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UN Rapporteurs concerned over bloodletting in Palestinian territory, Israel

Xinhua, November 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Two UN Special Rapporteurs on Monday expressed grave concern over the continuing violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and Israel since the beginning of October, in which over 80 Palestinians and around 15 Israelis have reportedly been killed.

UN Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in the OPT, Makarim Wibisono, and on summary executions, Christof Heyns, urged the authorities to carry out independent, thorough, prompt and impartial investigations into all suspected cases of extra-judicial, arbitrary and summary executions.

The UN experts' call for an end to the violence and strict compliance with international law came following allegations of the killing of a Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces during an undercover arrest operation in a Hebron hospital on Thursday last week.

Further fatalities, Israeli and Palestinian, were reported Friday last week and over the weekend.

"Cases of excessive use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinians, including some which appear to amount to summary executions, continue to be reported and some have been captured on video," said the experts in a statement issued Monday.

The experts welcomed the reported clarification by Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to the effect that Israeli security forces are prohibited from firing at a suspected assailant unless an immediate danger to human life cannot otherwise be prevented and that the use of fire must be proportional to the threat.

"This is an important statement as the rhetoric used by certain Israeli politicians and senior members of the police seems to suggest otherwise," Heyns said. Endit