-Caveat Lector-
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Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 11:01:42 +0100
From: ainews <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Israel/Occupied Territories: Military response to human rights crisis
is only fuelling the cycle of violence
* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International *
3 April 2002
MDE 15/030/2002
58/02
Israel's military action characterised by flagrant human rights
abuses against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories is
fuelling a spiralling cycle of violence, Amnesty International
said today, repeating its call for an international human rights
monitors to be deployed with the aim of protecting Palestinian
and Israeli civilians.
"Amnesty International first called for human rights
monitors to be deployed in Israel and the Occupied Territories in
November 2000. Now, nearly 18 months later and after the killing
of at least 1200 Palestinians and more than 300 Israelis -- the
vast majority civilians -- the international community remains
paralysed."
During the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) reoccupation of
the town of Ramallah, which started with an attack on President
Yasser Arafat's offices on 29 March, the IDF imposed a curfew.
They occupied scores of houses and apartment blocks, confining up
to 60 occupants to one or two rooms. With electricity, water and
telephones cut residents of Ramallah have been living in
increasingly difficult conditions with diminishing stocks of food
and water. There have been reports of looting from occupied
apartments. The IDF have wantonly damaged houses, cars, and
buildings. Offices of human rights organizations have been
forcibly entered by the IDF who ransacked filing cabinets and
smashed computers.
As the IDF has declared Ramallah and Bethlehem closed
military areas, impeding outside observers, journalists, the UN
and the International Committee of the Red Cross from entering,
it is becoming difficult to verify reports of possible
extrajudicial executions including of people under arrest.
However, it appears that five Palestinian policemen were
extrajudicially executed. They were shot dead at close range
after they had been wounded on Friday. Amnesty International has
documented previous cases of killing of wanted men, a practice
referred to by the IDF as "death kill verification".
The IDF has frequently fired at ambulances and medical
workers and prevented them from coming to help the wounded many
of whom have lain bleeding for up to three hours. At least 14
medical workers have been arrested; nine, including the President
of the Palestinian Red Crescent, Yunis al- Khatib, were released
without questioning. At least twenty-five bodies of those who
have died had to be buried in the grounds of Ramallah Hospital
and others have been buried elsewhere because, under the curfew,
their families have been unable to collect them and hold proper
burials.
More than 1,000 Palestinians have been arrested by the
IDF over the past five days. One Palestinian who was released
said he was kept handcuffed and lying down in an unfinished
building exposed to the elements, and was hooded to go to the
toilet. He also reported that, depending on the IDF unit guarding
them, prisoners were beaten at times.
Amnesty International condemned the horrific suicide
bombings, targeted at civilians including medical personnel,
carried out by Palestinian armed groups, stating that nothing can
justify the deliberate killing of civilians. The organization
also expressed extreme concern at the killings in many parts of
the Occupied Territories of Palestinians accused of
"collaboration ".
"However, such flagrant abuses do not excuse the human
rights violations Israel is carrying out against Palestinians
throughout the Occupied Territories," Amnesty International said.
"The logic of revenge and reprisals has brought only misery and
insecurity. Israel must recognise that respect for fundamental
human rights is both a legal obligation and a way out of the
cycle of blood-letting."
Amnesty International welcomed Saturday's UN Security
Council resolution and Mary Robinson's plea for international
observers. Amnesty International supports her proposal that the
Commission on Human Rights send a visiting mission to the area.
"The international community is making strong statements.
It must also take action," Amnesty International said. "For the
sake of Palestinian and Israeli civilian lives, it is time that
the international community put pressure on the Israeli
government to accept international human rights monitors in
Israel and the Occupied Territories."
With regard to the crisis in Israel and the Occupied
Territories Amnesty International believes that:
$ The IDF and Israeli authorities should cease violations
of human rights and humanitarian law, including unlawful killings
and excessive use of lethal force; destruction of Palestinian
homes and property; closures of towns and villages; arbitrary
arrests; torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
of Palestinians; hindering access of medical professionals and
medical care; hindering access of international humanitarian
organizations, human rights organizations and journalists.
$ Palestinian armed groups must cease targeting Israeli
civilians and end unlawful killing of Palestinians. Palestinian
authorities should condemn all killings targeting civilians and
make maximum efforts to stop them.
$ Any workable cease-fire or peace must address the fact
that this conflict is fuelled by human rights abuses. A
cease-fire which fails to address the human rights of all cannot
bring security.
$ The international community should act immediately to
deploy international observers with a strong, transparent human
rights monitoring component.
$ Unlawful killings must be investigated and those who
have carried out or ordered them, whether from the Israeli
authorities, Palestinian authorities or armed groups must be
brought to justice.
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