B'Tselem: Soldiers shot dead two unarmed West Bankers in pro-Gaza protests

B'Tselem: Soldiers shot dead two unarmed West Bankers in pro-Gaza protests

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- The human rights group B'Tselem said Israeli soldiers killed in cold blood two Palestinian civilians during protests in support for Gaza a few days ago in the West Bank. B'Tselem added that the two victims posed no threat to the Israeli soldiers, affirming that it sent a strongly-worded letter to the commandership of the Israeli army calling for giving clear orders to its soldiers not to open deadly fire at protestors throwing stones at them. An investigation into these incidents conducted by B’Tselem raised the suspicion that the Israeli army and security echelons had permitted soldiers to use live fire, including in confrontations with stone throwers who are not armed and in situations that are not life threatening to the soldiers. On November 17, 2012, Rushdi Attamimi, 31 and the father of one daughter, was injured by live firing by soldiers shooting at young men who threw stones at them in Nabi Saleh village. He died of his wounds two days later. On November 19, 2012, security forces killed Hamdi Al-Fallah, 22, during clashes in the area of the Halhul, Al-Khalil city. He was hit with four live bullets to the chest, arm and leg. An investigation by B’Tselem found that Fallah had pointed a laser pen at the soldiers, and that none of the stone throwers were armed. At least 39 other Palestinians have been wounded by military and security forces since November 15, 2012 during incidents in which Palestinians threw stones at the forces. Among them were 16 injured by live fire, including six who sustained serious injuries. 13 Palestinians have been wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets, nine of them in the head and 10 suffered wounds by direct hits by teargas canisters, seven of them in the head as well, the human rights group said.