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TITLE: Meridor Slams 'liquidation' Policy |
AUTHOR: Akiva Eldar |
PUB: Ha'aretz |
DATE: January 4, 2001 |
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The chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MKDan Meridor, has expressed sharp opposition to Israel's current policy of liquidating leading Palestinian activists in the territories. During a meeting of the committee on Tuesday, following the assassination of Dr. Thabet Thabet in Tul Karm, Meridor said that a democratic state cannot adopt a policy of "liquidation" as a form of deterrence and punishment. Meridor said the law does not allow people to be harmed without trial, unless it is necessary to prevent a terrorist attack which they are in the process of carrying out or preparing. The security services claim that all of those assassinated have been involved in attacks on Israel. Meretz MKs Naomi Chazan and Zahava Gal-On also criticized the liquidations at this meeting, which was attended by Prime Minister Ehud Barak. They said that assassinations outside the country's borders constitute a serious violation of international treaties to which Israel is a signatory. Justice Minister Yossi Beilin has also expressed his reservations about the policy of assassinations. At Sunday's cabinet meeting, Beilin demanded that Barak order the security services to stop killing Palestinian activists. But Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, who has expressed seriousdoubts regarding the propriety of negotiations with the Palestinians, refused to express his opinion on the liquidations policy yesterday. Barak has not denied Israel's responsibility for the killings. He told the committee that Israel is in a warlike situation with the Palestinians and must therefore fight terror with all available means. END |