Amnesty International Condemns Palestinian Suicide Bombings
Charity: 'No Israeli military action justifies the killing of civilians'

July 12, 2002

Amnesty International has called Palestinian suicide bombings crimes against humanity.

A report by the charity also declares that no Israeli military action justifies the killing of civilians.

Israeli officials welcome the report, saying Amnesty has rarely pointed a finger at the Palestinians.

Palestinian officials dismiss the report as unbalanced.

The Amnesty report says about 350 Israeli civilians have been killed in 130 attacks by Palestinian militias since September 2000.

Asked about the suicide bomb attacks, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat told CNN: "I'm against this. I'm doing all my capabilities to prevent it.

"But not to forget also our civilians are also facing the same problems, the same killing, the same difficulties, and the same tragedies."

According to overall figures compiled by The Associated Press, 1,752 people have been killed on the Palestinian side and 565 on the Israeli side.

The totals include 71 Palestinian suicide bombings that have killed 251 Israelis.

"The attacks against civilians by Palestinian armed groups are widespread, systematic and in pursuit of an explicit policy to attack civilians," the Amnesty report said. "They constitute crimes against humanity... They may also constitute war crimes."

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