Zionist Terror 142

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	NEWSLETTER 30 Jun. 2013 B'Tselem - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
	Soldiers and dogs of Oketz Canine Unit. Photo: IDF Spokesperson, accessed from Wikipedia.
	Dear Friends,  Earlier this month, we wrote to the Legal Adviser in Judea and Samaria, demanding that he ban the Israeli military’s use of attack dogs against unarmed civilians. Our letter was written in light of an incident in which two Palestinians who were arrested while trying to enter Israel for work were first attacked by military dogs.  In addition to this latest incident, we have documented ten other cases over the past two years in which Palestinian civilians were attacked by military dogs: some Palestinians were attacked trying to enter Israel for work; others were attacked while demonstrating or throwing stones; and in other cases, the attacks occurred while military forces were carrying out arrest missions in residential areas.  In March 2012, a military dog attacked a Palestinian demonstrator in Kafr Qadum. A B’Tselem camera volunteer filmed the incident, and the footage was aired on many media channels. Three months later, in June 2012, the military announced that dogs would no longer be used in demonstrations.    However, the military is apparently still using dogs in other situations, enabling attacks against Palestinian civilians. Setting attack dogs on civilians is inherently wrong. The use of dogs is dangerous in that they cannot be fully controlled. The use of dogs intimidates the population at large and has already caused severe harm to civilians. Therefore, the military must cease and desist from using attack dogs against civilians.  Sincerely yours, Noam Raz, Data Coordinator of security forces’ violence against civilians B’Tselem reiterates demand that military cease using dogs to attack civilians B’Tselem has written to the Legal Adviser in Judea and Samaria demanding that he prohibit the use of attack dogs against Palestinian civilians. The letter follows a recent incident in which two Palestinians trying to enter Israel for work were attacked.  READ MORE >> Writers visit South Hebron Hills in West Bank, appeal to prevent expulsion of Palestinians from Firing Zone 918 Prominent Israeli writers Zeruya Shalev, Eyal Megged, Sayed Kashua and Alona Kimhi visited the South Hebron Hills in the West Bank on 25 June 2013. The writers met with the Palestinian residents of the village of Jenbah, who told them about the reality of their lives and the danger they face of being expelled from the site, which the military has declared “Firing Zone 918”. READ MORE >> Separation Barrier surrounding al-Walajah to leave family isolated The planned route of the Separation Barrier around the village of al-Walajah will sever the Hajajleh family from the rest of the village. The only link between their home and the rest of the village will be an underground passageway with a gate that only members of the family would be allowed to cross without prior coordination. Once the Separation Barrier around al-Walajah is completed, the Hajajleh home will be isolated and the family will be denied the possibility of normal daily life. READ MORE >> Hamas authorities execute two people in Gaza On 22 June 2013, Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip executed two Palestinian men sentenced to death by the military court in Gaza: ‘Imad Mahmoud Ibn Ghalyun, 49, Hussein Yusef al-Khatib, 43. Since Hamas seized control of Gaza, 15 people have been executed there. B’Tselem condemns the use of capital punishment, which is both immoral and a grave violation of human rights. The state may not take a person’s life and violate that person’s right to life as a punitive measure, even if ostensibly for the purpose of law enforcement. READ MORE >> Video footage: Settlers torch toolshed in ‘Asirah al-Qibliyah, 200 meters from military post B’Tselem CCTV footage of masked settlers setting fire to a toolshed in the village of ‘Asirah al-Qibliyah, northern West Bank, 18 June 2013. Settlers claimed responsibility for the arson in a settler website. B’Tselem demands a police investigation to apprehend the perpetrators, as well as a military inquiry into whether soldiers were on duty at the nearby post - just 200 meters from the shed - while the attack took place and, if so, why they did not apprehend the perpetrators. READ MORE >> Soldiers come to arrest youth: beat and wound him and his sisters. IDF Spokesperson: “Response was minimal” On 26 May 2013, the military came to the home of the ‘Awads in Budrus to arrest ‘Abd a-Rahim ‘Awad. A younger son, Samir, had been killed by Israeli soldiers in January. In the course of the arrest, soldiers used force against ‘Abd a-Rahim and his family and damaged the house. The military stated that the family had violently resisted the arrest and that the soldiers’ response was “minimal”. To justify the soldiers’ behavior, the military released an edited video clip of the incident. B’Tselem’s research indicates that, contrary to the military’s version, the soldiers acted violently from the very start, even before the family had a chance to resist.  READ MORE >> B’Tselem seeks International Relations Associate B’Tselem seeks an organized, idealistic professional for an exciting opportunity within a challenging, fast-paced and rewarding environment. This is a full-time position based in Jerusalem. READ MORE >>