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TITLE: Law Director Meets Dutch Foreign Minister |
AUTHOR: |
PUB: LAW |
DATE: January 16, 2001 |
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Attorney Khader Shkirat, Director General of the Palestinian Society for the rotection of Human Rights and the Environment, met Dutch Foreign Minister r. Ven Aartsen on Tuesday 16 January 2001 in The Hague. r. Shkirat discussed the blatant Israeli human rights violations and xcessive use of force against Palestinians in the current crisis, during hich Israeli forces have so far killed 321 Palestinians (including 105 hildren) and wounded approximately 12,000. He also condemned the nvolvement of Israeli settlers in attacks against unarmed Palestinian civilians. Shkirat explained that the Israeli occupation forces have been following shoot to kill policy, since most gunshot wounds are located in the upper arts of the body. He added that the Israeli authorities have so far ssassinated at least 9 Palestinian activists; Mr. Shkirat described these ases as extra-judicial killings. LAW s director general also pointed out that Israeli occupation forces have een bombing Palestinian residential areas, destroying houses and killing 38 people. 19 Israeli settlements have been used as bases for bombing Palestinian towns and villages. According to Mr. Shkirat, the Israeli government has used collective punishment against Palestinians through military closure on Palestinian towns, effectively imprisoning three million Palestinians. Such policy has created an extremely difficult situation and deprived Palestinians of the freedom of movement and worship as well as healthcare services. Finally, Mr. Shkirat called upon the Dutch Foreign Minister and the governments of Europe to assist the Palestinian people by pressurizing the Israeli government to comply with the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as helping to achieve international protection for Palestinians until the Israeli army withdraws its forces to the 1967 borders in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions. END |