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STORY: GENEVA / GAZA DEMONSTRATIONS REAX
TRT: 2:45
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 27 APRIL 2018 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“During the past four weeks, 42 Palestinians have been killed and over 5,500 injured – 1,739 of them by live ammunition fired by the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) – along the fence. Thirty-five of those killed were taking part in demonstrations as part of the so called ‘Great March of Return”. Most of them appear to have been unarmed or not presenting an imminent threat to the ISF at the time of their killing or injury. No Israeli casualties have been reported in this period.”
4. Med shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“It is difficult to see how tire-burning or stone-throwing, or even Molotov-cocktails thrown from a significant distance at heavily protected security forces in defensive positions can be seen to constitute such threat. In the context of an occupation such as Gaza, killings resulting from the unlawful use of force may also constitute willful killings which are a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
6. Close up, journalist
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“These trends call into question to what extent the ISF’s rules of engagement, which are not public, are in line with international law, or at least to what degree the ISF is abiding by its own rules. The deaths and injuries sustained in Gaza over the past weeks also underline the importance of a strong accountability system for any alleged crime, as highlighted by the Secretary-General when he called for an independent and transparent investigation into the recent killings”.
8. Close up, hands typing
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The High Commissioner says he is extremely concerned by the end of today and next Friday, and the Friday afterwards – more unarmed Palestinians who were alive this morning will have been killed, simply because, while exercising their right to protest, they approach the fence, or otherwise attracted the attention of the soldiers on the other side. Israel’s failure to consistently prosecute violations committed by members of its security forces, encourages them to use deadly force against their fellow unarmed human beings, even when they present no threat”.
10. Close up, journalist
11. Close up, journalist
12. Med shot, journalists
13. Close up, writing
United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said today Israel must ensure that its security forces do not resort to the use of excessive force, following the many deaths and injuries sustained by the Palestinians in Gaza over the past month.
OHCHR’s spokesperson Rupert Colville told media in Geneva Friday (27 Apr), that “during the past four weeks, 42 Palestinians have been killed and over 5,500 injured – 1,739 of them by live ammunition fired by the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) – along the fence”. He added that “thirty-five of those killed were taking part in demonstrations as part of the so called ‘Great March of Return”. Most of them appear to have been unarmed or not presenting an imminent threat to the ISF at the time of their killing or injury. No Israeli casualties have been reported in this period”.
Since late March thousands of Palestinians have been demonstrating every Friday in the so called “Great March of Return” along the Israel-Gaza border, many throwing stones or burning tyres at Israeli security forces.
Colville recalled that under international law, Palestinians have the right to peaceful assembly and expression. Israel security forces, in policing the Gaza fence, must use only necessary and proportionate means to discharge their duties. They may resort to lethal force in cases of extreme necessity, as a last resort in response to an imminent threat of death or risk of serious injury.
Colville said that “it is difficult to see how tire-burning or stone-throwing, or even Molotov-cocktails thrown from a significant distance at heavily protected security forces in defensive positions can be seen to constitute such threat. In the context of an occupation such as Gaza, killings resulting from the unlawful use of force may also constitute willful killings which are a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
According to OHCHR, the events of recent weeks build on a background of years of concerns expressed by the UN and others of excessive use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Gaza.
Colville said “these trends call into question to what extent the ISF’s rules of engagement, which are not public, are in line with international law, or at least to what degree the ISF is abiding by its own rules”. He said that “the deaths and injuries sustained in Gaza over the past weeks also underline the importance of a strong accountability system for any alleged crime, as highlighted by the Secretary-General when he called for an independent and transparent investigation into the recent killings”.
Through his spokesperson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed that every country has the primary human rights obligation to ensure that all loss of life and serious injury is investigated and those responsible must be held to account under the criminal law.
Colville said “The High Commissioner says he is extremely concerned by the end of today and next Friday, and the Friday afterwards – more unarmed Palestinians who were alive this morning will have been killed, simply because, while exercising their right to protest, they approach the fence, or otherwise attracted the attention of the soldiers on the other side”, Colville quoted. He added that “Israel’s failure to consistently prosecute violations committed by members of its security forces, encourages them to use deadly force against their fellow unarmed human beings, even when they present no threat”.
The impact on children is of great concern. Since 30 March 2018, four children have been shot dead by Israeli forces, three of them by a bullet to the head or neck. 233 children have been injured by live ammunition, with some sustaining injuries that will result in lifelong disabilities.
