Dr. Saeb Erekat: “Israel, the occupying power, is the root-cause of what is going on today”

Israel’s right wing extremist government continues to put the blame on the occupied Palestinian population. Mr. Netanyahu’s continuous accusations do not change the fact that Israel, the occupying power, is the root-cause of what is going on today. In fact Israeli violence is a daily fact that all Palestinians have to endure.

Israel continues to violate Palestinian rights, International Law, International Humanitarian law and refuse to abide by United Nations resolutions, and has in fact become a state above the law.  Mr. Netanyahu is time again trying to justify Israel’s escalation and oppressive illegal policies instead of recognizing the rights of the Palestinian people and ending this belligerent occupation. 

Israel denies Palestinians all basic human rights. It continues to build settlements, to displace Palestinians and demolish their homes. Today, Occupied East Jerusalem has been turned into a military bunker, with tens of cement blocks restricting entry and exit to different areas throughout the city.  

Mr. Netanyahu’s attack on President Abbas is a failed attempt to distract from the fact that Palestinian civilians, including children, are being systematically targeted for extra judicial executions by Israel. The picture of Ahmad Manasra, the Palestinian child who was left to bleed on the street, clearly shows Israel’s disregard to Palestinian human life. Ahmad was run over by an Israeli occupying forces' vehicle. While he didn’t constitute a threat following the incident, he was later beaten and abused by the Israeli settler bystanders under the protection of the Israeli armed forces.

Ahmad’s picture, among other photos and video footage, indicates the degrading and humiliating treatment he endured injured while waiting for medical treatment. This is reprehensible and deserves international condemnation and action to put an immediate end to these crimes.

Today, we sent a letter to the UN Special Rapporteur for extrajudicial executions, Mr. Christof Heyns, formally requesting an investigation into the state-sponsored killing, by the State of Israel, of several Palestinians during the past few weeks.

The only way to achieve peace and security for all is to end Israel’s occupation of Palestine. However, Israel continues to enforce violent measures that have failed to break the will of the Palestinian people for freedom. A just and lasting peace can only be achieved when the rights of everyone are honored and when International law is observed and respected.