Report: Israel Killed 55 Civilians in Occupied Territories in 2012

Amnesty Critical of Excessive Force Against Palestinians

The annual Amnesty International report on human rights has once again faulted the Israeli government for its regular use of excessive force against Palestinian civilians, and put the overall death toll at 55 civilians, including 11 children. Three other civilians were killed by settlers in the past year.

The report also touches on Israel’s “administrative detention” policy, which keeps over 300 Palestinians in prison indefinitely without any charges or trial. Palestinians in Israeli custody are also subject to regular torture.

It goes on to criticize Israeli restrictions on Palestinian civilian freedom of movement, noting that in the West Bank the military often keeps farmers away from their own land. Israel’s blockade and harsh restrictions on imports and exports has also exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

The report also slammed the Palestinian Authority for violations of human rights, noting that both Fatah and Hamas have regularly attacked civilian supporters of the rival faction.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.