Adds Graffitti reaction to ambassadfor's comments
The non-resident Israeli Ambassador to Malta, Gideon Meir, in the first Israeli comments on the shooting of a Maltese woman in Gaza on Saturday, said today that he regretted the shooting on Saturday of Maltese national Bianca Zammit by Israeli Forces.
He also regretted, however, that innocent civilians such as Ms Zammit were being used by the Palestinians and by the International Solidarity Movement, for political purposes to enhance their case.
Malta filed an official protest after Ms Zammit, 28, was shot in the leg while filming a Palestinian protest against the Israeli forces in Gaza. She was discharged from a Palestinian hospital yesterday and is expected to make a full recovery.
Mr Meir is currently in Malta on a visit scheduled before the incident.
The ambassador said he hoped that the incident would not harm relations between the two countries.
The National Youth Council this morning also expressed solidarity with Ms Zammit and her family.
The council said Ms Zammit was a fine example of committed youths who were prepared to make sacrifices in favour of human rights and a better quality of life.
AMBASSADOR'S COMMENTS 'AN INSULT'
Moviment Graffitti said that the comments by the Israeli ambassador were insulting.
“The comments of the Israeli ambassador stating that Bianca Zammit was being ‘used’ for political purposes are simply an insult, both to Bianca, and to all those, including many Jews, who like her are dedicated to the cause of human rights in Palestine," Graffitti said.
"International solidarity activists in Palestine are not being used by anyone. They are simply trying to defend the fundamental human rights of people who have been forcibly evicted from their lands and who are living under constant terror. Gideon Meir also failed to explain how Israeli soldiers were shooting with so much ease on unarmed civilians in a peaceful protest. Unfortunately, this is just one of the many examples where Israeli soldiers have demonstrated this kind of behaviour, which often resulted in much more tragic consequences. He also fails to explain how farmers had been arbitrarily evicted from Palestinian land by the Israeli state, which was the reason for the peaceful protest during which Bianca was shot. “
The movement said the Maltese government should never accept such comments which added insult to injury. The government, it said, should protest more forcefully to the Israeli authorities .