Al-Qalam 
[The Guardian Nigeria]
By Nabeelah Shaikh
The grandson of the late Nelson Mandela, Nkosi Mandla Mandela, is calling for charges to be brought against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the senseless death of three-year-old Palestinian boy, Mohammed Haitham Ibrahim Tamimi.
Tamimi was shot in the head in early June by Israeli soldiers outside his home in the Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh. He died in hospital four days later. His death sparked widespread international outrage.
Mandela, a Member of Parliament, has come out strongly against Netanyahu.
“Those responsible must be charged with his murder …and Netanyahu, his regime and those who act in consort with them have the blood of this innocent child on their hands. Tamimi who was brutally shot outside his home in Nabi Saleh has become the latest victim of Apartheid Israel’s state terrorism. We are appalled by this level of inhumanity and the ongoing crimes against humanity and call for immediate charges to be brought by the International Criminal Court against Netanyahu,” said Mandela.
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of Tamimi’s killing, Israeli occupying forces invaded the village of Nabi Saleh on Friday morning and arrested Wissam Tamimi, who had just turned seventeen, and twenty-two-year-old Mohammed Fadel Tamimi, from their homes.
Both suffer from severe head injuries. The Israeli military blew up the doors of the family homes of the two youths who are suffering from head injuries after being shot in the head by the occupying forces. Mandela condemned the arrests and is calling for the release of both youth.
“This is the harsh reality of Apartheid Israel’s brutality towards those who peacefully protest against its illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. They don’t spare innocent children nor those who require medical care. This is a crime against humanity of the worst kind. We call for their immediate release and call on international agencies such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to intervene as the Apartheid Israel regime has a history of abuse, torture and forced confessions,” said Mandela.
Mandela saluted the brave and resolute people of the village of Nabi Saleh and especially the Tamimi Family for continuing to resist Apartheid Israel’s brutality.
“Their courage in the face of immense injustice and provocation is legendary and inspires others in the internal resistance, Palestinians in exile and all freedom loving people. We stand by them in this dark hour and will continue to support them in their struggle against the brutal Apartheid Israel and the gross atrocities it commits against innocent children, youth and civilians,” said Mandela.
Mandela said apartheid Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands and its continued expansion of illegal settlements is in violation of international law and is the cause of acts of brutality, ethnic cleansing and systematic genocide.
“We also call for justice for three-year-old Tamimi who was killed, and all Palestinian children being butchered by Apartheid Israel. His death takes up the number of children brutally killed by Apartheid Israel in 2023 and the number of Palestinians killed by Apartheid Israel stands at nearly 200 this year,” said Mandela.
He said it was inconceivable that the UN Convention on the Rights of Children carries zero weight for the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity.
“We will not rest until the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the Tamimi family and the Palestinian people. We demand justice for him, for all Palestinian children murdered by Apartheid Israel and condemn in the strongest terms these crimes against humanity,” said Mandela.
In a statement, the State of Palestine said the occupying power is deliberately and systematically targeting Palestinian children and is committing the gravest crimes against them, including killing and maiming, arrest and detention, and countless other untold traumas.
“Mohammed was shot in the head with live ammunition deliberately fired by Israeli occupying forces, which time and again prove their total disregard for Palestinian lives, including of children. Mohammed is the 20th Palestinian child shot and killed by Israel in 202 – another Israeli war crime against a defenseless, innocent child, with no consequences. Israel is not only killing Palestinian children, but is depriving them of their fundamental human rights, hampering their access to education, forcibly displacing them from their homes, detaining and torturing them, and denying them their rights to life,” the statement read.
