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THE UNITED NATIONS voiced deep concern at the worsening violence between Israel and the Palestinians, as clashes erupted again at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Friday.
“We are deeply concerned by the escalating violence in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel over the past month,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Friday’s new clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters at the Al-Aqsa compound come after a month of deadly violence, as the Jewish festival of Passover overlaps with the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
“The use of force by Israeli police resulting in widespread injuries among worshippers and staff in and around the Al-Aqsa mosque compound must be promptly, impartially, independently and transparently investigated,” she said.
“Those responsible for any violations should be held to account, and policies and procedures on the use of force reviewed with a view to avoid any further violations.”
She said the conduct of Israeli security forces on April 15, captured in numerous videos, “raises serious concerns that the use of force was widespread, unnecessary and indiscriminate”, Shamdasani added.
Call for calm
Noting how the tension in Jerusalem had impacted on other areas, the spokeswoman said Israel’s intensified military operations in the West Bank, especially in Jenin, and the use of firearms by Palestinian militants, “place Palestinian residents at high risk”.
She said the weeks of violence included “the most serious attacks in Israel in many years”, with 12 Israelis and two foreign nationals “killed by attackers in incidents in Beersheba, Bnei Brak, Hadera and Tel Aviv”.
She said Israel’s raids and arrest operations across the West Bank raised serious concerns of “excessive use of force and ill-treatment and arbitrary arrests of family members of wanted people”.
“Some of the killings, including in particular Israeli security forces shooting at a Palestinian woman in Husan on April 10, raise serious concerns of excessive use of force and arbitrary deprivation of life,” she said.
“All use of force resulting in killing or injury must be promptly, impartially, independently and transparently investigated, and those responsible for any violations held to account.”
Furthermore, she said the Israeli authorities’ response to attacks in Israel, such as movement restrictions, raised concerns about possible collective punishment.
International humanitarian and human rights law strictly prohibits penalties against people or groups for acts they have not personally committed, said Shamdasani.
She said the office of UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet was calling for calm and urged investigations where people had been killed or injured.
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Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.
@Andrew Behan: Well in Ireland you can do the crime but won’t do time
@Andrew Behan: how can you do 150 years
@Michael Sherlock: with good behaviour he would be out in 110 years , no bother.
@Michael Sherlock: give it your best shot, just try!
If he had done this in Ireland back then he would have been in the Galway tent drinking cocktails and regaling the countries elite on how he does it. Upon conviction in 09 he would be out by now practising his handicap.
He should have thought about it when he was swindling.
Have I sympathy for his condition… yes
But he knew what he was doing.
Pity the same deterrent isn’t in play here, I would imagine a lot of people here are thanking their lucky stars they are in Ireland.
This guy caused the Global crash. No way are you compassion off me…. think about the misery he caused to others first.
@Paul O’Sullivan: “This guy caused the Global crash”
No he didn’t.
He defrauded a whole bunch of rich Hollywood and celebrity types and he made about $20 billion in investors money disappear.
Small potatoes when compared to what happened during the crash.
@Will: not just Hollywood celebrity types. Plenty of school teachers and construction workers with a few quid saved up bought into his BS too.
@Martin McFly:
He has served 11 years… If the Medics agree then I would release him on a 6 month by 6 month basis…
Despite what some people say here, Prison is not about revenge it is about rehab. Is Madoff a threat to anyone in society? I very much doubt so…
Whats the point, Madoff released or in prison doesn’t send any messages anymore…
@Paul O’Sullivan: can’t cheat an honest man. Wise words.
@Will: an article from 2008 .
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/12/mado-d18.html
Keep the head down Seanie
He was sentenced to die in prison so be it
Jailed because of his own stupidity. He should have set up and operated from Ireland, he wouldn’t have had any jail time and FFG would have paid to fight his case.
@G Row:
Hahaha. I got a good laugh from that. Good man. So true too by the way.
And….
Bernie Madoff was convicted of perpetrating roughly the same thing that Fine Gael want to do here with their ‘Project Ireland 2040′.
It is a giant Ponzi Scheme where you add new people to the bottom to pay off the people at the top.
In the US you get jail time in Ireland you get air time to promote it.
Very strange that his lawyers chose the Lockerbie bomber as an example – he was received in Libya as a national hero and, as the article says, went on to live another 3 years. I remember Pinochet made a miraculous recovery once he was allowed home from Thatcher’s care. Not even Alan Dershowitz can get him out alive, I doubt
Let him rot in there. Why does he think he deserves special treatment?
Bernie made off with other peoples money. Crooked.
He deserves to die in prison he destroyed so many families including his own
Over here, we would have had a protest group group pointing out all the good that Bernie did through charitable organisations …true !
Bernie was an Equal Opportunity thief – he stole from everybody, not just a select minority – so give the guy a break and let him make his peace with his family while there’s still time. Maybe he’ll cough up the rest of the hidden loot.
I distinctly remember looking through his prospectus as a no nothing 23 year old thinking it was odd his returns were so consistent. Thankfully we never heaped client money in, like the experienced “pro’s” who did.
have your say