LONDON, June 26: Israel is breaking the Geneva convention and abusing human rights by punishing Palestinians with indiscriminate security measures, human rights watchdog Amnesty International said on Wednesday.
“No abuses, however atrocious, by armed groups can justify Israel’s indiscriminate punishment,” the London-based rights group said, adding that such action was “preventing a population of 500,000 from pursuing their daily life.”
Prolonged curfews, house demolitions and administrative detentions amounted to collective punishment, Amnesty underlined.
“The curfews are forcing Palestinians to spend long periods under virtual house arrest,” said the organization.
“The right to freedom of movement is further curtailed by army barriers blocking all movement between towns and villages,” resulting in extreme “economic, social and psychological consequences.”
The demolition of houses of families of suicide bombers or wanted Palestinians breaks the Geneva convention which outlaws house demolition unless it is militarily essential, Amnesty said.
Israel has also committed human rights abuses by rounding up and arbitrarily detaining hundreds of Palestinians, held often in degrading conditions without charge or trial, it added.
“Israel appears to have resumed its policy of “targeted killings” of suspected members of Palestinian armed groups,” Amnesty said.
“Unlawful killings of Palestinians continue as a result of the virtually complete impunity offered to Israeli soldiers who kill Palestinians,” the statement said.
Arab League disagrees with Bush: Arab League chief Amr Mussa said on Wednesday that the organization did not share the United States’ view about the need for a new Palestinian leadership as a precondition for the creation of a Palestinian state.
The Arab League Secretary General made the comment shortly before leaving Cairo for the German city of Berlin as part of a three-day visit to Germany.
Mussa also suggested that US President George W. Bush’s call for a new Palestinian leadership amounted to an interference in the internal affairs of the Palestinians.
He said that the organization’s position was that any such change “should be left to the Palestinian people”, adding that this was not an issue that even required consultations.
Mussa was responding to Bush’s Middle East policy speech, which, among others, called on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders.
“I call on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by terror”, Bush said, adding that only then, will the US support the creation of a provisional Palestinian state.
Bush did not mention the Palestinian National Authority leader Yasser Arafat, whom he has refused to meet, by name, but left no doubt as to whom he was referring to.
“Today, Palestinian authorities are encouraging, not opposing, terrorism. This is unacceptable”, said Bush.
“It should be understood that the issue of the existence of the Palestinian leadership, its reformation or replacement” all depends on the Palestinian people themselves, said Mussa.
The Arab League chief also took issue with Bush’s call on Arab countries to normalize relations with the Jewish state, saying the issue was discussed during the last Arab summit, which came up with a blueprint for normalizing relations with Israel.
“It requires Israel to meet a number of conditions”, said Mussa, adding that once those conditions are met, then Arab countries will reciprocate by establishing normal relations with the Jewish state.
“That’s how we will proceed”, he added.
Bush had stated that, “as we move towards a peaceful solution, Arab states will be expected to build closer ties of diplomacy and commerce with Israel, leading to full normalization of relations between Israel and the entire Arab world.
Nevertheless, Bush’s speech contained certain positive elements such as the call for the creation of a Palestinian state, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces to pre-September 28, 2000 positions, according to Mussa. —AFP/dpa