Qassam rocket in Sderot (archive photo)
Photo: Amir Cohen
IDF checkpoint (archive photo)
Photo: Reuters
Amnesty report one-sided, Israeli officials say
Justice Ministry statement says report slamming Israel’s conduct in territories ‘biased and immoral’, hardly mentions Palestinian terror
“The Amnesty International report on Israel is biased, one-sided, immoral, filled with inaccuracies and hardly mentions the Palestinian terror,” a Justice Ministry statement released on the State’s behalf said Monday.
Exclusive Interview
New report on West Bank charges Israel with 'destruction of hope' of Palestinians with checkpoints and security fence; in interview with Ynetnews, report's author claims her analysis is balanced
The report, "Enduring Occupation: Palestinians under siege in the West Bank," released Monday morning, contains a litany of accusations against Israel, including "unlawful land grabs," causing the deaths of Palestinians with medical emergencies who wait at checkpoints, and "using excessive and unwarranted force" against "international peace activists demonstrating against the fence/wall/."
The Justice Ministry said in response that the report “does not aptly address Israel’s right to defend itself and its legitimate security concerns”.
“The lack of emphasis the report places on the Palestinian terror and on the IDF’s obligation to protect Israel’s citizens as a result of this terror is unreasonable and is intentionally misleading,” the Justice Ministry said.
“A blatant example of the report’s problematic nature is its complete disregard for the war crimes committed by Palestinian terror groups on a daily basis when they attack civilian population centers and the use locals (in Gaza) as human shields.”
The ministry further claimed that the report failed to mention efforts by Israeli law enforcement agencies to uphold human rights.
