European-funded PCHRs Obscene Attack on Human Rights
Introduction
On October 13, the Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) issued a press release accusing Israel of a series of “crimes” in confronting a number of Palestinian terrorists carrying out stabbing attacks. The statement refers to three incidents on October 12 (although PCHR questions whether they actually happened): (1) An attack near the Old City of Jerusalem, where a Palestinian was killed when he stabbed an Israeli border policeman. (2) At the light-rail stop near Ammunition Hill, where a Palestinian woman stabbed two people; she was shot and wounded, and an alleged accomplice was detained. (3) In Pisgat Ze’ev, two Palestinian cousins stabbed and critically wounded an Israeli teenager and adult; one attacker was shot and killed, the other was hit by a car and taken to an Israeli hospital.
Even a cursory examination of PCHR’s release shows that it is based on lies and distortions. Video evidence also undermines these claims. Using funds from European governments and other enablers, this political NGO is clearly promoting a campaign to demonize Israel under the facade of human rights.
Analysis
- PCHR falsely claims that the Palestinians were killed or wounded “on the grounds of suspicion of carrying out stabbings.” (emphasis added). The attackers portrayed by PCHR as innocent victims, incontrovertibly committed attempted murder. PCHR also distorts the fact that the attackers were brandishing knives at police officers after carrying out stabbing attacks in front of dozens of witnesses and leaving behind multiple victims, including children and the elderly. Police acted in order to protect Israeli lives.
- PCHR further ignores video evidence and the many eyewitnesses and victims of the attacks, repeating the false claims of the family of the cousins – that they were merely “going to a mall,” and that “a settler” fabricated the incident at the Ammunition Hill train station.
- PCHR refers to videos of the aftermath of two of the incidents and condemns what it claims to be a delay of medical assistance to one of the stabbers in Pisgat Ze’ev and that “Israeli police and intelligence officers surrounded [the attacker] and pointed their guns at her although she was bleeding and screaming.” In both cases, medical assistance was provided and the terrorists were treated at Israeli hospitals after it was established that they no longer posed a threat and did not have explosives or additional weapons on their person.
- At no point does PCHR refer the stabbings of Israelis as criminal and illegal, nor does it attempt to ascertain the identities and conditions of the Israeli victims.
- At no point does PCHR call on the Palestinian Authority and Hamas to end incitement to murder Jews, nor on the Palestinian population to end their violent and illegal attacks on civilians.
- At no point does PCHR demand that Palestinian authorities and terror groups end their exploitation of children for terror attacks, riots, and other violent confrontations.
- The PCHR statement repeatedly demonizes Israel and Israelis and adds to the Palestinian campaign of incitement. It refers to all civilian victims and witnesses on the crime scenes as “settlers” in order to immorally whitewash the stabbings and delegitimize the presence of Jews in Jerusalem.