United Nations condemns Israel’s ‘excessive use of force’ against Palestinians

Soldiers shot and killed the driver of a auto who tried to run them over in one attack during the raid in the Qalandia refugee camp, the army said.

Since mid-September, Palestinians have killed 19 Israelis in stabbings, shootings and vehicular attacks.

On Tuesday, the United Nations human rights office in NY voiced deep concern over an “unacceptable” wave of Palestinians attacking Israelis, but also criticised Israeli authorities’ reported “excessive use of force” in response to the attacks.

Women mourn during the funeral procession of two Palestinians shot dead by Israeli soldiers in Qalandiya in the occupied West Bank on November 16, 2015.

Residents of the camp told local media outlets that hundreds of Israeli soldiers stormed the camp from all sides at around 1am local time (2300 GMT) and left later at 4.30am (0230 GMT), after ransacking homes and stores and clashing with the Palestinian youth.

Some 67 per cent of Palestinians back the use of knives against Israelis, while 66 per cent support an armed uprising saying “if the current confrontations develop into an armed intifada, such a development would serve Palestinian national interests in ways that negotiations could not”, a new survey has revealed.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS), 85 percent of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli troops since the beginning of violence were “extra-judicially executed”.

Most of the Palestinian attackers, as well as others who Israel said tried to carry out attacks, have been shot on the spot by Israeli security forces.

Israel says the violence is fanned by a Palestinian campaign of lies and incitement.

“What a suffering it is, to once again see our beloved Holy Land caught in the vicious cycle of bloody violence”, he said.