Israel Criticized on Handling of Uprising : Human rights: Amnesty International charges that the government is encouraging the use of force.

Amnesty International today accused Israel of encouraging security forces to kill Palestinians during outbreaks of unrest in the occupied territories.

In a special report, the London-based human rights organization said guidelines on the use of firearms by Israel’s army and paramilitary border police could permit unjustifiable killing and that investigation of abuses is inadequate.

“We are concerned that taken together, these factors appear to add up to more than just tolerance of serious abuses and amount to real encouragement of them,” Amnesty International said in its January newsletter published today.

In Jerusalem, a Foreign Ministry spokesman called the report “an outrageous accusation. It is total nonsense and absolutely baseless.”

Amnesty International called for a review of the firearms guidelines, and it said Israel’s highest authorities must make clear to all law enforcement officials that abuses will not be tolerated.

It also said investigations should be pursued vigorously and speedily, their results made public and those found responsible prosecuted.

The Israeli Embassy in London said in response to the report that 61 soldiers have been convicted and 46 sentenced to various terms of imprisonment for abuses in trying to quell the uprising.

Amnesty International said unarmed Palestinians have been fatally shot by Israeli forces almost daily since the Palestinian uprising began in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in December, 1987.

It said the army, the paramilitary Border Police and other law enforcement agencies in the occupied territories have tried to stop the disturbances by shooting at demonstrators, using tear gas and severely beating detainees.

Their use of force has often been “excessive and indiscriminate,” Amnesty International said.

More than 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers or civilians in the uprising, and more than 140 have been killed by fellow Arabs who suspected them of collaborating with Israel. Forty-four Israelis have died at the hands of Palestinians.

More than 560 of the Palestinians were fatally shot by Israelis, with 130 victims younger than 16, 35 under 12 and some as young as 3, Amnesty International said.

Most were killed by ordinary bullets, although by the end of September, 117 had been killed by plastic bullets and others by rubber bullets or rubber-coated metal pellets, it said. At least 15 reportedly died after beatings by Israeli forces and 70 or more died in tear gas-related incidents, it said.

Amnesty International said the scope of the firearms guidelines had been progressively extended during the uprising, and live ammunition may now be used against suspects, including anyone wearing a mask. Israeli regulations require soldiers to shout an order to halt, then fire into the air and finally aim at the suspect’s legs, Amnesty International said.

It said it was not clear how serious an offense must be to permit the use of firearms and alleged that the guidelines are often disregarded by Israeli forces.

Although most killings appear to have occurred during demonstrations or riots, in an “alarmingly high number of instances,” those shot do not appear to have been involved in any life-threatening or even violent activities, Amnesty International said.