UN raises alarm over possible ‘summary executions’ by Israeli troops
UN experts warn that Israeli security forces may have used excessive force against Palestinians and call for 'an end to violence by all.'
Israeli security forces have used excessive force and may have carried out summary executions against Palestinians amid a surge in violence since the start of October, United Nations experts said Monday.
"Cases of excessive use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinians, including some which appear to amount to summary executions, continue to be reported," said the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian Territories, Makarim Wibisono, and the expert on summary executions, Christof Heyns.
They called for an "end to the violence by all and strict compliance with international law."
In a bid to halt a wave of knife, gun and car-ramming attacks in recent weeks, Israeli authorities have moved to expedite demolitions of suspects' homes, a controversial measure meant to act as a deterrent.
Confrontations and clashes have erupted in the past over such demolitions, but they have rarely been as deadly as Monday's at the Qalandiya refugee camp, where Israeli forces shot dead at least two Palestinians when heavy clashes erupted.
The camp, established in 1949 and which has grown into a town, is just beyond a checkpoint leading from East Jerusalem to the West Bank.
"We urge the authorities to carry out independent, thorough, prompt and impartial investigations into all suspected cases of extra-judicial, arbitrary and summary executions, and to provide compensation to the victims or their families," the U.N. experts said.
According to the Israeli military, hundreds of Palestinians in Qalandiya threw rocks and firebombs at security forces, while some opened fire.
Palestinian medics identified those killed as Ahmed al-Ayesh, 28 and a father of three, and Laith Manasra, 21.
Since October 1, attacks against Israelis by Palestinians, clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli security forces and mutual aggression between Palestinians and Israeli settlers have resulted in the deaths of 12 Israelis and 83 Palestinians. The majority of Palestinians who have been killed were shot after carrying out or attempting to carry out an attack.
