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U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners February 8, 2006 |
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U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed concern Tuesday about recent Israeli targeted killings in the West Bank, saying they amounted to executions without trial and put civilians at risk.
Israel has stepped up its air strikes in recent days, killing several suspected terrorists, after repeated rocket attacks at Israeli towns from Gaza. On Monday evening, Israeli forces fired a missile at car and killed two terrorist members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, including one described as a senior commander.
Annan also said he was concerned about "repeated rocket attacks" on Israel from the Gaza Strip, and stressed that both sides must respect international humanitarian law, according to a statement released by his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.
"While recognizing Israel's right to defend its citizens, targeted killings place innocent bystanders at grave risk and amount to executions without trial," Dujarric said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's associates said he is determined to continue targeting terrorists. The killing of nine terrorists in recent days, the associates said, is a result of recent orders issued by the acting PM.
In recent days, Olmert instructed defense officials to operate against Palestinian terrorists while facing virtually no limitations until Qassam rocket attacks on Israeli targets cease. In the last government session, the acting PM in effect gave the green light to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Army Chief Dan Halutz to make use of extensive means in order to assassinate terrorists involved in dispatching suicide bombers and Qassam rocket launchers.
AP and Ynetnews contributed to this report.
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