Palestinian official Mustafa Barghouti accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being responsible for the murder of the three Israeli teens whose bodies were found in the West Bank on Monday.
“First of all, let me tell you, I am sorry for the deaths of anybody, including these three people and also for the death of 10 Palestinians, who were killed by the Israeli Army this week during the Israeli Army operation,” Mr. Barghouti, who is also a PLO member, told CNN during a televised phone call Monday night.
“Mr. Netanyahu must remember that his army is also killing children, and by doing so, they are behaving like monsters,” he said, referring to a statement by the prime minister that blamed Hamas for the killings, and called those responsible “beasts.”
Mr. Netanyahu said Monday that “Hamas is responsible” for the murder of Naftali Frenkel, 16, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Eyal Yifrah, 19, whose three bodies were found hidden in a field in the West Bank after a massive manhunt.
“I think that the person who is most responsible for the deaths of these young people is Netanyahu himself, who sent them into illegal settlements by international law,” Mr. Barghouti argued. “Settlements are illegal, these guys should not have been there, and this occupation and this apartheid system should end. “
Mr. Barghouti is the General Secretary of the Palestine National Initiative, a member of the Palestinian Authority parliament, and member of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.