International
Israeli soldiers push bodies from rooftops during West Bank raid
Israeli soldiers reportedly pushed three lifeless bodies off rooftops during a raid in the West Bank on 14 September 2023. The incident, captured on video, has sparked criticism from rights groups and calls for an investigation. Although the Israeli military says it is reviewing the matter, rights groups point out that Israel rarely, if ever, takes meaningful action against its soldiers in such cases.
Israeli soldiers were seen pushing three apparently lifeless bodies off rooftops during a military operation in Qabatiya, a town in the northern West Bank, on Thursday (19 Sept), according to an Associated Press (AP) journalist and footage obtained by the news agency.
The incident occurred during a broader Israeli crackdown in the West Bank amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Rights groups allege the action is part of a pattern of excessive force used against Palestinians.
The AP journalist who witnessed the scene reported that soldiers pushed the bodies off adjacent multi-story buildings, while other troops stood below.
This was further corroborated by additional reporters at the site.
In one video, soldiers were seen dragging a stiff body to the edge of a roof and then dropping it. On a nearby rooftop, soldiers swung another body over the edge, while in a third instance, a body was kicked off a roof.
Photos captured by AP show an Israeli army bulldozer near the buildings.
Israel’s military confirmed the operation, stating that its troops had killed four militants during the raid in Qabatiya. The Israeli military acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, stating, “This is a serious incident that does not coincide with IDF values and the expectations from IDF soldiers. The incident is under review.”
The Palestinian Health Ministry, however, confirmed only one death and reported that 10 Palestinians had been hospitalized due to Israeli gunfire. The identities of the deceased and their causes of death remain unclear.
In response to the footage, Shawan Jabarin, the director of the Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, condemned the treatment of the bodies as “savage” and unnecessary, stating that it violated international law regarding the treatment of the deceased, including combatants.
He further expressed scepticism that Israel would conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. “The most that will happen is that soldiers will be disciplined, but there will be no real investigation and no real prosecution,” Jabarin said.
Violence in West Bank
The raid in Qabatiya is part of Israel’s ongoing military operations in the West Bank which is governed by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which have intensified since the outbreak of war with Hamas on 7 October 2023.
Israel has defended its actions as necessary to suppress growing militancy, citing attacks by Palestinian gunmen on checkpoints and inside Israel.
Over 700 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The northern West Bank has been a focal point of violence, with numerous deaths and arrests reported over the past months. Earlier in September, Israel carried out its deadliest raid into the region since the war’s outbreak, killing at least 33 Palestinians.
International Condemnation of Israeli Actions
The Israeli government’s recent approval of nearly 5,300 new homes in West Bank settlements in July further complicates the situation. The international community, including the United Nations and rights organizations, has consistently condemned Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as violations of international law.
On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly passed a nonbinding resolution calling on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories within a year. The resolution, backed by 124 votes to 12, urged Israel to withdraw its “unlawful presence” in the West Bank and pay reparations for damages caused by the occupation. It also supported a previous advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which declared the settlements illegal.
As violence in Gaza continues to dominate global attention, rights groups are increasingly raising concerns about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank, where the situation remains highly volatile.
