Shot dead on the way to pray

Jerusalem, 9 September (EAPPI) - Five months since an Israeli border policeman shot dead an unarmed Palestinian worshipper on the steps of the Ibrahimi Mosque in central Hebron, no official investigation has been launched into the incident.

Mystery surrounds the death of 19-year-old Hammam Nasseredin at the sensitive site, which is revered by Jews, Muslims and Christians as the Tomb of Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their wives). There has been no official apology by the Israeli authorities and nobody has been charged over the killing, in spite of calls by Israeli human rights campaigners for a full investigation.

On the evening of 6th May, Hammam arrived at the site to attend the evening prayer. He was a regular attendee at the mosque, according to his cousin Nidal. He would have been familiar with the extensive security measures in place at the site since 1994, when the American-Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein entered the mosque and shot dead up to 52 Palestinian Muslims at prayer.

Palestinian worshippers at the Ibrahimi Mosque must now pass through 3 checkpoints in order to enter it. These checkpoints are equipped with automated metal detectors and manned by the Israeli Border Police. 

Hammam, whose family say he was running late for the evening prayer, passed through the first two metal detectors without being stopped. He was on his way to the third, at the entrance to the mosque, when he was shot. How this happened is still open to speculation.

Initial reports on the Israeli television network Channel 10 claimed that Hammam had disarmed a Border Policemen, taken his weapon and started shooting at another officer. The guards were thus forced to return fire in defence of their colleague.

But the network later reported that Hammam had disobeyed an order to stop, and had begun running up the stairs. A third report said that realising he was late for prayers, Hammam had began to run up the steps towards the mosque, prompting the border guards to open fire.

Hammam’s family support this view, saying blood had been found on the steps. They believe that Hammam started running up the stairs because the final words of the prayer call were being chanted, commencing the prayer.

Nasserdin’s wounds add to the speculation. Doctors who examined his body found exit wounds on both his chest and his back, say his family. This would indicate that he was shot by officers at both the top and the bottom of the stairs. Had he been armed, he would have been far outgunned by the border police at the two checkpoints.

However, the family say doctors also found wounds on his legs which had not bled, indicating that they were inflicted after his death – possibly in an attempt at a cover-up. In the absence of an independent investigation, the significance of these wounds remains a matter of speculation.

A fourth broadcast on Channel 10 stated that Israeli officials had gone to the family’s home to apologise because Nasserdin, who was not armed, had posed no security threat. According to Nasserdin’s family, no such official spoke to them, and no apology from any Israeli agency has ever been issued. 

The Israeli Human rights organisation B’tselem says it has been in court for four years  to speed up the investigation process for such cases.

Nasserdin is survived by his parents, 4 brothers and 3 sisters. They say they will continue to seek justice and a full investigation into his death.