RAMALLAH, July 31, 2013 (AA)
RAMALLAH, July 31, 2013 (AA)
Palestine’s Foreign Ministry demanded Israel to launch an investigation into Israeli Economy Minister and head of far right Jewish Home Party, Naftali Bennett ‘s “I have killed many Arabs” quote.
Palestine’s Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that if Israel was suggesting it respected laws, it needed to conduct a transparent investigation into Bennett’s remarks and allowed lawyers to take part in the investigation as observer.
All law societies from Palestine and Israel must take “those confessions” seriously, said the statement, calling on authorities to prepare a file to try him under international law.
Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper had reported Bennett’s remarks from Saturday’s cabinet meeting when he was discussing the release of 104 Palestinian inmates with Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu’s National Security Adviser Ya’akov Amidror.
Bennett had said “If you catch terrorists, you have to simply kill them,” while Amidror said it was not legal. Following Amidror’s reply, Bennett said ” I have killed lots of Arabs in my life and there’s no problem with that.”
Bennet claimed a quote attributed to him saying “I have killed many Arabs in my life,” was taken out of context.
Bennett’s spokesperson said when Bennett referred to killing Arabs, it was in the context of operations he participated in while serving in the army.