PRESS RELEASE

August, 22, 2003

PHRMG Calls on Israel to Stop Assassinations

PHRMG regrets that a prominent leader of the Hamas movement, Ismail Abu Shanab and two of his bodyguards were killed by the Israeli occupying forces in Gaza city yesterday afternoon. In addition, 19 passing Palestinian civilians were wounded. PHRMG condemns this assassination that is carried out by Israeli forces as an indiscriminate use of force amounting to a war crime perpetrated against Palestinian civilians.

Five missiles were launched by Israeli helicopter gunships at a civilian car that was traveling in a street of a very densely populated area. The missiles destroyed the car where Ismail Abu Shanab and his bodyguards were inside. The ambulance extracted the bodies from the car and transferred them to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza city.

The Israeli Army has murdered 138 Palestinians (in addition to 61 Palestinian bystanders) since the start of this Intifada. Assassination is an internationally condemned action, violating several human rights such as the right to a fair trial and the right of safety for other people with or nearby the victim, yet the State of Israel continues to use assassination frequently as a basic part of its military efforts.

Let it be stated clearly that PHRMG is against all acts of violence, military and otherwise. Actions such as assassination, in addition to home demolitions, unbelievably repressive curfews, and the whole list of collective punishment that is thrust upon all Palestinians relentlessly, does absolutely nothing for Israeli security except buy them time before the next attack..

After this assassination that was carried out by Israeli forces, Hamas ended the Hudna. Israel is not concerned of the hudna. If it is concerned for the hudna, then it needs to immediately stop the brutality and gross use of lethal force upon Palestinians which only creates more extremists who have reached their breaking point after tireless suffering. If America is concerned for the hudna, PHRMG recommends they heed the same sentiment and condemn fully the act of assassination that Israel flaunts in the face of the world.

Assassination attacks are not wise for the Israeli population, either. Violence begets violence, and it is proven and stated by Hamas that a retaliation attack will follow. In this way, Israel is bringing disasters to its own people. PHRMG is vehemently against all as over the years of Intifada illustrate, violence begets violence—it always has.

PHRMG strongly condemns this assassination and calls on Israel to stop assassination and violence against the Palestinians. PHRMG also reiterates for the international community and the High Contracting Parties to the Forth Geneva Convention of 1949 to intervene to stop violations of human rights against the Palestinian civilians perpetrated by Israeli forces.

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The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG) is a Palestinian, independent, non-governmental organization working to end human rights violations committed against Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, regardless of those responsible.  The members of the Monitoring Group believe that the strength of democracy and civil society in Palestinian society will be determined by the Palestinian people, through their defense or neglect of human rights.

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