The Israeli center for Human Rights B’tselem published a report saying that the assassination of claimed wanted Palestinians are symptoms of implementing death penalty against those people.
The center reported that 89 Palestinians have been assassinated during 2004 in operations the Israeli army described as arrest raids.
The report added that 17 of those assassinated by the army "were not identified as wanted to Israel"
On the other hand, 43 of the dead were described as ‘wanted’, but did not use weapons or clash with the army when they were killed, the report said, adding that none of these 89 cases were investigated by the police.
The report titled "without prisoners" detailed four cases in which B’tselem investigated and found that the victims were killed in what is called: arrest raid."
B’tselem said that in two cases, troops rounded the house, demanded the owner to open and shot him while opening the door. In two other cases, the target was captured and identified as wanted, yet they killed him.
The report held the Israeli government and specifically the Israeli security forces responsible for such acts saying that the military intelligence is the body responsible for such things.
The report also accused that Israeli army has eased the rules of engagement especially during arrests raids.
This has shown an increase of cases where the army shoot live ammunition without being in risk.
Additionally, military investigations of death cases caused by the military are very one-sided and usually justify the shooting to the benefit of the soldiers.
