Sweden slams Israel's 'extrajudicial' killing of Palestinians

Sweden has strongly criticized the Israeli regime for conducting extrajudicial executions against the Palestinians implicated in alleged stabbing attacks.

On Friday, Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said Israeli military forces exercise "extrajudicial executions" or employ disproportionate force in clashes with Palestinian protesters, citing as “ostensible” proof the higher number of Palestinian casualties compared to those of Israel.

“Israel’s response involved extrajudicial executions, and was disproportionate, so the number of the dead on the other side is greater than the original death toll by several factors,” she said.

Wallstrom’s remarks outraged Israeli authorities, with the Israeli Foreign Ministry releasing a statement to denounce them.   

More than 110 Palestinians and nearly 20 Israelis have been killed in the recent wave of clashes between Palestinians and Israelis since the start of October.

Tensions between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue unabated. The wave of unrest was triggered by Israel’s imposition in August of restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) missions in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah as well as al-Quds (Jerusalem) denounced the recent demolition of Palestinian houses and expropriation of Palestinian lands in so-called Area C of the West bank.

The missions made reference to the repeated demolition of houses and animal shelters in the city of Tubas, located 21 kilometers (13 miles) northeast of Nablus, in late November and the dismantlement and confiscation of tents there on December 3. They said all of the affected Palestinian families mainly depend on livestock, and are particularly vulnerable as winter draws near.

The missions also urged Israel to return confiscated EU humanitarian assistance to displaced Palestinian families in Tubas.

The Israeli regime recently approved the construction of 1,500 new illegal settler units in East al-Quds, despite widespread international criticism of the settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The international community regards all Israeli settlements built on the occupied Palestinian lands as illegal. More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories in 1967.

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