The years 2014 and 2015 witnessed waves of violence and a disregard of the lives of Palestinians across the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Violence against Palestinians continues unabated due to Israeli government policies which target Palestinians, especially in East Jerusalem, and guarantee impunity for Israeli soldiers that use excessive, and often lethal, force against Palestinians.

Palestinians have resorted to protests and demonstrations in responding to Israel's nearly 50-years of belligerent occupation and its associated policies and practices. Such demonstrations have become central to Palestinian resistance. The excessive use of force by the IOF during Palestinian demonstrations displays a disregard for Palestinians' lives and safety and has the objective of stifling entire demonstrations and the will of Palestinians to participate in them.

In 2015, 43 Palestinians were killed during demonstrations, while 57 were killed in demonstrations in 2014. The arbitrary and excessive use of force by the IOF in the last two years has resulted in a pattern of unlawful killings of and injuries to civilian protestors, including children. This is largely because Israeli soldiers are accorded vast powers to suppress protests in the OPT in violation of Israel's obligations under international law. The report examines Israel's use of force to disperse and suppress Palestinian protests in light of international standards."

Click here to download the whole report "A Demonstration of Power: Israel’s Excessive Use of Force resulting in the Killing of Non-Violent Palestinian Protestors and Demonstrators during 2014 and 2015"