Statement by the Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)

Statement by the Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) condemning the killing of 4 Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel by a Jewish Israeli soldier in the Galilee town of Shef’amr

On 4th August 2005, the 19 year-old Jewish Israeli soldier Eden Natan-Zada opened fire inside a bus in the Arab Galilee town of Shef’amr killing 4 Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel as well as injuring over a dozen other Palestinian Arab civilians. Eden Natan-Zada, who was overwhelmed and eventually beaten to death by outraged passengers, was an activist in the outlawed extreme-right Kach movement. He had been residing in Tapuah which is one of the most extreme Israeli settlements and dominated by followers of the US-born Rabbi Meir Kahane, who promoted the expulsion of Palestinians from Israel and the West Bank. Eden Natan-Zada had defected from the army nearly two months before for ‘ideological reasons’ in protest against the forthcoming Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip and parts of the Northern West Bank.

The Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) strongly condemns this act of terrorism against the Palestinian Arab community of Israel. PNGO believes that the government of Israel has to take responsibility for its role in this heinous racist attack.

First, for nearly two months the Israeli government did not regard it as necessary to disarm an army deserter who was known for his violent and extremist tendencies and clearly constituted a danger to society.

Second, the government of Israel has failed to crack down on political parties, groups or individuals who openly call for the transfer or the killing of the Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel. The Israeli government has done nothing to fight anti-Palestinian racism, demagoguery and incitement which have grown considerably within Israeli society in the lead-up to disengagement. The fact that Israeli officials regularly refer to the Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel as a ‘demographic threat’ has served to further enhance anti-Palestinian feelings among Jewish Israelis.

Third, the Israeli government has led Jewish extremists to believe that Palestinians can be killed with impunity. The Israeli police used deadly force in quelling the October 2000 protests by Palestinian Arab citizens in Northern Israel (which is in stark contrast to the respectful and non-violent police treatment of Jewish anti-disengagement protesters) and the Israeli military hardly ever conducts an investigation into army killings of Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

PNGO calls upon the international community to put pressure on the government of Israel to immediately and uncompromisingly put an end to all forms of anti-Palestinian racism and to abide by international human rights law.

PNGO reiterates the fact that the government of Israel is responsible for outlawing and prosecuting political parties or groups which promote racism as well as for preventing any displays or acts of racism within Israeli society.

The Palestinian NGO Network

PNGO