Hundreds protest decision to close probe into Palestinian girl’s death

Sign reads 'No immunity for soldiers in uniform' Photo: Activestills

‘It cannot be that a 10-year-old girl takes a bullet, it is proven that she was killed, and still no one is found guilty,’ protester says; seven people detained during rally

8 August 2007

by Tal Rabinovsky

Police detained seven people during a demonstration held outside the Jerusalem District Court Wednesday in protest of the decision to close the investigation into the death of a Palestinian girl killed last January

Officers said the protesters attempted to break into the building.

Protesters outside courthouse (Photo: Activestills)

Ten-year-old Abir Aramin of Anata, located on the outskirts of Jerusalem, was critically wounded on January 16 during a clash between Palestinian school students and Israeli Border Guard officers in the refugee camp. She lay clinically dead at the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem for three days as doctors fought for her life, but was then taken off life support.

Last week prosecutors told the girl’s family that the investigation would be closed due to “lack of sufficient evidence”.

Yanai Yisraeli, 26, of Tel Aviv said after the rally, “It cannot be that a 10-year-old girl takes a bullet, it is proven that she was killed, and still no one is found guilty.”

“We consider this decision to be racist.”

According to human rights group Yesh Din, eyewitnesses said the Palestinian girl was hit after Border Guard officers pointed their rifles toward her.