UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations and the United States urged Israel on Wednesday to investigate the fatal shooting of two Palestinian teens by Israeli soldiers last week after footage emerged suggesting the youths posed no immediate threat to troops.

The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco in his Tuesday briefing to the Security Council called for a prompt, independent and transparent investigation into these deaths by the Israeli authorities. “I would also reiterate the call to the Government of Israel to ensure that its security forces adhere strictly to the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement.”

The incident occurred near the West Bank town of Ramallah on May 15, during Palestinian protests marking the day of Nakba, or catastrophe, that commemo­rates Palestinian displacement in the war following Israel’s establishment in 1948. Muhammad abu Daher, 15, and Nadim Nowarra, 17, were among a group throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers outside the Ofer military prison facility near Ramallah.

According to Palestinian medical sources, the two were shot dead with live ammunition.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2014