Occupation Evades Its Crime…Palestinian Abu Rahmeh Family Presents Second Martyr in Battle against Settlement
Al Intiqad Exclusive- West Bank
Only a few meters away from the home of the Abu Rahmeh family in Bi'ilin village (West of Ramallah), and in the very same place martyr Basel Abou Rahmeh was killed a year and a half ago, Jawaher Abu Rahmeh met the same fate of her younger brother Basel. She was killed with the same fatal "Israeli" occupation weapon.
Bi'ilin village has been the host on every Friday of the past four years for protests, against the occupation's confiscation of land on which the separation wall is being constructed. Bi'ilin, whose people participate together in these peaceful protests, has bid farewell to tens of its people in the same place. The last of these martyrs was Jawaher Abu Rahmeh who was killed on the last day of the year 2010. According to eye witnesses who were present at the time of the incident, the martyr Jawaher had inhaled massive amounts of poisonous tear-gas that was shot at the peaceful protestors, which led to the choking of Abu Rahma who was directly evacuated to the hospital for treatment. Still, doctors were unable to save her life, and she died early morning on Saturday.
The Occupation Denies Its Crime
Not surprisingly, the occupation forces rejected the incident, claiming it is a made-up narration, and allegedly said that the martyr had been suffering health issues. The "Israeli" army claimed that the Bi'lin protest starts usually at 12:00 noon, while documents of the hospital indicate Abu Rahmeh was evacuated to the hospital by 3:30 afternoon. The "Israeli" report also claimed that upon investigation, and upon a blood test, it was revealed that Abu Rahmeh took several medications such as those taken by leukemia patients.
The Abu Rahmeh family rejected the report, and considered it as one of the means the occupation uses to evade its responsibilities embodied in the murder of Jawaher. Her brother Ahmad Abu Rahmeh says "Jawaher did not suffer of any illness or health problems earlier, and it is obvious that the Zionist occupation forces are trying to evade their crime through this report."
Ahmad Abu Rahmeh noted that Jawaher regularly took part in the weekly protests, and that this is not the first time she inhales the tear-gas. He further explained that if Jawaher had suffered any health problem, it would have been evident earlier.
A Regular Participant in the Protests
Ahmad Abu Rahmeh narrated the details of his sister's martyrdom Jawaher, 35 years old, who always participated in the weekly protests that took place in her village Bi'lin. "At 1:00 noon, I left home with Jawaher and my brother Ashraf. Upon our arrival to a spot that is almost 300 meters away from the separation wall, the occupation forces intensely fired tear-gas bombs at us, which emitted thick gas and that was when Jawaher's health deteriorated," he said.
Abu Rahmeh went on to say "a few moments after Jawaher inhaled the gas, she started to throw up and was nauseated, so we directly took her to the hospital. The doctors fought for her life but the next morning, they announced her martyrdom."
Abu Rahmeh added "We were shocked to see the occupation's report, which is no way related to the truth. Jawaher was in good health, she never took ant y medication or treatment. All the medical reports indicate the reason behind her death was the massive inhalation of the poisonous gas, which is internationally banned."
Targeting the Abu Rahmeh Family
Jawaher was not the first martyr in her family because of extreme aggressiveness of "Israeli" soldiers who come out to confront the peaceful families who take part in the protests, particularly, the Abu Rahmeh family.
In 17 April 2009, Jawaher's younger brother Basel was targeted by the "Israeli" soldiers with a tear-gas bomb which directly hit him in the head killing him right away.
In another occupation crime against the Abu Rahmeh's family members, the Zionist occupation soldiers in July 2008 directly shot fire on one of its sons, Ashraf Abu Rahmeh, while he was handcuffed in Ni'ilin village and injured him in the limbs.
Ahmad Abu Rahmeh also says "Our family is just like the other families in the village, suffered so much of the occupation, lost its children and land, but we like all the other families will not yield and will not remain silent, we will fight back until we retrieve our right and our land."
Abu Rahmeh assured that the family will not remain silent towards these claims, and will follow up on the case in order to prosecute those responsible of the killing of his sister Jawaher and her younger brother Basel, despite the failing Zionist attempts of evading its responsibility from these crimes.
