   
Birzeit Student Executed in Ramallah
Right to Education Campaign, Right to Education Campaign, 30 May 2007
On the 29 May, the 22 year old student sociology student, Omar Abu Daher, was summarily executed by the Israel forces on Rukab St., the main high street of Ramallah. He was in his 4th year of study.
At around 5:40pm, Omar finished his lunch at the popular Nazareth falafel restaurant when a blacked-out white van stopped in front of the restaurant. Omar recognized the van as an undercover operation by the Israeli musta'arabeen (Arab-looking intelligence officers) who ordinarily enter Ramallah in such vehicles, and began to walk in opposite direction down the road.
The plain-clothed Israeli officers jumped out of the van and Omar began to run away. They shot him on his legs and back forcing him to fall over. Ilias Hreesh, the owner of store directly opposite where Omar fell over, said he saw everything clearly: "He was alive when about 8 soldiers wearing civilian clothes reached him. One of them shot him directly in the head from zero distance. They then left him bleeding for 30 mins and prevented any help from reaching him."
The soldiers could have easily arrested him had they wanted to do so. Instead, they carried out yet another extrajudicial execution, illegal under international and human rights laws.
In the aftermath, it turned out that Omar worked for the Presidential Guard and the undercover officers had not come for him.
Yet another innocent life lost while the blanket of impunity under which Israel operates remains intact.
* Watch footage by medical staff and journalists who arrived on the scene.
WARNING: some may find these images disturbing.
Studies & Research: R2E Fact Sheet (17 May 2008)
Studies & Research: 'Israel 60' programme in Arab schools should be cancelled (Adalah) (12 May 2008)
In The Media: Blast kills Gaza teacher in front of her children (12 May 2008)
In The Media: Israeli forces killed 22 Palestinian students over last week (13 March 2008)
Activism News: UCL Union votes overwhelmingly to twin with Palestinian Universities in the West Bank and Gaza ( 6 March 2008)
Students in Detention: Wave of arrests at Birzeit University ( 3 March 2008)
Studies & Research: Gaza Students Face Denial of International Education Opportunities (PCHR) ( 3 March 2008)
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