September 7, 2005

PHRMG Condemns the Assassination of

Former PA Security Chief, Moussa Arafat

The PHRMG laments the death of Former PA Security Chief Moussa Arafat at daybreak Wedneday, September 7, 2005.. Moussa Arafat was assassinated by Palestinian gunmen in his home. The PHRMG reitrates its strong condemnation for this act of assassination that is flaunted in the face of the world.

According to Haaretz Newspaper, September 7,2005, dozens of gunmen stormed the house of chief Moussa Arafat before dawn and shot him dead in the street outside. Gunmen with rifles and anti-tank grenades battled the guards at Arafat's house for more than 30 minutes before storming in and pulling him outside. There is no immediate claim of responsibility for the killing yet.

Moussa Arafat, 65, is the cousin of late PA leader Yasser Arafat. He was a founder of the ruling Fatah movement and was a senior official in the Fatah Revolutionary Council, a top policy-making body. Arafat was fired by the PA chairman, Mahmoud Abbas in the early 2005. He had been linked to corruption charges and had many powerful enemies, and it was thought that his killing was related to internal conflicts.

In August 2003, Moussa Arafat escaped an assassination attempt after his office was blasted by a rocket-propelled grenade which injured at least 13 Palestinians. In addition, in October 2004, he survived a car bomb that exploded in his convoy.

PHRMG strongly condemns the assassination and reiterates its call for the PA to immediately act to confront the misuse of weapons in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which threatens the safety and security of Palestinian civilians. The PHRMG also calls for Mahmoud Abbas (Abu-Mazen) to take security measures and make reforms aimed at establishing and improving security in the Palestinian territories. The Palestinian Authority should start taking serious measures to question and punish those who are responsible for corruption and violation of law and should start prosecuting those who think they are above the law.

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.

Ragheb Nashashibi Street 5

Sheikh Jarrah-Jerusalem

P.O. Box 19918

East Jerusalem 91198

www.phrmg.org

tel. 972-2-582-3372/3

fax. 972-2-582-3385