Al-Qods, 2008 July 9, QODSNA
 
Nine out of 10 investigations into attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are closed without anyone being indicted, the Israeli Yesh Din human rights group said on Wednesday.

It said that of 163 such completed investigations it monitored in recent years, only 13 led to indictments being filed, 149 files were closed without indictments and one file was lost and never investigated.

Yesh Din said police investigating a case rarely visited the crime scene, often failed to collect testimony from key witnesses and suspects, and hardly ever carried out lineups of suspects. It said that in the investigation files it had seen alibis presented by suspects were never checked out.

Ninety-one files were closed on grounds of "perpetrators unknown," 43 for "lack of evidence," nine for "no criminal culpability," five for unknown reasons and one was closed for "lack of public interest," Yesh Din said.

The group said the cases it monitored included Israeli settlers assaulting Palestinians, seizing their land, uprooting their trees and damaging their crops or agricultural equipment, and for arson and theft. No official body maintains complete data on offences by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, the group said.