Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry Thursday condemned the killing of Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khudair by Israeli settlers, demanding accountability of the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
Norway Foreign Affairs Minister, Burge Brandah, said: “I condemn the murder of a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem on 2 July. There is no excuse for acts of revenge. The circumstances surrounding the murder are still unclear, but it is of crucial importance in this case too that the perpetrators are held accountable and their motives identified”
He added: “A 16-year old Palestinian was abducted, mutilated and killed on Wednesday on the way to the mosque in Shu’fat in East Jerusalem. Tensions are running high in Hebron since three kidnapped Israeli teenagers were found murdered near the town on Monday this week.”
Minister Brandah said: “I have been equally clear in condemning the murders of three Israeli teenagers earlier this week. Tragically, the search operation that was launched following their abduction resulted in several Palestinian deaths. We expect Israel to act in accordance with its obligations under international law, which among other things means that the Israeli security forces must not use lethal force unless it is necessary to avoid loss of life.”
Minister Brandah expressed his deep concerns saying: “I am deeply concerned about the increasing violence between Israel and Palestine. Escalation of the conflict, with reprisals and further acts of violence, will not benefit anyone. We know that such actions mainly affect civilians. All parties must exercise restraint. There is no alternative to a political process if we are to put an end to the violence.”
Earlier, EU strongly condemns killing of Abu Khudair in Jerusalem
The European Union has condemned “in the strongest terms” the killing of a Palestinian boy in Jerusalem, saying the perpetrators must be brought to justice.
“We welcome the announcement by the Israeli authorities of a swift investigation,” a statement said last night, but added: “We are extremely concerned about the latest developments which increase the risk of further escalation and we call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint.”
On Tuesday, the EU had condemned in the strongest terms the killing of three Israeli youths kidnapped on 12 June in the West Bank.