An Israeli rights group has criticized Tel Aviv for using lethal force against peaceful demonstrations by Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Press TV reports.
The report released by the al-Quds (Jerusalem) group B’Tselem says “extensively and systematically violated” rules barring deadly retaliation for non-lethal assault.
Israeli soldiers have been using live rounds to disperse unarmed Palestinian protesters in the occupied West Bank, killing 56 people since 2005 in clashes with rock-throwing protesters.
On January 23, Israeli forces gunned down Lubna Hanash, 22, in front of Aroub Refugee Camp near the southern West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron). Hanash was reportedly traveling to her sister’s home when she was shot in the face by Israeli forces.
On the same day, a teenager identified as Saleh Amarain was killed after he sustained a gunshot wound to the head. A week earlier, 17-year-old Sameer Awad died after he was shot four times by Israeli forces.
The B’Tselem report demanded that Israel prohibit the use of live ammunition to disperse peaceful demonstrations, and restrict the use of rubber-coated metal bullets to instances of mortal danger.
It also urged an end to the firing of 40mm tear-gas canisters either directly at individuals or horizontally, in a way that could cause result in injuries.
Experts believe that the Palestinian fatalities in clashes with Israeli forces this month alone indicates the unlawful use of crowd control weapons, noting that most of the victims died of live ammunition wounds to the head.
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