UN human rights experts yesterday called for an impartial and independent investigation into the killing of a 15-year-old boy by Israeli forces at a West Bank protest this month, saying they were deeply troubled by the overall lack of accountability for the killings of Palestinian children in recent years. 

The experts stated: “The killing of Ali Ayman Abu Aliya by the Israeli Forces – in circumstances where there was no threat of death or serious injury to the Israeli Forces – is a grave violation of international law. Intentional lethal force is justified only when the security personnel are facing an immediate threat of deadly force or serious harm.”

Civil society organisations and the UN Human Rights Office indicated that on 4 December, Palestinian youths in Al-Mughayyir protested against the construction of a nearby illegal Israeli settlement outpost. They had thrown stones at Israeli Forces, who responded with rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas and, eventually, live ammunition.

Hence, Abu Aliya was hit in the abdomen with a bullet from a 0.22 Ruger Precision Rifle, fired by an Israeli soldier from an estimated 100-150 metres. He died later that day in hospital. The human rights experts are unaware of any claims that the Israeli security forces were in danger at any point of death or serious injury.  

The experts said Abu Aliya was the sixth Palestinian child living in the West Bank to be killed in 2020 by Israeli forces using live ammunition. According to information received, it is understood that 1,048 Palestinian children have been injured by Israeli forces across the Occupied Palestinian Territory between 1 November 2019 and 31 October 2020.

“Children enjoy special protected rights under international law,” the experts said. “Each of these killings raises deep concerns about Israel’s adherence to its solemn human rights and humanitarian law obligations as the occupying power.”

The Israeli Forces announced that they would conduct an investigation into Abu Aliya’s killing. The human rights experts noted, however, that investigations by the Israeli Forces of fatal shootings of Palestinians by its soldiers rarely result in appropriate accountability.

Civil society organisations have documented the deaths of 155 Palestinian children by Israeli Security Forces using live ammunition or crowd-control weapons since 2013. 

“This low level of legal accountability for the killings of so many children by Israeli security forces is unworthy of a country which proclaims that it lives by the rule of law.” 

“We call upon the Government of Israel to either conduct an independent, impartial, prompt and transparent civilian investigation according to international standards into this deeply troubling human rights record, or to allow an international impartial and independent human rights review to be conducted,” the experts added.

“Such an investigation – domestic or international – must be directed towards ensuring that children living under occupation no longer face death or injury when exercising their legitimate right to protest, and that the culture of impunity for military misconduct is ended.”