ICSPR Calls for a Serious Investigation into the Killing of Yazeed Jaaisha and the Recurring Violations by Security Forces in the West Bank

Date: December 14, 2024

Press Statement
ICSPR Calls for a Serious Investigation into the Killing of Yazeed Jaaisha and the Recurring Violations by Security Forces in the West Bank

The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) strongly condemns the internal clashes and tragic events that occurred this morning, Saturday, December 14, 2024, in the eastern neighborhood of Jenin Refugee Camp, which resulted in the killing of Yazeed Jaaisha, a leader in the Jenin Brigade and a fugitive wanted by the Israeli occupation forces.

These clashes are an extension of ongoing tensions, previous confrontations, and repeated assaults between Palestinian security forces and groups of fugitives. These incidents were sparked by the escalation of security campaigns and the increasing number of politically motivated arrests and assaults carried out by security forces in the West Bank. This situation peaked with the siege of the camp and the initiation of a security operation, as announced by Palestinian security spokesperson Anwar Rajab. He declared new measures to restore order, uphold public safety, enforce the rule of law, and end unrest and chaos in Jenin Refugee Camp.

The actions taken by security forces, coupled with the reactions of some armed groups, have led to a series of tragic incidents, most notably the killing of young man Rabhi Shalabi on December 9, 2024. Shalabi was shot by security personnel while riding his motorcycle to deliver orders, sustaining serious injuries that later claimed his life. Two days later, the Palestinian Authority admitted responsibility for his death.

It is worth noting that, according to documentation by ICSPR and other human rights organizations, Palestinian security forces in the West Bank have caused the deaths of 11 civilians between October 20, 2023, and the present. This includes six individuals from Jenin Refugee Camp: Firas Turkman, Ahmed Abidi, Mohammed Arsan, Ahmed Al-Bali, Rabhi Shalabi, and Yazeed Jaaisha. Others killed include Mohammed Swatfa from Tubas, Mahmoud Abu Luban from Ramallah, and three residents of Tulkarem: Ahmed Abu Foul, Mohammed Al-Khatib, and Moatasem Al-Aref.

Numerous violations have been documented, including frequent assaults on civilians, suppression of peaceful assemblies, and continued politically motivated arbitrary arrests and detentions targeting individuals resisting the Israeli occupation.

Over the past year, attacks on security forces and armed confrontations between these forces and armed groups affiliated with Palestinian factions, such as the Tulkarem and Jenin Brigades, have also been reported. These developments necessitate comprehensive solutions to address the root causes, prevent further internal crises and tensions, and establish a national vision that ensures unity, protects resistance efforts, and upholds the rule of law.

ICSPR reiterates its condemnation of these violations and assaults on civilians and their freedoms, particularly at a time when Palestinians face systematic genocide by the Israeli occupation and the escalating crimes of Israeli forces and settler militias in the West Bank. Such actions constitute a serious infringement on the rule of law and the system of rights and freedoms. ICSPR warns against the continuation of such violations and abuses, which deepen internal tensions and conflicts, and stresses the following:

1. ICSPR calls on the Public Prosecution to conduct a serious investigation into the killing of Yazeed Jaaisha and the recurring incidents of killings by security forces, as well as other assaults on civilians. The results of these investigations must be disclosed, and those responsible must be held accountable to safeguard the rule of law and prevent further tragic events and their detrimental impact on national cohesion and social peace.
2. ICSPR urges security forces to adhere to the rule of law, ethical conduct, and legal principles governing the use of force and weapons when dealing with civilians. They must focus on combating crime and safeguarding the system of rights and freedoms enshrined in Palestinian law and international human rights standards, thereby strengthening their role in protecting citizens, ensuring their safety, and supporting their right to resist settler attacks and Israeli occupation forces’ aggression against Palestinian towns and camps.
3. ICSPR emphasizes that the current circumstances in Palestine—marked by ongoing genocide in Gaza and Israeli crimes in the West Bank—demand urgent action by the Palestinian leadership and government to de-escalate the distressing events in Jenin Refugee Camp. This is essential to prevent diverting attention from the Israeli occupation’s crimes and to ensure the implementation of national consensus resolutions and the restoration of national unity.

4. ICSPR calls on Palestinian political factions, civil society organizations, and communities in the West Bank, especially in Jenin Refugee Camp, to work towards ending all actions that exacerbate internal tensions and unrest. They must promote dialogue and national consensus to preserve social fabric and civil peace, safeguard national unity, and prioritize the collective national interest and the rule of law.

End