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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
THE State of Palestine has expressed concern over the continued target of Palestinians with discriminatory arrests, torture and unlawful force by Israeli forces.
In an interview, Ambassador of Palestine to Zimbabwe Dr Tamer Almassri said the Israeli police have also failed to protect Palestinian citizens in Israel from premeditated attacks by groups of armed Jewish supremacists.
Ambassador Almassri said more than 170 Arab citizens have been killed in crime related shootings since January 2023, twice fatalities over the same period last year.
He said Israeli police have an obligation to protect all people under Israel’s control, whether they are Jewish or Palestinian.
“The vast majority arrested in the police crackdown following the outbreak of the intercommunal violence were Palestinian,” Ambassador Almassri said.
“The few Jewish citizens of Israel arrested were dealt with more leniently. Jewish supremacists also continue to organize demonstrations while Palestinians face repression.
“Israel Democracy Institute found significant social and economic gaps between Jewish and Arab citizens with poverty among Arabs being more than three times higher. Arabs are mainly employed in low-income industrial jobs and they tend to live in overcrowded towns and villages with infrastructure deficiencies and poorer funded schools.”
Ambassador Almassri said it was not only the climbing death toll but the paralysing effect of organised crimes that has an effect on local communities.
He said Amnesty International verified 29 text and audio messages from open telegraph channels and WhatsApp revealing how the apps were used to recruit armed men and organise attacks on Palestinians in the cities with Jewish and Arab populations.
“Politicians and government officials have also incited violence such as the Itamar Ben-Gvir, parliamentary representative for the Jewish Power party as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” Ambassador Almassri said.
“Messages include the instructions on where and when to gather, types of weaponry to use, and even clothing to wear to avoid confusing Jews of Middle Eastern heritage with Palestinian Arabs. Group members shared selfies posing with guns and messages such as: “Tonight we are not Jews, we are Nazis”.
“The fact that the Jewish citizens of Israel, including prominent figures have been allowed to openly incite violence against Palestinians without being held accountable highlights the extent of institutionalised discrimination faced by Palestinians and the urgent need for protection.”
Ambassador Almassri has also condemned the excessive use of force and racism against African refugees by Israeli forces and its leaders which has left over 150 Africans severely injured from the live fire of Israeli forces.
He said the latest crime was a continuity of Israel’s ongoing aggression against vulnerable people as well as an act of war that should not be tolerated.
Ambassador Almassri said the prime minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu has since ordered the immediate deportation of all African refugees in Israel most of whom are from Eritrea in a violation of international laws.
“Netanyahu has also bragged about a segregation wall and fence which Israel has built on the eastern and southern border to prevent African refugees into Israel. This proves to the world that Israel is indeed an apartheid state and it should be condemned,” he said.
Online Reporter