Diplomat ignites row with Israel
Officials demand retraction of U.S. ambassador’s remarks about West Bank laws
Jerusalem — Israeli leaders on Tuesday sharply criticized U.S. Ambassador Daniel Shapiro’s observation that the law in the occupied West Bank is applied differently to Palestinians and Israelis, calling it “unacceptable” and demanding a retraction.
Shapiro’s comments would strike many as a statement of fact: Palestinians in the West Bank live under military occupation, face Israeli military tribunals and can be held for months, even years, without charges; the Jewish settlers in the territory, however, are subject to Israeli civilian courts.
But the critical remarks by the U.S. diplomat in a speech at a security think tank on Monday angered Israel’s top leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called them “unacceptable and wrong.”
The diplomatic skirmish comes as Israel finds itself facing renewed criticism from the European Union for continued expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, a complaint Shapiro echoed.
It also follows on the heels of another diplomatic dustup. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom recently called for “thorough, credible investigations” into “extrajudicial kill- ings” of Palestinian attackers or suspects by Israeli forces. Her comments incensed Israeli officials, who said she was not welcome in their country.
In his speech, Shapiro said, “Too many attacks on Palestinians lack a vigorous investigation or response by Israeli authorities; too much vigilantism goes unchecked; and at times there seem to be two standards of adherence to the rule of law: one for Israelis and another for Palestinians.”
The U.S. diplomat was referring to assaults and acts of vandalism by Jewish extremists against Palestinians, including a July arson attack in the West Bank village of Duma that killed a tod- dler and his parents.
Earlier this month, Israeli prosecutors filed charges against two Jewish Israelis accused of killing the members of the Dawabsha family in Duma and indicted several others who they said were responsible for arson attacks and vandalism against Palestinians. None has been convicted.
On Tuesday, Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said Shapiro should recant his remarks.
“We are being subjected to a terrorist onslaught that is simply unfamiliar to the United States, and to pass judgment on us in such a one-sided manner is wrong,” Shaked told Army Radio. “It would be appropriate if he corrected himself, and I hope he does that.”