On 8 March 2012, during an arrest operation targeting a man suspected of 'financing terrorism', a Palestinian man stabbed an Israeli soldier in the neck, leading him to open fire on his assailant. Shooting randomly at the crowd, the soldier hit Abu Arram in the head. Although an ambulance quickly arrived on the scene, Abu Arram's family reported that the Israeli Forces prevented the doctors from getting to the victim for almost an hour. When they were finally able to reach him, Abu Arram was already dead.

Despite several discrepancies between the Israeli Defence Forces' official statement and the witnesses' testimonies, the Israeli authorities did not conduct any investigation into his death. This is a violation of the right to life, protected by Article 6 of International Convention on Political and Civil Rights (ICCPR), and which imposes an obligation on the State to investigate the case, especially when committed by an agent of the State.

In light of this information, Alkarama solicited the intervention of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, to request the Israeli authorities to conduct an impartial investigation into the death of Abu Arram and bring any person to justice, if misconduct is revealed.

For more information or quotes by Alkarama's Executive or Legal Director or local partners, please contact the media team on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Dir: +41 22 734 1007 Ext: 810).