuries sustained by Palestinian citizens of Israel during the October confrontations within the ‘Green Line’
 
Official data from ‘Rambam’ hospital in Haifa – the main hospital in the north of Israel – regarding Arab citizens of Israel admitted to the hospital during the October confrontations in the north of Israel, were analyzed by PHR–Israel expert Dr. Zeev Wiener:
 
According to Dr. Wiener, it is surprising that so many of the injuries are in the upper part of the body. Bullets were extracted from the bodies of the injured, apparently indicating direct fire, rather than injuries from ricochets.
 
   32 injured civilians were admitted to the emergency room.
   4 were discharged and we have no further information regarding their condition.
   28 were hospitalized, with 30 injuries (two had more than one injury).
   2 died of their injuries.
 
Of those admitted, there were:
 
   10 head or face injuries
   11 chest injuries
   9 arm/leg injuries
 
Despite the fact that these data are partial, and somewhat biased, since only the most serious injuries were sent to Rambam hospital – the large number of seriously injured and the severity of the injuries suffice to arouse suspicion, that in many cases there was massive shooting directed toward civilians, and that possibly sniper fire was employed – rather than warning fire intended to scatter the demonstrations.
 
These data correspond to testimonies given by several of the injured to PHR–Israel, according to which sniper fire was employed against demonstrators.
 
In light of the above, Physicians for Human Rights–Israel has sent a message to the Minister of Internal Security, Prof. Shlomo Ben-Ami, in which we demand to know:
 
What were the firing instructions given to Israeli Police and Border Police forces, and did the forces act according to these regulations?

 
Was sniper fire employed? If so, we demand to know why sniper fire was employed against
demonstrating civilians, who are citizens of Israel.