Israel’s Defence Minister said yesterday the military would not change its tough response to Hamas-led protests near the border with Gaza, warning that those who approach the border are putting their lives at risk.
Avigdor Lieberman spoke near Gaza, where 18 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire on Friday, the first day of what Hamas says will be six weeks of intermittent border protests against a stifling blockade of the territory. On Tuesday, a 25-year-old Gaza man was killed by Israeli fire as he threw stones near the border fence.
Mr Lieberman’s comments raised the possibility of more bloodshed this Friday, when another mass protest is expected.
Palestinian ambassador at the UN Riyad Mansour appealed to the UN Security Council for immediate international protection for Palestinian civilians, especially in Gaza. He charged in a letter to the council that Israel has adopted “a shoot-to-kill policy” during what he called peaceful protests.
Dr Mansour backed secretary-general Antonio Guterres’ call for an independent investigation of the killings and accused Israel of “intentionally, grossly and systematically” violating its legal obligation to protect civilians.
Human Rights Watch accused senior Israeli officials of unlawfully calling for the use of live fire against Palestinian protesters who posed no imminent threat to life. HRW said Israel has presented no evidence that rock-throwing seriously threatened the soldiers on the other side of the fence. “The high number of deaths and injuries was the foreseeable consequence of granting soldiers leeway to use lethal force outside of life-threatening situations in violation of international norms, coupled with the longstanding culture of impunity within the Israeli army for serious abuses,” the group said.
Read the article in The Australian (AP).