Israel faces global backlash after 60 Palestinians killed during protests at Gaza border
- 6 years ago
Israel is facing a harsh international backlash after its troops killed scores Palestinians that were protesting against the opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.
Our Ro Aram tells us more.
Protests were quieter Tuesday compared to the day before, but Israeli forces shot dead at least two more Palestinians.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, that now brings the death toll to at least 60.
It appeared that many Palestinians opted to bury the dead and hold funerals for those killed instead of going back to the scene of Monday's bloodshed.
They were also commemorating 70 years since Nakba, or "catastrophe," when more than 700-thousand Palestinians lost their homes in the wake of the creation of Israel in 1948.
This was going on as Israeli and Palestinian envoys to the UN exchanged bitter words over the events in Gaza during an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council.
The Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour called Monday's incident a massacre by Israeli forces and a crime against humanity.
Other nations expressed concern over the violence, urging Israel to act with restraint.
Some of them, including Britain, have called for an independent inquiry into the matter.
The UN Human Rights Council also condemned the violence along the Gaza border.
"Lethal force may only be used as a measure of last, not first, resort, and only when there is an immediate threat to life or serious injury. An attempt to approach, or crossing, or damaging, the green line fence do not amount to a threat to life or serious injury, and are not sufficient grounds for the use of live ammunition."
Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon defended the Israeli military's actions, describing the Palestinian protests as violent riots.
Israel has said it was acting in self-defense of its borders, blaming Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas.
This sentiment was backed by the U.S. envoy to the UN who said Israel had actually shown restraint.
"I ask my colleagues here in the Security Council, 'who among us would accept this type of activity on your border?' No one would. No country in this chamber would act with more restraint than Israel has. In fact, the records of several countries here today suggest they would be much less restrained."
Kuwait's ambassador to the UN said he would circulate a UN Security Council resolution on the “protection of the Palestinian civilians" on Wednesday.
However, it is yet to be seen if the resolution will be adopted as the veto-wielding United States remains adamant in its support for Israel.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.
Our Ro Aram tells us more.
Protests were quieter Tuesday compared to the day before, but Israeli forces shot dead at least two more Palestinians.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, that now brings the death toll to at least 60.
It appeared that many Palestinians opted to bury the dead and hold funerals for those killed instead of going back to the scene of Monday's bloodshed.
They were also commemorating 70 years since Nakba, or "catastrophe," when more than 700-thousand Palestinians lost their homes in the wake of the creation of Israel in 1948.
This was going on as Israeli and Palestinian envoys to the UN exchanged bitter words over the events in Gaza during an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council.
The Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour called Monday's incident a massacre by Israeli forces and a crime against humanity.
Other nations expressed concern over the violence, urging Israel to act with restraint.
Some of them, including Britain, have called for an independent inquiry into the matter.
The UN Human Rights Council also condemned the violence along the Gaza border.
"Lethal force may only be used as a measure of last, not first, resort, and only when there is an immediate threat to life or serious injury. An attempt to approach, or crossing, or damaging, the green line fence do not amount to a threat to life or serious injury, and are not sufficient grounds for the use of live ammunition."
Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon defended the Israeli military's actions, describing the Palestinian protests as violent riots.
Israel has said it was acting in self-defense of its borders, blaming Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas.
This sentiment was backed by the U.S. envoy to the UN who said Israel had actually shown restraint.
"I ask my colleagues here in the Security Council, 'who among us would accept this type of activity on your border?' No one would. No country in this chamber would act with more restraint than Israel has. In fact, the records of several countries here today suggest they would be much less restrained."
Kuwait's ambassador to the UN said he would circulate a UN Security Council resolution on the “protection of the Palestinian civilians" on Wednesday.
However, it is yet to be seen if the resolution will be adopted as the veto-wielding United States remains adamant in its support for Israel.
Ro Aram, Arirang News.