The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday called for an international investigation into the recent death of a Palestinian man held in an Israeli prison and prosecution of Israelis involved in "war crimes."
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th July, 2019) The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday called for an international investigation into the recent death of a Palestinian man held in an Israeli prison and prosecution of Israelis involved in "war crimes."According to Wafa news agency, Nassar Taqatqa, 31 was detained on June 19 by Israeli forces in the southern West Bank during a raid and was placed in solitary confinement. Earlier in the day, he was found dead in his cell following torture and rough interrogation, the media outlet said citing the ministerial statement.
"The indifference by the international community, its organizations and special councils toward Israeli violations and crimes encourage the occupying power to persist in committing such atrocities ... the martyrdom of Taqatqa in the interrogation cells demand an immediate action by the International Criminal Court and the opening of an official investigation into the crimes of the occupying power in order to pursue and prosecute Israeli war criminals," the statement said as quoted by the media outlet.
The Israel Prison Service confirmed the death of the Palestinian detainee, adding that the circumstances of the incident were being examined.
According to Israeli Arutz Sheva broadcaster, Taqatqa, a resident of the Palestinian town of Beit Fajjar south of Jerusalem, was arrested on June 19 following an attack of Israeli security forces.
Israeli forces regularly conduct raids in the West Bank on the pretext of searching for wanted Palestinians. Israeli authorities have been issuing detention orders for Palestinians for renewable periods based on classified evidence that is not disclosed even to the detainees' lawyers. This practice has been repeatedly criticized by international organizations, including the United Nations and human rights watchdogs, as a violation of civil and political rights.
For decades, Israel has been in conflict with Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli government has refused to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity and continues to build settlements in the occupied areas, despite objections from the United Nations.
