Arab League slams Israel for killing young Palestinian in Jerusalem

The Arab League yesterday condemned the murder of a young Palestinian in occupied Jerusalem by Israeli occupation forces, describing it as a “heinous war crime”.

“The murder of the martyr Mohammad Salima in broad daylight is a crime against humanity, and proves the aggressive and extremist Israeli mentality,” the league’s Assistant Secretary General for Palestinian Affairs, Saeed Abu Ali, said in a statement.

Abu Ali called for “providing international protection to the Palestinian people before it is too late,” stressing there was no way to peace “without an end to the occupation, while offering the Palestinian people their rights, freedom and independence.”

“The Israeli authorities are fully responsible for these crimes and practices that threaten international security and stability,” the official added, calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) “to hold the perpetrators [Israel] responsible for their war against the defenseless Palestinian people.”

Twenty-five-year-old Salimah was shot dead by the occupation soldiers on Saturday, after the latter said he had attempted to stab an Israeli citizen in the Damascus Gate area of Jerusalem’s Old City. Video footage from the scene shows Salimah falling to the ground after being shot, however occupation officers continued to shoot him until he died.

Occupation forces were reported to have raided Salimah’s family house in Jerusalem’s central town of Salfit and detained his brother, Ahmad, yesterday.

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