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Palestinians, rights group condemn Jerusalem ‘execution’
UN human rights office, Palestinian officials and Israeli human rights group slam the killing of Palestinian assailant.
International
Occupied East Jerusalem – Palestinian officials and human rights groups have condemned the killing of a Palestinian man after he carried out a stabbing attack in occupied East Jerusalem.
Israeli police have released surveillance video from the site of the attack near Jerusalem’s Old City on Saturday.
In the footage, the Palestinian, identified as 25-year-old Mohammad Salima, appears to stab an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man and then approaches an Israeli police officer before being shot and falling to the ground.
Other footage shot by bystanders appeared to show Israeli police officers continuing to shoot Salima from point-blank range while he was lying on the ground and not appearing to pose a threat.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service said the stabbing victim was a 20-year-old man who was taken to hospital in “moderate to severe condition”.
The United Nation’s Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said it was “shocked by the apparent extra-judicial execution”.
“Footage shows Mr Sleemah attacking a passerby and police officer with a knife before being shot and subdued. While on the ground and injured, Israeli forces shot Mr Sleemah twice, apparently killing him,” it said in a statement.
“Extra-judicial killings such as this are the consequence of the regular resort to lethal force by well-armed and well-protected Israeli security personnel against Palestinians, and the almost total lack of accountability for killings and injuries of Palestinians by Israeli forces. Will there be accountability in this case? The UN Human Rights Office is monitoring the case further.”