British report

British report: Israel intentionally torments Palestinian civilians
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Feb 5, 2004, 17:19

London - A report prepared by members of the British parliament’s Select Committee on International Development published in London Thursday castigated the Israeli government for intentionally and deliberately tormenting Palestinian civilians for political purposes.

The report expressed “serious concern over a range of policies adopted by the Israeli government and the negative impact they are having on living conditions of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.”

The report called on the British and EU governments to consider “economic pressure on Israel to ease movement restrictions which are crippling the Palestinian economy and causing soaring poverty.”

The report pointed out that there was a deliberate Israeli policy to torment the Palestinians.

“It is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is a deliberate Israeli approach of putting the lives of ordinary Palestinians under stress as part of a strategy to bring the population to heel. Certain security measures, including the construction of the security barrier and movement restrictions imposed on Palestinians, are completely undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state.”

The report said Israel’s security policy was having a marked impact on everyday life.

“Key measures such as the construction of a security barrier higher than the Berlin Wall, may bring the mirage of immediate security to Israelis, but the level of despair felt by ordinary Palestinians at being denied an ordinary life is likely to illicit any concessions from the Palestinian leaders.”

Several international intellectuals, including many Jews, have labeled the Israeli onslaught against the Palestinians as a “holocaust.”