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Last update - 10:34 27/03/2008
Rights group: Deaths in IDF Bethlehem raid were apparent executions
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Bethlehem, B'Tselem 

The Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem has requested a criminal investigation into the deaths of four wanted Palestinian militants in Bethlehem on March 12, saying that the deaths during the Israel Defense Forces raid appeared to have been an execution.

In a letter to the attorney general and the IDF Military Advocate General, the group says that its own investigation raised serious suspicions that the wanted men had not been killed during an exchange of fire or while trying to escape, as intimated by the IDF.

B'Tselem said that if the men were in fact executed, the IDF is guilty of severely violating a High Court ruling stating that the state is prohibited from intentionally killing Palestinians if less harmful means of maintaining security are available, meaning arrest and due process.
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In a letter addressed to the attorney general and to MAG, the organization demanded that the investigation into the incident focus on the culpability of the IDF commanders who orchestrated the Bethlehem arrest raid, including the Chief of Staff.

B'Tselem also maintained that their probe revealed that not only were the four victims needlessly executed, the troops also continued to shoot to ensure that they were dead. The rights group's letter stated that once three of the men who were sitting in a parked vehicle had been shot to death, an IDF man approached the car and shot each of them again at close range. This man also shot the driver, who was lying wounded and unarmed outside the car, the letter said.

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      1.   With Groups like B`T selem and the Israel 09:50  |  Mike 27/03/08
      2.   What is the Palestinian equivalent to BTselem? 10:10  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/03/08
      3.   Shame on betzelem!!! 10:16  |  Dr Eric 27/03/08
      4.   Who Cares? ALL Terrorists Should Be Killed 10:21  |  Yishai Kohen 27/03/08
      5.   Israeli death squad 10:23  |  Clickfool 27/03/08
      6.   Big deal! 10:24  |  Peacelover 27/03/08
      7.   Magie #2 10:32  |  Michael 27/03/08
      8.   It`s become immoral to support Israel anymore 10:35  |  Dutch 27/03/08
      9.   With Groups like B`T selem we don`t need enemy 10:36  |  Daniel 27/03/08
      10.   The answer to Palestinian abductions 10:54  |  Mr Ipp 27/03/08
      11.   AT LEAST ONE BABY WAS KILLED 10:55  |  indrajaya 27/03/08
      12.   Michael thank you for your good wishes 10:56  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/03/08
      13.   the betselem need counselling as they appear mentally unbalanced? 10:57  |  v hardman 27/03/08
      14.   The executions FACT or B`T selem to focus on ?? 10:58  |  Sabra 27/03/08
      15.   Land for peace 10:58  |  American Christian 27/03/08
      16.   I really wonder what young Israelis are being taught....... 10:58  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/03/08
      17.   clickfool check out UK squaddies 11:00  |  George 27/03/08
      18.   So let`s all shoooooooot the messenger. 11:01  |  Johnboy 27/03/08
      19.   Dutch 11:02  |  george 27/03/08
      20.   Good news for Clickfool 11:06  |  American Christian 27/03/08
      21.   WHEN WILL ISRAEL OUTLAW B`TSELEM AS A PRO-TERROR ENEMY AGENT? 11:12  |  Joel Stein 27/03/08
      22.   I vote for a body to defend us against the ramblings of Dino 11:16  |  x-ray 27/03/08
      23.   Deaths in IDF Bethlehem raid 11:17  |  I.Kemp 27/03/08
      24.   #7 and #16 Dutch and Johnboy 11:22  |  Elihu 27/03/08
      25.   $2 Margie in TA - Btselem is a Palestinian Org. 11:25  |  17 27/03/08
      26.   Indrajaya 11:26  |  Leigh 27/03/08
      27.   WELL Johnboy surfaces on cue. 11:26  |  PETER SM 27/03/08
      28.   #19, Joel Stein... 11:27  |  Silvienne 27/03/08
      29.   Indrajaya 11:27  |  Elihu 27/03/08
      30.   George 15, 17 You`re right but... 11:27  |  Michael 27/03/08
      31.   Oh no, not American Christian again # 18 11:31  |  Clickfool 27/03/08
      32.   to Magie #2 - there is one at least 11:33  |  Martino 27/03/08
      33.   I like the "pinpoint operations" where civilians get killed 11:34  |  RW 27/03/08
      34.   B`Tselem - anti establishment 11:36  |  Adrian de Klerk 27/03/08
      35.   Nine unarmed and helpless women were executed, shot and stabbed 11:46  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/03/08
      36.   the idf sowing hatred, and not just pals 11:47  |  VIPER 27/03/08
      37.   margie in ta 2 11:49  |  potobac 27/03/08
      38.   #8, DANIEL, your wrong 11:49  |  VIPER 27/03/08
      39.   #25 Silvenne - Joel is right 11:50  |  Adrian de Klerk 27/03/08
      40.   INDRAJAYA.NO BABIES were killed now and that was a battle 11:51  |  PETER SM 27/03/08
      41.   How sane is btsleen 11:52  |  Adrian de Klerk 27/03/08
      42.   #7, DUTCH, please note 11:54  |  VIPER 27/03/08
      43.   BTselem and Tali Fahima. 11:56  |  Nora 27/03/08
      44.   CFOOL "israeli death Squad" your evidence for that accusation?? 11:59  |  PETER SM 27/03/08
      45.   More unreliability about btselem 11:59  |  Adrian de Klerk 27/03/08
      46.   apparent executions 12:01  |  thinking clearly 27/03/08
      47.   Write On Joel Stein 12:06  |  Israeli 27/03/08
      48.   The pity is... 12:07  |  Esther 27/03/08
      49.   #22 - Paltselem - interesting. 12:11  |  Hmmm 27/03/08
      50.   SWISS.The border NEVER influenced Pal. terror 12:14  |  PETER SM 27/03/08
      51.   How the Almighty looks on Israel 12:16  |  American Christian 27/03/08
      52.   American Christian is Right 12:18  |  Israeli 27/03/08
      53.   How do you say 12:20  |  Mark Lincoln 27/03/08
      54.   Dutch #7 has always been immoral, no need to state the obvious 12:21  |  Genuine Tosefta 27/03/08
      55.   Where are the Btselem reports... 12:24  |  Nik Miller 27/03/08
      56.   Execution in Betlehem 12:25  |  Jesus Rodiquez 27/03/08
      57.   The left wing are an enemy of the state. 12:27  |  SystemF 27/03/08
      58.   Martino - Jeruslam 12:29  |  Nik Miller 27/03/08
      59.   Which is harder? 12:30  |  American Christian 27/03/08
      60.   POTOBAC.PAL mass murder of unarmed Israelis is your luxury 12:31  |  PETER SM 27/03/08
      61.   Again, are IDF soldiers commiting this kind of "stuff"...... 12:32  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/03/08
      62.   American Christian: If so, then peace is out of the Pals. Agenda 12:35  |  human rights 27/03/08
      63.   Btselem reports are published in collection of 1001 nights 12:40  |  17 27/03/08
      64.   Margie in Tel Aviv a dope 12:41  |  Marilyn 27/03/08
      65.   # 47 PETER, you are making once again the "deadly" mistake..... 12:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/03/08
      66.   PETER SM, be quiet boy 12:44  |  Marilyn 27/03/08
      67.   "Suspicion", "may have", "if they were executed" 12:47  |  Lynn 27/03/08
      68.   Interesting indeed Mr 17: they don`t investigate themselves? 12:50  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/03/08
      69.   VIPER -no.39 12:53  |  Aliza 27/03/08
      70.   Dutch 12:55  |  Purple Canary 27/03/08
      71.   And the proof is the words of one of the 80% Palestinians who 12:56  |  S 27/03/08
      72.   Martino 12:57  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/03/08