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Israeli
Misuse of Rubber-Coated Metal Bullets Causing Eye Injuries
Introduction
Regardless of who is
responsible for causing the violence present in recent
clashes, it is clear that there have been numerous and
extensive violations of human rights, both to those actually
involved in the clashes, and, more disturbingly, to innocent
civilians and children who have not been involved in the
clashes in any way. In issuing the present report, it is not
the intention of the PHRMG to express a political view on
these recent events, but rather to point out some cases of
serious human rights violations that occurred on the side of
the Israeli security forces.
Numerous serious
injuries have been caused by the Israeli forces' methods of
riot control. Israeli attempts at crowd control and riot
dispersal during recent clashes have involved heavy use of
rubber-coated metal bullet ammunition - on which the present
report is focused - in addition to the occasional use of
live ammunition. Rubber-coated metal bullets are viewed as a
safer means of dispersing crowds than traditional
ammunition. Past records have shown, however, that this idea
of a "safe" means of crowd control is little more
than a myth. Used incorrectly, rubber-coated metal bullets
have the capacity of inflicting serious injury and causing
disfigurement, and even death.
In particular,
rubber-coated metal bullets fired at the head have a high
capability of causing serious eye injury, resulting in the
complete loss of one or both eyes. This arises from the
simple fact that the eye is extremely fragile and thus more
vulnerable to serious injury. The PHRMG has documented
several cases of serious eye injury and permanent eye loss
arising from improper use of rubber-coated metal bullets by
Israeli forces in recent clashes.
Safety
Concerns about the Use of Rubber-Coated Metal Bullets
Medical experts and
human rights organizations have questioned whether
rubber-coated metal bullets can, in fact, be considered a
safe weapon for crowd dispersal. A report by Chicago
Forensic physician Dr. Robert Kirschner highlights some of
these concerns. First, Dr. Kirschner notes that
rubber-coated metal bullets cause greater tissue damage then
normal ammunition:
"The tissue damage cause by
a rubber coated steel ball perforating the skin is much
greater than that caused by a normal bullet, which pierces
the skin more easily because of its more aerodynamic shape
and smaller diameter. The wounds are more akin to blunt
trauma injury, and cylindrical rubber bullets cause even
greater damage as they are tumbling when they strike the
body. There is a greater tearing, or lacerating, effect,
often gaping holes, and more internal damage along the
path of these projectiles."
Secondly, Dr.
Kirschner discusses the particular danger posed by shots to
the head and eyes with rubber-coated metal bullets:
"A non-penetrating impact to
the head is likely to transmit much of the impact energy
through the skull to the brain, and have more serious
consequences than a similar impact to the abdominal
region, where there is better ability to absorb the
imparted energy, and injury to internal organs is less
likely to prove serious or fatal."
Dr. Kirschner notes
that the eyes are particularly susceptible to injury, and
that shots to the eye are particularly dangerous since "the
eye is the weakest entry point through the skull and into
the brain."
Finally, Dr. Kirschner
warns of the high risk of injury posed to children and the
elderly:
"Children and the elderly
are at greater risk of serious injury or death from rubber
bullets because of their more fragile bone structure and
smaller muscle mass. Small children, because of their size
are more susceptible to being struck in the upper part of
the body either directly or by rubber bullets ricocheting
off the ground. In addition to eye injuries, other facial
injuries include fractures of the zygoma or maxilla, lower
facial and dental trauma."
Thus, rubber-coated
metal bullets, rather than being a completely safe weapon,
can in fact cause extensive and permanent injury, even when
used with "proper" methods.
Regulations
for Rubber-Coated Metal Bullet Use
Israeli guidelines
recognize the inherent danger of using rubber-coated metal
bullet ammunition. The guidelines issued to Israeli soldiers
recognize that "the means for dispersing the riot may
cause bodily injury and in certain circumstances even result
in death." Apparently, in order to combat the
possibility of serious injury and death, several guidelines
have been put in place. These are contained in the
"Pocket Booklet for Soldiers Serving in the Central
Command", distributed to all soldiers. The booklet
provides strict guidelines for the use of rubber-coated
metal bullet shot in situations of violent riots that do not
pose an immediate life-threatening danger. These can be
summarized as follows:
- Rubber-coated metal bullets will
be used only when other methods such as tear gas, water
jets, blasting caps and stun grenades have proven
ineffective
- Firing rubber-coated metal
bullet shot must be done outside of a minimum distance
of 40 meters. Firing rubber ammunition shot from less
than 40 meters is strictly prohibited. (It should be
noted that in the report mentioned by Dr. Kirschner
above, he places the "safe" firing distance at
a minimum of 50 meters, at least 10 meters more than the
minimum firing range in the handbook.)
- Rubber-coated metal bullets
should be targeted only at rioters and not at innocent
people. Roma GG shot should be closely targeted and
fired solely at the legs of an identified rioter.
- Rubber-coated metal bullet shot shall
not be fired at children
Testimonies gathered
by the PHRMG show an alarming disregard by Israeli forces of
the "safe" firing guidelines. The following cases
are based on direct testimony given to the PHRMG by victims
at the St. John's eye hospital in East Jerusalem. It should
be noted that these cases represent only a small sample of
the numerous eye injuries caused by rubber-coated metal
bullets in the recent clashes.
Case #1 and
2: Khaled Mahmoud Khumeyies and Ziad Ahmad Fararjeh
Khaled Mahmoud
Khumeyies, 26 years, from Beit-Ummar, South West Bank, gave
the following testimony:
On Saturday 30th
September, at about 11:30 a.m. there were clashes between
Palestinian youths and the Israeli army near Rachel's Tomb
at the entrance of Bethlehem. I tried to hide behind a wall
while throwing stones, but when I raised my head to look at
the Israeli soldiers I was shot in my left eye with a
rubber-coated metal bullet. The men carried me to the
ambulance that took me to al-Hussein hospital in Beit-Jala,
then to St. John's eye hospital in East Jerusalem. Three
hours after my arrival they made a surgery on my eye. There
is bleeding and damage in the eye retina.
Ziad Ahmad Fararjeh,
20 years old, from Dheisheh Camp near Bethlehem gave the
following testimony:
On Saturday at
about 5:30 p.m. there were some clashes near Rachel's Tomb
in Bethlehem. I was with the young men, and the soldiers
were about 100 meters away hiding behind a wall. I was
behind the wall opposite, when I raised my head I was shot
in my left eye with a rubber-coated metal bullet. At the
same time another young man was shot in his leg. I covered
my eye with my hand, and they carried me to an ambulance who
took me to Hussein hospital in Beit-Jala, but the situation
in that hospital was very bad, no health care at all, so the
ambulance took me to St. John's eye hospital. They checked
my eye, and at about 8 p.m. they conducted a surgery and
removed what was left of my damaged eye. When I was shot I
saw my eye fall, and one of the guys fell unconscious
because of that.
Did the firing on
Khaled Mahmoud Khumeyies and Ziad Ahmad Fararjeh violate the
guidelines given to Israeli soldiers?
Both Khumeyies and
Fararjeh testified that they were concealed behind walls and
were shot in the eye when they lifted only their head above
the wall. It would appear, then, that the only body part
exposed for targeting to the soldiers was the head. This is
a direct violation of the guidelines, which state that shot
should be "aimed solely at the legs." Clearly,
when there is no chance of hitting the lower body, rioters
should not be targeted. This can be deduced from the
regulations concerning firing rubber shot at night, which
provide that targeting should only occur where there is
"certain identification of the rioter and his legs."
The violation is made
graver by the fact that it was the head that was targeted.
The high probability of causing serious injury when firing
at the head is well known. Those who fired on Khumeyies and
Fararjeh, then, knew that they risked inflicting serious
injury. This would appear to contradict any rationale for
using rubber-coated metal bullet ammunition, since, used in
such a means, it no longer provides a "safe" means
of crowd dispersal.
Case #3:
Omar Diab Ali Sumrein
Omar Diab Ali Sumrein,
26 years, from Beit-Leqia near Ramallah, gave the following
testimony:
On Friday 29
September I went to al-Aqsa Mosque for the prayers. As soon
as we finished the prayers we wanted to go out of the mosque
building but there was very heavy gunfire from all
directions. I was shot in my left eye with rubber-coated
metal bullets from above, probably from a sniper, so people
carried me to the clinic inside the mosque but the ambulance
was delayed by the Israeli soldiers and arrived after two
hours. They took me to Makassed hospital but there were many
men injured, and transferred me to St. John's eye hospital,
where they checked my eye and conducted an operation on it
immediately.
Did the firing on Omar
Diab Ali Sumrein violate the guidelines given to Israeli
soldiers?
Sumrein was shot in
the head by a sniper, who was obviously not targeting the
lower part of his body. The guidelines also state that
bullets should only be targeted at rioters and not at
innocent people. Here Sumrein was simply coming out of
al-Aqsa Mosque where he had been praying. More worrying,
although outside the scope of these guidelines, is the fact
that the ambulance supposed to carry him for proper medical
attention was delayed for approximately two hours. This is
in clear violation of international humanitarian law and the
most basic principles of humanity.
Case #4:
Omar Mohammed Salim Shaloudi
Omar Mohammed Salim
Shaloudi, 31 years, from the Old City in Jerusalem, married
with four children, gave the following testimony:
On Friday 29
September I was at al-Aqsa Mosque. After the prayers we
heard shouts and gunfire. When we tried to go out we saw the
soldiers shooting in all directions. I was hit by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in my face near the right eye,
from about 100 meters. If it had been closer I would have
lost my eye. I was taken in an ambulance that arrived later
(one hour after the accident, because it was delayed by
soldiers at the entrance) to Makassed hospital, then to St.,
John's eye hospital, where they conducted a surgery to clean
the eye.
Did the firing on Omar
Mohammed Salim Shaloudi violate the guidelines given to
Israeli soldiers?
The firing on Shaloudi
also violates the guidelines. He was not taking part in the
riots when he was shot, and although shot from a distance
greater than the minimal 40 meters provided by the
guidelines, he was shot in the head and not in the legs.
Here also the ambulance who had should have evacuated him
was delayed by the Israeli soldiers.
Case #5 Awad
Issa Awad Mansour
Awad Issa Awad
Mansour, 33 years old, from Bethany, East Jerusalem gave the
following testimony:
On Friday 29th
September, I was in al-Aqsa Mosque. After the end of
prayers, we immediately went out but the Israeli soldiers
and special forces were already there shooting in all
directions. They didn't leave a chance for people to go out.
I was shot with a rubber-coated metal bullet in my left eye,
from about 20 meters. Another man came and tried to help me
but he was shot as well in his back. We ran together and I
was covering my bleeding eye with my hand. I saw women and
children surrounded with Israeli soldiers who were throwing
tear gas at them. A ford transit carried me with other
injured men to Makassed hospital, and after the doctor
checked me he transferred me to St. John's hospital. I
arrived there at about 4 p.m. They checked my eye and
conducted a surgery to remove my left eye.
Was the firing on Awad
Issa Awad Mansour violate the guidelines?
In this case, several
violations are revealed. First, regulations provide that
only rioters should be targeted. Mansour, having emerged
from the Mosque, was clearly not a participant in any riot
action. Targeting the innocent is not only a violation of
the handbook guidelines, but of principles of humanitarian
law as well.
Secondly, Mansour was
shot from a distance of only 20 meters, half of the minimum
firing distance. This is a clear and blatant violation.
Finally, it is noted that the man who came to provide aid to
Mansour after he was injured was also targeted. Thus, the
soldiers not only targeted those who were not participants
in the riots, but those who were trying to do nothing more
than help the injured. This, again, is an inexcusable
violation of principles of humanitarian law.
Case #6:
Ala'a Imad Hamed Badran
The mother of Ala'a
Imad Hamed Badran, 12 years old, from the Old city in
Jerusalem, gave the following testimony:
On Saturday 30
September he went with his father to visit his uncle in
Qalandia. At about 3 p.m. there were clashes on the main
road and he was shot with rubber-coated metal bullets in his
left eye by Israeli soldiers who were about 15 meters away
on the other side of the road. He had a fracture in the
bones of his nose as well. They took him to al-Razi hospital
in Ramallah, from where he was then transferred to St.
John's eye hospital in East Jerusalem. On the way, the
ambulance was delayed by Israeli soldiers at al-Ram
checkpoint.
Did the firing on
Ala'a Imad Hamed Badran violate the guidelines given to
Israeli soldiers ?
This is perhaps the
most disturbing case. The firing on Ala'a violates the
guidelines in several ways. The guidelines state that
rubber-coated metal bullets should in no case be fired at
children. Ala'a is just 12 years old, going to school in the
5th grade. It is unconceivable that he could have been
mistaken for an adult rioter, especially since he was shot
at a distance of just 15 meters, in blatant violation of the
guidelines that provide for a firing range of at least 40
meters. Furthermore, in this case also, the ambulance
carrying him to St. John's eye hospital was unnecessarily
delayed at an Israeli checkpoint. The soldier's actions
cannot be excused or justified for any reason. This is a
grave and inexcusable violation. It should be noted that the
victim's 5 year old brother, Abdallah, was shot with rubber
coated metal bullets the previous day, Friday 29th
September, at al-Aqsa Mosque.
Other Eye
Injury Cases
In addition to the
cases highlighted above, the PHRMG has also received reports
of injuries sustained by the following victims:
- Ahmad Abu Obedideh, 40
years old, from Nahaleen village near Hebron - Sustained
laceration of the lower eye lid after being shot coming
out of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday 29th September
- Hussein Moh'd Othman, 37
years old, from Obeidiyeh - Lost his eye completely and
sustained extensive damage to the upper lid, as well as
possible neurological complications. Shot in the centre
of the square outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday 29th
September.
- Unknown Patient -
Sustained severe eye and head injury at the Al-Aqsa
Mosques incident on Friday 29th September.
- Omar Fawzi Mehesen, 14
years old, from Jerusalem - Shot while running away from
the Israeli army outside of the Al-Aqsa Mosque after
noon prayer on Friday 29th September. Sustained a
sub-conjunctival haemorrage to the eye and severe
swelling to the lower lid.
- Majeed Mufeed Hidqua, 24
years old, from Jerusalem. Hit from debris from a bullet
which ricocheted from a wall in the area of the Al-Aqsa
Mosque on Friday 29th September. Sustained multiple,
deep corneal abrasions.
- Bishar Barghouti, 35
years old, from Ramallah - Shot while a volunteer with
the medical teams in El Bireh, Ramallah on Sunday 1st
October. Sustained laceration of the inner canthus, with
suspicion of an intra-orbital foreign body.
- Moh'd Abdallah Hafez, 20
years old, from Bethlehem - By-stander at Rachel's Tomb.
Sustained blunt trauma to the lids and cheek, giving
rise to severe haematoma of the upper lid, and
laceration of the lower lid on Sunday 1st October.
- Subhiyeh Moy'd, 40 years
old, from Al-Aroub Refugee Camp, Bethlehem - Shot while
standing on the roof of her house. Sustained laceration
to the upper lid, and bruising and swelling around the
eye on Sunday 1st October.
- Ibrahim Al Sabaranah, 20
years old, from Beit Umar - Shot in the center of Hebron
and sustained severe penetrating eye injury requiring
complete removal of they eye on Monday 2nd October.
- Adel Salameh, 22 years
old, from Dahia, Jerusalem - Shot in al-Ram and
sustained a deep laceration to the epicanthus and upper
lid on Monday 2nd October.
Conclusion
Testimonies gathered
by the PHRMG show that Israeli forces are violating the
guidelines for rubber-coated metal bullet use. These
violations have included firing from less than the required
minimum safety distance, firing at the head rather than the
leg, targeting innocent civilians and targeting children.
Used in such a manner, rubber-coated metal bullets can no
longer be claimed as a safe weapon for crowd dispersal.
Instead, they are the cause of serious and disfiguring
injury, and permanent eye loss. The violation of safe firing
standards, as well as the basic principles of humanitarian
law, should not be permitted to continue.
PHRMG
Jerusalem, 3 October 2000 |
