Israeli Human Rights Group Slams Country’s New “Zero Tolerance” Policy at UN

Shortly after Israel announced a new “zero tolerance” policy toward demonstrations in Gaza, some 130 Palestinians were injured Friday while protesting ongoing Israeli occupation and demanding the right of return. Four paramedics and 25 children were among the injured. Ten thousand protesters gathered along Israel’s heavily militarized separation barrier with Gaza as part of the weekly Great March of Return protests that began March 30. Since then, Israeli forces have killed at least 170 Palestinians, including more than 30 children, and injured thousands more. We speak with Hagai El-Ad, the executive director of the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem. He was in New York last week testifying before the UN Security Council officially for the first time.

AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh.

NERMEEN SHAIKH: We end today’s show with the ongoing siege on Gaza, after 130 Palestinians were injured Friday while protesting the ongoing Israeli occupation and demanding the right of return. Twenty-five children and four paramedics were among the injured. Israel announced it was implementing a, quote, “zero tolerance” policy towards protesters in Gaza shortly before 10,000 protesters gathered along Israel’s heavily militarized separation barrier with Gaza as part of their weekly Friday protests under the banner of the Great March of Return. The protests began March 30th. And since then, Israeli forces have killed at least 170 Palestinians, including more than 30 children, and injured tens of thousands more.

AMY GOODMAN: Meanwhile, Israel has postponed the planned demolition of the Palestinian Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank after facing international condemnation. Last week, the International Criminal Court warned Israel that population transfers in occupied territories constitute war crimes.

We return now to Part 2 of our conversation with…

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