Mustafa Barghouthi calls for an International Commission of Inquiry Into the Palestinian Territories

The videotape shot in Ni’lin by the 14-year old girl Salaam Kanaan, shows the 27-year old Ashraf Abu Rahma from the village of Bi’lin, being shot from a two meter distance by an Israeli soldier. The young villager was blindfolded and controlled by another Israeli soldier. The incident occurred on Monday the 7th of July and lead to an injury in his left foot.

Barghouthi stated that this is not the first incident where the Israeli occupation forces attacked in cold blood to isolate citizens. He pointed out that the same day another citizen was injured and had his hand broken by an Israeli bulldozer.

According to Mustafa Barghouthi, “this would not have happened if the International Community had not remained silent about the daily crimes of the occupation, and the consequent media blackout.”

The Deputy calls for the International Community to impose sanctions on Israel to stop its daily human rights violations.

Barghouthi calls on the PA and the PLO to transfer back to the United Nations the ruling of the International Court Of Justice in The Hague that has been ignored for the last four years. He also called on sanctions to be imposed on Israel until they stop the building of the apartheid Wall, and the daily violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.

He emphasized that what is required today is an international boycott campaign similar to the one that took place in South Africa during the Apartheid regime.

Barghouthi said that “Israel to conceal its crimes and uses brutal violence against the peaceful popular struggles against the Wall.” He stressed that international support was needed for the non-violent popular struggles against the occupation and the Wall, taking place on a daily basis all over the West Bank: Bethlehem, Ni’lin, Bil’in, Nablus and Al Aqaba.

Barghouthi thanked Salam Kanaan and the citizens of Ni’lin and encouraged them: “with all our strength, we will reject the occupation and the violations.” He called on the Palestinian people to continue documenting the Israeli violations so that they can be disseminated around the world.