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The committee investigating the case of Banat will release its findings today

The Banat Family demanded the formation of an international investigation committee

Jerusalem24 – The government committee to investigate the death of activist Nizar Banat is expected to issue its final report and recommendations today. While Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh confirmed that whoever is proven to be related to the matter will be referred to the judiciary, Banat’s family announced that it does not recognize the work of the committee, calling for an international investigation committee.

For its part, Banat’s family rejected the investigations of the investigation committee set up by the government. Banat’s family said in a press conference yesterday evening, “Nizar’s case is an international case and an international investigation committee must be formed to investigate the case, and the governmental committee that investigates does not concern us.”

The Palestinian political activist Nizar Banat.

The family added in the press conference, next to Nizar Banat’s house in the city of Dura, The investigation committee is empty of its content, and we do not need such a committee.

The family said that it bears the responsibility to the Minister of Interior, the head of Preventive Security, and the force that killed Nizar.

Nizar’s father said, “We, as the Banat family, were not contacted by any Palestinian authority official regarding Nizar’s killing, and what happened was a crime that had planning, motive, implementation, commissioning, and the subsequent attempt to cover it up.”

Nizar’s brother continued, during the conference, “We confirm that the Attorney General and the Public Prosecution did not issue a warrant to bring Nizar, and what was mentioned in the statement of the Governor of Hebron is pure slander against Nizar, and we challenge anyone who says there is a warrant from the Public Prosecution.”

Nizar’s brother said, “As a family we asked that Dr. Hazem Al-Ashhab withdraw from the government investigation committee, he is the family’s representative in the autopsy and will not be replaced, and we wonder how Dr. Hazem Al-Ashhab can be a member of a security investigation committee? The Committee’s composition is incorrect and improper.”

He added, “Nizar’s issue has crossed the borders of Palestine, and Nizar is not ours as a family, and his case is an international issue, and the components of the investigation committee must be international. We want an international investigation, and we are not concerned with the investigations of the governmental committee.”

And Banat’s family warned against being drawn into rumors or names that were published on social media, in which it is alleged that they were involved in the killing of Nizar Banat.

His brother added, “they want the families of Hebron to clash with each other, and we will not be dragged behind that.”

Nizar’s father stressed in saying, “I repeat, we, as the Banat family, do not accuse anyone. We will put our hand in the hands of everyone who tries to reveal who killed Nizar. The case is not one  individual. We have an organized crime whose perpetrator is unknown with conclusive evidence preventing the killing. The murder was committed by a professional who committed it in two steps, the first was to hit him in the head with four injuries, then he was hit in the chest. Nizar was killed. He suffocated. Between the start of the killing and his arrival at the hospital there were 17 minutes and the process was finished. Our hand is in the hands of any institution that tries to reveal who killed Nizar.

Shawan Jabarin, representative of the Council of Human Rights Organizations, said that the preliminary investigation into the Banat case revealed traces of severe beatings throughout his body, which led to 10 fractures in the rib cage, five on each side, leading to the filling of the lungs with bloody fluid. “Clearly, but we await the results of the comprehensive investigation carried out by Al-Haq and the Independent Commission for Human Rights,” said Jabarin

He added during an interview with “Watan Agency,” There are many legal notes on the arrest process, for example, Palestinian law does not allow raiding homes in the middle of the night, adding, “Nizar did not have hostages and did not pose any danger to anyone until they justified storming the house at three in the morning.” .

He continued, “There are hundreds of people against whom subpoenas have been issued and they have not been implemented, while they were directed to arrest Nizar in the H2 area, which entry requires coordination with the occupation, at a time when we did not hear from any party, whether the prosecution or others, that Nizar committed a crime that warrants all this speed of fetching.”

Mohammad Hamayel

Ramallah based journalist, Mohammad graduated from Al-Quds University with a B.A. in Media and Television. He has covered the 2015 Jerusalem Intifada as well as the Great March of Return for international media outlets. currently an editor/presenter at Jerusalem24. A UN alumni and a follower of global events and politics, especially American affairs.

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