Shaden Abu-Hijleh
Shaden Abu-Hijleh | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | October 11, 2002 | (aged 61)
Occupation(s) | Peace activist, philanthropist |
Shaden Abu-Hijleh (February 15, 1941 – October 11, 2002) was a peace activist[1] and philanthropist.[2]
Family background
Shaden Abu-Hijleh was born as Shaden Abdel Qader Al Saleh, the daughter of Abdel Qader Al Saleh who belonged to the Al Haj Mohammed family. He was from the village Talfeet in southeast Nablus. He worked as a teacher between 1930 and 1950 and was a member of the Jordanian parliament for 30 years, holding positions like minister of defense, agriculture, and public works. Her mother, Fatimah, belonged to the Abu-Ghazaleh family.
Personal life
Shaden Abu-Hijleh studied at the public schools in Nablus and graduated from high school in 1958. She continued her studies at Women Teachers’ College in
Activism
Shaden became an activist within the
Death
On October 11, 2002 an IDF army jeep stopped outside her house and opened fire at a distance of about 30 yards.[3][4] Bullets came in through the window. Two hit her in the heart and neck. Her husband Jamal and son Sa’ed received minor injuries.[5][6] At least 14 bullet casings were found on the scene.[7] The casings were identified as M16 or Galil rifle ammunition.[2] She was buried on October 14. Speakers at her funeral included the All Party Coordination Committee, the governor of Nablus, humanitarian associates and Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestine Medical Relief Association.[8]
The Israeli army reported that the soldiers had thought they were under attack and returned fire.
Ariel Sharon promised both the United States and the European Union that the case would be investigated.[7] At first the IDF said they were responding to disturbances.[2] The initial IDF report said she was hit by a stray bullet. The result was not accepted and a second investigation conducted, but the results were not made public.[11] Due to the pressure from Shaden's family, the IDF investigation was more rigorous than usual.[12] The Military Police probe said that the soldiers fired at the house as a deterrent because a man tried to leave a house during the curfew. One result of the investigation was that the IDF is no longer allowed to fire to enforce the curfew.[13]) nor consider the walls of houses a "natural boundary".[14] Two and a half years after the shooting, Colonel Harel Knafo, who at the time was in command of the Samaria Brigade, and the commander of the company operating in the area was brought before a disciplinary tribunal charged with overstepping their authority to the point of endangerment of life and welfare.[15] The ten soldiers denied firing at the house and had no memory of who fired. None of them said they were in danger nor that they were firing at a "wanted man" escaping. The platoon commander stated "there were no violent disturbances or shooting from the direction of the home of the woman who was killed".[16]
References
- ^ "US forces Israel to probe alleged abuses by troops". www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ a b c "Attention builds over a slain civilian". Christian Science Monitor. January 10, 2003.
- ^ a b c "ipage_1.htm". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ "Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/14/2003 | Slain mother personifies fighting's toll on innocents". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ Army Jeep Open Fire at a civilian Villa, Radio Tariq Al Mahabbeh
- ^ "Ha'aretz - Article". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ a b "Ha'aretz - Article". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ The funeral of Shaden Abu Hijleh, Radio Tariq Al Mahabbeh
- ^ "Tribute From A Distant Stranger: Palestinian's Obituary Raises Controversy". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ "ctnow.com: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ "Israeli Army Probes Slaying of Palestinian Grandmother".
- ^ "GN Online: U.S. forces Israel to probe crimes against Palestinians".
- ^ "Ha'aretz - Article". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ "Ha'aretz - Article". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ "Haaretz - Israel News - Article". www.remembershaden.org.
- ^ "Haaretz - Israel News". www.remembershaden.org.
External links
- video
- "The assassination of Shaden Abu Hijleh by the I.D.F". 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-05. Saed Abu Hijleh recounts the circumstances of his mother's death (13:35 mins).