israeli MP: Shoot child rock throwers

An Israeli lawmaker has backed the shooting of Palestinians that throw rocks at settler cars, saying even children should be targeted if they appear "life-threatening."

“Even a child, if he is endangering someone's life, should be shot at,” said Michael Ben Ari on Monday during a meeting of the Israeli parliament (Knesset) Committee for Rights of the Child, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The committee had called for an emergency session about the issue of Palestinian minors throwing rocks at cars in East al-Quds (Jerusalem), following an incident on Friday where a settler car hit and injured two stone-throwing boys in Silwan before it sped away.

Arab Israeli lawmaker Ahmed Tibi lashed out at Ari for his remarks, calling the committee members "a group of sociopaths" that do not have any empathy for the minors injured in the Silwan incident.

“This meeting was organized because a kid was thrown into the air, and you guys are like a party of drunk people who have lost your heads!” said Tibi. "You guys need to stand trial. You are a group of fanatics."

Another Palestinian lawmaker Taleb al-Sana told the media that he intended to complain to the head of the Knesset "on the cynical use of the committee, which has changed to be a committee in favor of settlers and not children."

"Instead of protecting children whose rights are being trampled, discussions are being held about the rights of settlers who have nothing to do in Silwan and in the Palestinian territories," he noted.

Israeli security forces say 76 Palestinians have been arrested in the past six months in rock throwing incidents in al-Quds, adding that at least 30 of the detainees are youths aged 12-18.

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