Author:
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: November 30, 2000
Israel on Tuesday rejected -a report
by UN human rights chief Mary Robinson accusing Israeli security forces
of using "excessive force" against Palestinians during two months of unrest.
The foreign ministry said in a statement
that Ms Robinson's report, issued in Geneva on Monday, "contains problematic
elements that are unacceptable to us." Ms Robinson accused Israeli soldiers
of using excessive force in clashes with Palestinians in a wave of violence
in which 283 people, most of them Palestinian and many of them teenagers,
have been killed.
"The Israel defence forces are only
responding to violence ... while exerting maximum restraint and self-control
for the purpose of minimizing the number of civilian casualties whenever
possible," the ministry said.
Ms Robinson based her report on.
a recent trip to Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Senior
Israeli officials shunned the former Irish President during her visit after
she cancelled meetings with right-wing Israeli politicians at the request
of Palestinian officials.
The ministry said calls by Ms Robinson
for the dismantling of Jewish settlements ignored the fact that, under
interim peace deals, settlements were to be discussed. in negotiations
on a final peace treaty.
"This is on the political agenda.
Israel showed its complete readiness to discuss this matter during the
Camp David summit (in July). However, the Palestinian leadership
chose violence instead of fully utilising negotiations," the ministry said.
(Reuters)
