Israel’s cancellation of entry permits for Palestinians following a deadly attack in Tel Aviv may amount to collective punishment, which is banned under global law, according to the office of the UN’s top human rights official.
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Israel’s army demolished on Saturday the West Bank home of a Palestinian teenager accused of killing an Israeli settler earlier this year, a military spokesman said.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and newly installed, far-right Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman vowed to take punitive actions in response to Wednesday’s attack, the Guardian reports that Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai “struck a markedly different tone on Thursday [.] by linking the continuing violence to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories”.
The entry permits had been issued to Palestinians from the Israeli-occupied West Bank to visit relatives during the current Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein is deeply concerned about the revocation of permits, adding that the measure “may amount to prohibited collective punishment and will only increase the sense of injustice and frustration felt by Palestinians in this very tense time”, spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva on Friday.
“France is always working for the security of Israel”, he said.
It also revoked work permits for 204 of the attackers’ relatives and the army blockaded their West Bank hometown of Yatta, with soldiers patrolling and stopping cars as they entered and exited. Hundreds more troops will also be sent to the West Bank.
A top United Nations human rights official said on Friday that Israel’s cancellation of entry permits for Palestinians, imposed following a deadly attack in a fashionable area of Tel Aviv on Wednesday, could amount to collective punishment which is illegal under worldwide law.
That attack, which also wounded five bystanders, has prompted a range of measures from Israel, including a decision to temporarily bar entry for all Palestinians.
“Thousands of police will be in and around the Old City of Jerusalem carrying out security measures”, an Israeli police statement said.
It also reported violent clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli forces as the latter raided the Jerusalem town of Abu Dis.
At least 207 Palestinians, 32 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed since October.
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Israeli security forces arriving at the scene of a suspect terrorist opened fire at the Sarona Market in Tel Aviv, June 8, 2016.
