GENEVA
The UN human rights office on Friday said it is "appalled at the brazen killing" by Israeli border police of two Palestinian men in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, in "an apparent summary execution."
"Killings of Palestinians by Israeli security forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank have been surging, without accountability, even in the rare cases when investigations are announced," Jeremy Laurence told reporters in Geneva.
Following yesterday’s incident, which was caught on film by a TV channel, an internal review was announced, he noted and added: "But statements by a senior Israeli government official sought to absolve Israeli security forces of responsibility, raising serious concerns about the credibility of any future review or investigation conducted by any entity that is not fully independent from the government."
He said the UN human rights office has verified, since Oct. 7, 2023 and up until Nov. 27, Israeli forces and settlers killed 1,030 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Among these victims were 223 children.
"Impunity for Israel security forces' unlawful use of force, and ever-growing Israeli settler violence, must end," he stressed.
The spokesperson noted that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urges independent, prompt and effective investigations into the killings of Palestinians, and that those responsible for violations be held fully to account.
Laurance also said Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's remarks should be "deplored" because "that is a response in any situation with such brutal use of force, is nothing short of abhorrent."
"There are mechanisms, there's rule of law, there's due process, ways in which you handle cases. The solution is not to pull a gun and shoot," he said. "Simple as that."
Ben-Gvir welcomed the killings, writing on social media that Israeli forces "acted exactly as expected of them – terrorists must die!"
Israeli army forces executed two Palestinian youths in the West Bank city of Jenin on Thursday evening despite their surrender.
A video clip circulating on social media showed Israeli soldiers opening fire from zero distance at the two young men after they raised their hands and surrendered to the army.
Local sources told Anadolu that the killing occurred in the Jabal Abu Dhahir neighborhood of Jenin during a large-scale Israeli raid in the area.
The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the two men as Muntasir Qassem Abdullah, 26, and Youssef Assa’sa, 37, saying their bodies were withheld by Israeli forces.
Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Rub told Anadolu that the Israeli army "did not allow anyone to approach the scene and prevented ambulances from evacuating the two young men."
"The two young men raised their hands to the army, but soldiers opened fire on them," he added.
The Israeli army claimed in a statement that it has conducted a field investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
On Wednesday, the army started a large-scale Israeli assault in the northern occupied West Bank, specifically in the Jenin and Tubas provinces.