'Pattern of dealing with Palestinians now based on field executions, unfair trials'

Palestinian Authority seeks international probe of Israeli killings of terrorists.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Police inspect the car driven by a Hamas terrorist in Wednesday night's fatal Jerusalem attack. (photo credit: TAZPIT)
Police inspect the car driven by a Hamas terrorist in Wednesday night's fatal Jerusalem attack.
(photo credit: TAZPIT)
Accusing Israel of carrying out “field executions” against Palestinians who carry out terrorist attacks, the Palestinian Authority on Tuesday appealed for an international investigation.
PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat called on Christof Heyns, United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, to come to the region and launch an investigation into the recent killings of Palestinians by the Israel Police and IDF.
Erekat, who was referring to incidents in which Palestinians who stabbed Israelis were shot dead by the police, said the PA has decided to start gathering details about the killings.
Erekat said the PA is planning to file charges with the International Criminal Court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and other Israeli security officials, whom he said are fully responsible for the “field executions.”
Erekat expressed fear that the current actions of the Israeli security forces could lead to “mass field executions” against Palestinians and accused the government of carrying out a policy of “collective punishment and ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians. He also expressed regret over the decision by Quartet representatives to cancel a planned visit to the region.
“The Netanyahu government is fully responsible for the growing cycle of violence, extremism and bloodshed,” Erekat charged.
“The Israeli pattern of dealing with Palestinians now is based on field executions and unfair trials. We are a defenseless people living under occupation. Israel is killing civilians and children and practicing collective punishment.”
Erekat accused Netanyahu of incitement against the Palestinians and authorizing the “field executions.”
The Palestinians, he said, “are a simple people who don’t have airplanes or tanks. We are the victims.”
Erekat called for international protection for the Palestinians and accused Israel of perpetrating war crimes.
He added that those who are fighting Islamic State need to realize that terrorism cannot be defeated with planes and bullets, “but by ending Israeli occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.”
PA Foreign Minister Riad Malki, who met in Geneva on Tuesday with Prince Zeid Ra’ad Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, also accused Israeli security forces of deliberately targeting Palestinian civilians.
“The Palestinians have become mobile targets for the occupation government and its military force and settler groups,” Malki said.
He called on the UN to provide international protection for the Palestinians and force Israel to abide by international law. He also accused Israel of seeking to trigger a religious war “at a time when the world is waging war on religious fanaticism and ideological terrorism.”