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Photo: Alex Kolomoisky
Photo: AP
Questionable interrogation methods? (Illustration)
Photo: AP

US human rights report notes Israel's fight against corruption

Annual State Department Human Rights Report commends Israel for fighting government corruption; cites it for existing discrimination in various fields, treatment of Palestinian detainees

The US State Department's 2007 Human Rights Report dedicated a substantial part to Israel, looking into government corruption, prostitution, discrimination and the observance of human rights, especially when it comes to the Palestinian population residing in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

 

Published on Wednesday, the report noted Israel's fight against government corruption: "Over the past year accusations against several prominent political figures have been probed," said the report, as it lists the action taken by the police, the attorney general and the Finance Ministry's accountant-general in an attempt to fight corruption.

 

The reports cites as examples the investigations against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, former Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson, MK Tzachi Hangebi (Kadima) and former MK Omri Sharon.

 

Looking into religious freedoms, the State Department cites Israel for not treating all denominations of Judaism alike, adding that religious courts often infringe on the rights of both Jewish and Muslim women.

 

Israeli Arabs, said the report, are not fairly represented in the legal and academic communities; and prostitution in widespread as brothels can be found in most major cities.

 

Questionable methods

As for Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the report notes that killings preformed by Palestinian terrorists and Israeli defense forces "continue to be a significant problem," adding an increase in incidents due to "internal violence within the territories."

 

The report further cites several cases in which Israeli forces entered the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rocket fire at the western Negev.

 

As for observing human rights, the State Department's report listed several claims brought forward by several human rights groups, saying the Israeli defense establishment uses psychological duress and threats when interrogating Palestinian detainees.

 

Palestinian detainees, continued the report, are often denied proper legal representation, given that only Israeli lawyers, or Palestinian attorneys living in Jerusalem can do their bidding.

 

The report further determined that while Israeli detention facilities were not up to international code, Israeli prison facilities most certainly are.

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.12.08, 13:07
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