Injured Palestinian teen dies of wounds in Jerusalem

Press Release
Friday, 14 May 2011

Milad Ayyash, the 17 year-old who was critically injured yesterday in East Jerusalem passed away at the Muqassed Hospital, after all attempts to save his life failed. The killing comes as tensions soar over upcoming Nakba anniversary.

The heavy-handed response of Israeli authorities to the protest marking 63 years to the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) took a heavy toll, as 17 year-old Milad Sa'eed Ayyash was mortally injured yesterday afternoon during clashes in the Batten al-Hawwa neighborhood of Silwan.

Ayyash, a resident of the Ras el-Amud neighborhood in East Jerusalem was shot in the abdomen with live ammunition as Border Police officers and settlers clashed with local youth. He was evacuated to the Muqassed hospital with no pulse and in critical condition, where he underwent surgery in a failed attempt to save his life. Ayyash was pronounced dead early this morning.

For more details:
Assaf Sharon (Sheikh Jarah Solidairty Movement) 054-494-6274
Jonathan Pollak 054-632-7736

The bullet extracted from Ayyash's abdomen has been found to belong to a handgun. This type of bullet is scarcely used by the Israeli police in crowd control situations. The bullet therefore indicates the likelihood that the youth was shot by one of the settlers' security guards.
Last September, Samer Sarhan, was killed by settler security in Silwan.

Friday has seen harsh Israeli response to protest all across the West Bank and Jerusalem. Soldiers and police carried out dozens of arrests including many in East Jerusalem. Dozens of injuries were recorded throughout the day.

The violent reaction of Israeli security forces to Nakba demonstrations yesterday is proof of Israel's inability to handle Palestinian civil resistance in means other than military. As September looms, it seems as if Israel chooses to tread the same path of neighboring regimes, such as Egypt and Syria, by shooting unarmed protesters in its attempts to quash dissent.