Israel's top court upholds lethal force during Gaza protests
May 25, 2018
Israel's top court has upheld the use of lethal force against Palestinians amid weeks of protests on the Gaza border. The court said the protests took place in the context of Israel's long-running conflict with Hamas.
Image: DW/Y. Boechat
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Israel's Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a legal challenge by six rights groups against the military's use of lethal force against Palestinians in Gaza.
However, the court unanimously sided with the military, arguing that the weeks-long Palestinian protests that raged on the Gaza border took place in the context of Israel's long-running "armed conflict" with the Islamic militant group Hamas. Rules concerning of armed conflict provide greater leeway to use live fire that those governing other law enforcement practices.
Chief justice Esther Hayut said that, despite the ruling, Israel's army should continue its internal review of its actions during the protests.
'Suffering for 70 years'
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Yesh Din, one of the groups that brought the challenge against the Israeli military, slammed the court's decision on Twitter, accusing the judges having "missed an opportunity to prevent the continuation of the killing and injuries."
Israel has defended its actions at the border, insisting that Hamas was using the protests as cover to carry out attacks. It also maintains that live fire is only used as a last resort to prevent actions it considers "a real danger" to troops and civilians living near the Gaza border.
Israel's military rules of engagement drew international condemnation after troops shot dead around 100 Palestinians during two months of protests at the border with Gaza.
At least 62 Gazans were killed and hundreds more were wounded on May 14, as thousands of demonstrators marched on the border to protest the US officially unveiling its new embassy in Jerusalem. It marked the bloodiest day of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 2014 Gaza war.
Several leading powers and international organization — including the United Nations, European Union, Britain and Germany — have called for an independent investigation into Israel's use of force against what mostly appeared to be unarmed protestors.
However, the US, Israel's strongest backer, has vetoed any moves for a probe at the UN-level.
How the Gaza protests against Israel escalated this year
The origin of conflicts in the region could be dated back centuries but this year has seen some key events leading to an escalation in the tension between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza.
Image: Reuters/A. Cohen
Palestinian PM Rami Hamdallah targeted
The convoy of Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah of the West Bank-based Fatah group was targeted as he made a rare visit to Gaza on March 13. The Palestinian Authority said it held Hamas responsible, having failed to provide adequate security. Hamas claimed the attack was aimed at hurting efforts to achieve unity and reconciliation.
Image: Reuters/I. Abu Mustafa
Land Day march
Some 30,000 Palestinians took part in the first of the demonstrations on March 30, marking Land Day, named for the 1976 Arab protests against Israeli plans to expropriate land. Some demonstrators ran at the border fence and 16 were killed by Israeli troops with others injured, and some dying later.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Hams
Netanyahu: 'We will hurt them'
Speaking on April 9 in the Israeli town of Sderot, near Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We have one clear and simple rule and we seek to express it constantly: If someone tries to attack you — rise up and attack him. We will not allow, here on the Gaza border, them to hurt us. We will hurt them."
Image: Getty Images/AFP/G. Tibbon
Protesters injured
Palestinians ran to help a young man injured during the border protest on April 13. Stones had been thrown at border guards and the Israeli troops fired on the demonstrators. Some 45 Palestinians died and hundreds were injured between March 30 and April 27.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Hams
Boy killed on April 20
Protest continued on April 20th, with some Palestinian protesters using kites to transport Molotov cocktails and firebombs over the fence. Israeli snipers killed at least four more Palestinians on April 20th, including a 15-year-old boy. The UN Middle East envoy dubbed the killing "outrageous."
Image: Getty Images/S. Khatib
May 15: US Embassy officially moved to Jerusalem from Tel-Aviv
US President Donald Trump's daugher Ivanka is part of the delegation that opened the new US Embassy in Jerusalem. The transfer of the embassy triggered a fresh wave of protests in which 62 people were killed. The deaths have considerably heightened tensions in the area.
Image: Reuters/R. Zvulun
US no longer seen as partner in Middle East negotiations
As the US celebrated its embassy move from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem, Palestinian protests escalated. The events coincided with the 70th anniversary of the foundation of modern-day Israel, and Nakba Day, when Palestinians recall those who fled or were expelled as Israel was established.
Image: Reuters/I. Abu Mustafa
More than 60 people were killed in protests
Palestinians carried away a protester injured on May 15th after demonstrations marking the 70th anniversary of Nakba.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Khatib
Palestinian youths run from tear gas
Hamas official Salah al-Bardaweel said on Palestinian television that all but 12 of the dead were members of Hamas. Mahmoud Abbas the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization is planning to pursue a war crimes complaint against Israel at the International Criminal Court.
Image: Reuters/I. Abu Mustafa
Israeli airstrikes pound Hamas military targets in Gaza
Following an increase in cross-border violence in mid-July, Israel pounded Hamas military targets in Gaza, while Palestinian militants fired more than 170 rockets and mortars into Israel. Two Palestinian boys, aged 15 and 16, were killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to Gaza's health ministry. Three Israelis were injured after a rocket landed on a residential home in the Israeli city of Sderot.
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/I. Mohamad
Israel temporarily closes its Kerem Shalom cargo crossing with the Gaza Strip
Days later, Israel blocked all fuel and gas transfers through the Kerem Shalom crossing with the Gaza Strip for six days "in light of the continued terrorist attempts of Hamas." Israel's defense ministry said essential food and medicine deliveries would still get through. The crossing had been shuttered to commercial trade a week earlier.
