Press Releases

Al Mezan Center Condemns Targeting Fishermen and Injuring Victor

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17 September 2008 |Reference 81/2008

The IOF continues its organized targeting of Palestinians fishermen in mid-sea since the breakout of the Intifada in 2000.
It deprives them from practicing their work by denying their access to the Palestinian fishing zones.
The IOF shrinks their access from 20 nautical miles to less than 3 nm.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights monitored the Israeli gunboats intercepting a number of fishermen and four foreign supporters at around 11:30 on Tuesday, 16 September 2008.
They were boarding Palestinian fishing boats and sailed from the Gaza seaport.
They reached around 10 nautical miles opposite to Khan Younis shore.
The Israeli gunboats opened fire around them.
One gunboat fired a water canon towards one of the fishing boats, breaking its glass and injuring Adam Victor, a 35-year-old Italian supporter.
He suffered shrapnel injuries to his back and right caused by glass fragments and water power.
He was admitted to the al-Awda Hospital.
It is noteworthy that a number of foreign supporters accompany the Palestinian fishermen in some of their fishing journeys to protect them and enable them to do their job.
Al Mezan Center vehemently denounces the harsh and humiliating practices carried out by the IOF against the Palestinian fishermen.
Not only do such practices disregard their human dignity, but also they prevent them from their right to work.
The Center emphasizes that such practices constitute gross violations of the IHL, especially the IOF’s collective punishment on the Palestinian civilians by imposing a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip.
The Center highly appreciates the sacrifices made by foreign freedom defenders and supporters.
It calls for increasing efforts and solidarity with the Palestinian people, securing public protection and increasing peoples’ solidarity activities across the globe.
Al Mezan Center re-calls the international community, especially the signatories to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilians in Time of War, to immediately intervene to halt the Israeli gross violations of the standards of human rights and the IHL when dealing with civilians in the OPT.
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