B’Tselem: 2013 highest in number of west bank fatalities in 5 years

Three times as many people were killed in the West Bank in 2013 as were in 2012, the Israeli human rights organization, B’Tselem, said in a report published at the end of last year.It said that in contrast to the situation from 2003 to 2012 when most Palestinian fatalities occurred in the Gaza Strip, in 2013 the majority of Palestinian fatalities occurred in the West Bank.According to the data for the past year, Israeli security forces killed 27 Palestinians in the West Bank in 21 separate incidents and nine Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in seven incidents.In contrast, in 2012, Israeli forces killed eight Palestinians in the West Bank and 246 in the Gaza Strip, including 167 killed in an 8-day Israeli military onslaught on Gaza in November, of whom 104 were innocentbystanders.Palestinians killed three Israelis last year, two in the West Bank and one near the Gaza perimeter fence, said B’Tselem.It said that even though a military investigation was launched in 23 fatalities which occurred in 19 incidents, a decision was made regarding only five of all incidents but are awaiting enforcement.B’Tselem director Jessica Montell said, “The sharp rise in fatalities in the West Bank only serves to intensify concern about lack of accountability.”She said lack of accountability for the killing of Palestinians “does not serve as a deterrent and indicates disregard for human life.”