Abbas urges UN to investigate alleged revenge killing of Arab boy by Jewish extremists

Following arrests of Jewish suspects in murder of 16-year-old Arab boy, Abbas sends letter to Ban Ki-moon calling for probe.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH, HERB KEINON
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday called on UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon to form an international commission of inquiry into “terrorist crimes” perpetrated against Palestinians.

Abbas’s appeal came shortly after it was announced that a number of Jewish extremists have been arrested in connection with the murder of Mohamed Abu Khdeir, of Shuafat in northern Jerusalem.Abbas presented his request to UN envoy Robert Serry during a meeting in Ramallah.“The teenager Abu Khdeir, who was less than 15-years-old, was burned while he was still alive,” Abbas told reporters.“This reminds us of many events that happened in the past – burning people alive.”Abbas pointed out that 16 Palestinians have been killed over the past two weeks, in addition to attempted kidnappings and assaults on children like the cousin of Abu Khdeir.“I have requested international protection for the Palestinians,” Abbas said, accusing the Israeli government of refusing to take action against extremist Jewish groups.He also called for declaring people who undertake “pricetag” attacks as members of a terrorist organization and bringing them to trial.One Foreign Ministry official, who was skeptical that Ban would order an investigation of Abu Khdeir’s murder, said that if one was indeed launched, then a similar investigation should be launched into the kidnapping and murders of Naftali Fraenkel, Gil-Ad Shaer and Eyal Yifrah.“Let’s also check if the Palestinians are doing anything to pursue those murderers,” he said. “Let’s check how many Palestinians are sitting in their jails for killing Jews, as opposed to Israel that jails Jews who have killed Arabs,” such as Ami Popper.The official also recommended checking whether Jews sitting in Israeli prisons for killing Arabs are receiving salaries – they are not – as is the case for Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails who get monthly payments from the Palestinian Authority.