Military

DATE=10/18/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-268111

TITLE=U-N / PALESTINE INVESTIGATION

BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN

DATELINE=GENEVA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A U-N investigator has accused Israel of using indiscriminate and excessive force against Palestinians. The investigator, who is just back from his mission (October 11 to 15) to Israel and the Palestinian territories, submitted his findings to the region to an emergency session of the U-N Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Lisa Schlein has the story.

TEXT: The special U-N Investigator, Giorgio Giacomelli, says Israeli soldiers have dramatically escalated the use of lethal force against the civilian population, even in cases where there was no imminent threat to their lives. He says this made the riots worse.

/// GIACOMELLI ACT ///

And they have led to a growing pattern of violations in a fundamental right, the right to life. And, they are contributing to the almost unprecedented number of casualties and deaths that took place.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Giacommelli says that the number of deaths caused by Israeli forces is about the same as the number killed in the first four-months of the intifada, in 1987 and 1988. More than 100-people, mainly Palestinians, have been killed and about four- thousand people have been injured.

The U-N investigator says Israel refused to cooperate with him. But he was able to gather evidence from the Palestinian Authority and a variety of community and human-rights organizations. Mr. Giacomelli says the escalating violence has led to vigilante and revenge-style attacks by Israeli and Palestinian civilians.

/// 2ND GIACOMELLI ACT ///

And then, an increased pattern of paramilitary activity on the part of the settlers, mainly, and also the appearance in demonstrations of a number of Palestinian civilians bearing and using arms.

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The U-N Investigator says there is an urgent need to adopt measures that can restore confidence between the Israelis and Palestinians and would allow the peace process to go forward. He says future peace negotiations should include human rights considerations. (SIGNED)

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