Israel’s Supreme Court has unanimously rejected two petitions brought by human rights groups demanding Israel’s army to stop using snipers and live ammunition against unarmed Palestinian protests in the Gaza Strip.
#Israel's highest court rejects @AdalahEnglish–@AlMezanCenter petition, gives Israeli army green light to keep shooting #Gaza protesters with live ammunition & snipers https://t.co/vykzArhmCg #GreatReturnMarch
— Adalah (@AdalahEnglish) May 25, 2018
The panel of three justices on Thursday sided with the Israeli military, which argued that the protesters constituted a real danger to Israeli soldiers and citizens.
The Israeli Supreme Court has completely aligned itself with the Israeli military's green light for use of snipers & live fire against Palestinian protesters. https://t.co/r3IbyqD0eK Take action: tell our government to #StopArmingIsrael now: https://t.co/L2RogEBAbW
— War on Want (@WarOnWant) May 25, 2018
Israel maintains its forces use of live fire is in line with both domestic and international law, arguing the demonstrations are part of the country’s conflict with Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip.
Gaza’s Great March of Return Continues Despite Israeli Violence (PHOTOS) https://t.co/DWsQXXGQem via @PalestineChron
— Ramzy Baroud (@RamzyBaroud) May 19, 2018
The court’s ruling gave Israel “a green light to its continued use of snipers and live fire against Palestinian protesters”, Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel and Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, which filed one of the petitions, said in a statement on Friday.
“The Israeli Supreme Court completely ignored the broad factual basis presented to it by the petitioners, which includes multiple testimonies of wounded and reports of international organizations involved in documenting the killing and wounding of unarmed protesters in Gaza”.
Adalah: "Supreme Court fully adopts Israeli military’s position, refused to watch videos documenting shooting of Gaza demonstrators; Israeli military has killed more than 100 in Gaza since 30 March"https://t.co/JKKKjL4oV0 https://t.co/JKKKjL4oV0
— ICAHDUK (@ICAHDUK) May 26, 2018
The human rights groups said the court “refused to watch video clips documenting Israeli shootings of demonstrators and, rather than actually examining the case, fully accepted the claims presented to it by the state.
“The extreme nature of the ruling is also highlighted by the striking absence of any mention of the casualty figures that had been presented to the court”.
שופטי בג״צ דחו, פה אחד, את עתירותיהם של ארגוני השמאל הקקיוניים כנגד עמידתו הנחושה והעוצמתית של צה"ל אל מול האויב בעזה. הגיע הזמן שתפנימו שבזמן שאתם מנסים לחזק את אויבנו, צה״ל מגן גם עליכם. מקומן של עתירות אלו מלכתחילה לא בבג״צ וחבל שהעותרים לא שילמו הוצאות כבדות.
— אביגדור ליברמן (@AvigdorLiberman) May 24, 2018
On Twitter, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman welcomed the ruling and criticised the rights groups for challenging the military.
(AJE, PC, Social Media)
