UN urges probe into Israel’s killing of Palestinian amputee

Ibrahim Abu Thuraya, 29, was killed on Friday during the Day of Rage rallies against the US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital. Thuraya had lost his legs during the 2008 Israeli aggression that killed hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza Strip.

In a Tuesday statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said Trump’s “dangerously provocative” decision incited the violence.

Hussein said Abu Thurayeh appeared to have been shot in the head when he was 20 meters from the fence separating Gaza from Israel.  Video footage recorded early on Friday shows Abu Thurayeh carrying the Palestinian flag and waving the victory sign at Israeli soldiers.

“The facts gathered so far by my staff in Gaza strongly suggest that the force used against Ibrahim Abu Thuraya was excessive,” Hussein said.

“As far as we can see, there is nothing whatsoever to suggest that Ibrahim Abu Thuraya was posing an imminent threat of death or serious injury when he was killed.

“Given his severe disability, which must have been clearly visible to those who shot him, his killing is incomprehensible – a truly shocking and wanton act,” the statement pointed out.

Apart from Thurayeh, four other Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire and dozens more wounded during the Friday clashes across the West Bank and near Gaza’s border.

“Israeli security forces have responded with firearms, including live-ammunition, to disperse the protesters,” the UN rights office said.

“These events, including the loss of five irreplaceable human lives, can sadly be traced directly back to the unilateral US announcement on the status of Jerusalem, which breaks international consensus and was dangerously provocative.”

Although Israel claims that it has conducted a preliminary internal probe into the events, Zeid called for “an independent and impartial investigation” to ensure perpetrators are held accountable.

The dramatic shift in Washington’s Jerusalem al-Quds policy drew fierce criticism from the international community, including the US Western allies, and triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco and other countries across the world.

On Monday, the US vetoed a UN Security Council’s resolution calling for the annulment of Trump’s controversial decision regarding Jerusalem al-Quds.

Fourteen members of the 15-member council voted in favor of the Egyptian-drafted resolution, which did not specifically name the US or Trump but expressed “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem” al-Quds, while US Ambassador Nikki Haley wielded Washington’s veto against the call.

Jerusalem al-Quds remains at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians hoping that the eastern part of the city would eventually serve as the capital of a future independent Palestinian state.