Dr. Saeb Erekat on Israeli Killing of Palestinian Teenager Mahmoud Badran

Last night, the Israeli Occupation Forces opened fire at a car in the area between Beit Ur Al- Tahta and Beit Sira, carrying a group of Palestinian teenagers coming back from a visit to the only nearby swimming pool. The incident took place near a bypass road for Israelis, built on private Palestinian land, which is referred to as “road 443” also known as the “Apartheid Road.”

As a result, the Israeli Forces murdered Mahmoud Ra’fat Badran, 15 years-old. Additionally, two of his brothers were injured: Amir (16 years-old) and Hadi (17 years-old), along with Daoud Abu Hassan (16 years-old) and Majd Badran (16 years-old) who is visiting his family during this summer.

We condemn in the strongest terms this brutal attack. This cold-blooded assassination reaffirms our calls to the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, to initiate an immediate extensive investigation into Israeli extrajudicial killings of Palestinians; particularly children. The international community has the responsibility to stop allowing Israel’s impunity for the crimes it commits against the occupied land and people of Palestine.