Israel PM slams U.S. senators for urging probe into killings of Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday slammed a letter penned by U.S. senators calling for a probe into the killings of Palestinians who carried out attacks against Israelis amid flaring violence.

The letter comes a week after an Israeli soldier was caught on video footage shooting a Palestinian attacker in Hebron, who lay wounded on the ground unarmed, at point blank. The attacker and another one died following the attack.

The U.S. lawmakers criticized Israel's alleged abuse of human rights amid what appears to be "extrajudicial" killings of Palestinians who carried attacks against Israelis.

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and the Israeli police do not engage in executions," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday, according to a statement from his office, in response to the letter.

"Israel's soldiers and police officers defend themselves and innocent civilians with the highest moral standards against bloodthirsty terrorists who come to murder them," the Israeli prime minister said.

Netanyahu also criticized the U.S. senators for not turning attention to the "violation of human rights of Israelis" who are victims to attacks by Palestinians.

Twenty-eight Israelis have been killed in stabbing, car-ramming and shooting attacks since the ongoing wave of violence started in October.

At the same time, about 190 Palestinians were killed, some following attacks. Human rights groups and the Palestinians charge that attackers are killed at the scenes even if they no longer pose a threat to Israeli lives.

U.S. media outlets reported on Wednesday that a group of 11 senators, led by Vermont Democratic senator Patrick Leahy, asked U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to investigate Israeli human rights abuses.

The U.S.-based website Politico said on Wednesday the senators sent the letter on Feb. 17, asking to view alleged "extrajudicial killings" and consider defense aid to Israel.

This comes amid U.S.-Israeli negotiations regarding a 10-year military aid package. Israel is the biggest recipient of defense aid from the United States.

The Israeli soldier who was caught shooting a Palestinian attacker last week is the latest in a series of controversial killings of Palestinian attackers.

Military police are investigating the case, seeking murder charges against the 19-year-old soldier, whose identity has not been revealed for publication. He is currently held in a military prison, and a remand hearing will take place on Thursday.

The case sent shockwaves through Israel, with the Israeli defense establishment, namely Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and the Israeli army's chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot urging soldiers to maintain ethics in their dealings with Palestinians.

On the other hand, thousands of Israelis came to support the soldier outside a court hearing on Tuesday, including far right lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman, and some ministers, including Education Minister Naftali Bennett, stepped to defend the soldier's actions, deeming them appropriate "during a time of war."

Netanyahu himself said the incident does not comply with the IDF's code of ethics shortly after it took place, but later softened his tone and said the Israeli soldiers operate under "difficult conditions" that should be taken into consideration.

Israel has also come under attack by Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, who called for a probe into Israel's alleged extrajudicial killings in several incidents.

Israeli officials rebuked Wallstrom's comments, calling her "biased" against Israel and "anti-Semitic."

Israeli leaders charge that the motivation behind the wave of attacks is "incitement to violence" by the Palestinian authority, whereas the Palestinians charge it is the result of 49 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories, where they wish to establish a Palestinian state. Endit