Palestinian Youth 'Killed By Live Fire'

By Tom Rayner, Middle East Reporter

Initial results of a post-mortem investigation into the death of a Palestinian youth killed during a clash with Israeli forces, show he was killed by live fire, according to rights groups.

Nadim Nawara, 17, and 16-year-old Muhammed Abu Thahr both died after apparently being shot during protests in the West Bank town of Beitunia in last month.

A post-mortem of Nadim Nawara carried out yesterday is said to have found entry and exit wounds consistent with live bullets, as well as lead fragments.

Both deaths were captured by CCTV cameras, appearing to show the teens walking without posing any apparent threat. The footage was released by the organisation Defence for Children International.

The Israeli authorities have claimed only rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades were used that day by the Border Police officers and soldiers present, and Israel's Defence Minister has made statements implying the CCTV footage had been doctored.

Huge crowds attended the funerals of Nadim Nawara and Muhammed Abu Thahr

The incident took place during Nakba Day demonstrations - the annual marking of what Palestinians see as the 'catastrophe' of the violence and displacement that occurred during the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.

The deaths sparked widespread condemnation, with accusations being made by rights groups that the pair had been unlawfully killed and were posing no threat to Israeli forces.

In the days after the US State Department called on the Israeli government to conduct a 'prompt and transparent' investigation to establish whether or not the use of force was proportional to the threat posed'.

Nadim's body was exhumed yesterday after permission was granted by his family and religious authorities.

The post-mortem was carried out at the Palestinian Institute of Forensic Medicine, with Israeli experts from a centre in Tel Aviv as well as international observers present.

Siam Nuwara, Nadim's father, told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the exhumation was necessary to prove his son was killed unlawfully.

"We agreed to this very drastic move to prove to Israel and the international community that Nadim was shot with live ammunition," said Mr Nuwara.

Family members mourn the two teenagers

Although the official results of the post-mortem have yet to be published, human rights groups B'tselem and Al Haq, as well as and sources who attended the investigation, have told local media there was a clear conclusion that Nawara had been killed by a live bullet.

Israel's Channel 10 News reported that an exit wound was discovered on Nawara's side and back.

Their correspondent claimed this strengthened the assessment that he was shot in the front by Israeli forces and raised the possibility that officers involved had lied during the military's initial inquiries.

The Nuwara family are reported to have handed over a bullet, which was found in their son's rucksack, and which they claim killed him, to Palestinian prosecutors.

Senior Palestinian officials have suggested the deaths represent "excessive and indiscriminate violence", which they claim constitutes a war crime.

The Israeli Defence Forces have refused to comment on the reports, saying that the investigation is on-going.

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