Qassem Mohammad Ali Abasi

December 20, 2018: Qassem Mohammad Abasi, 17, was killed by Israeli soldiers near Jerusalem.

The soldiers also  injured two others, after opening fire at their car near Beit El military roadblock, north of the al-Biereh city, in the central West Bank governorate of Ramallah and al-Biereh.

The wounded Palestinians have been identified as Mohammad Hani al-Abasi, 28, and two teens; Mohammad Ma’moun Abasi and his brother Mahmoud.

Except for Qassem. They suffered mild-to-moderate wounds, mainly from shrapnel and glass.

Mohammad Hani al-Abasi told Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic) that they were heading to Ramallah, but road was closed by the army, before an officer told the drivers there that the road is closed, and will remain closed for about two hours.

He added that the officers told them that they must instead take a bypass road near Beit El.

They then turned the car around to try to find another way, and when they were about to leave the area, a bunch of Israeli soldiers and settlers began chasing their car.

“Soldiers and settlers were all around us, behind is and in front of our car, and that is when they opened fire,” Mohammad added, “the tires were punctured, the windshield and the back window were also broken by bullets.”

“Only then we realized that Qassem was shot — I heard Mahmoud al-Abasi shouting his name over and over, and he was in a very critical condition,” Mohammad stated, “I called for an ambulance, and the soldiers forced us all out, but Qassem was injured, unable to move.”

Mohammad said that he and the other passengers were forced by the Israeli army to take Qassem out of the car, even though he had been shot in the back. They did what the army said, and put him on the ground.

The medical team that arrived declared that Qassem was dead – but the army left the teen lying on the ground for an hour until they allowed an ambulance to come.

The army claimed that the driver of the car “broke through the military roadblock,” before the soldiers opened fire at the car, seriously injuring Qassem, who succumbed to his wounds, and added that “it is still investigating the incident.”

Palestinian sources said Qassem was in a car transporting four Palestinians, all carrying Jerusalem ID cards, and just after arriving at Beit El military roadblock, the soldiers suspected that the car “was involved in a shooting” targeting a bus station on the colonialist road #60, close to Ofra illegal colony, east of Ramallah, although  the distance between Ofra and Beit El is about 2 Kilometers, and the fatal shooting that killed Mohammad took place 40 minutes later.

The army closed Ofra junction after the alleged shooting at the bus station, and said that the soldiers fired back, before the army invaded Ein Yabrud nearby town.

Furthermore, the army completely closed various areas in the governorate, including the gate leading to the al-Jalazoun refugee camp, in addition to the towns of Deir Dibwan, Silwad, Doura al-Qare’, and Ein Siniya.

The soldiers also attacked many Palestinians at Ein Siniya Junction, north of Ramallah, after the army stopped and searched dozens of cars.

Furthermore, the army invaded Doura al-‘Qare’, and declared it a closed military zone, before storming and ransacking many shops, causing excessive damage after the soldiers claimed they were unable to find surveillance recordings in the stores.

The soldiers fired gas bombs and concussion grenades at many Palestinian protesters, and prevented journalists and medics from entering the town.

Qassem was from Silwan town, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. Source: IMEMC