U.N. Panel Says Israeli Interrogation Methods Are Torture, Should Be Halted

GENEVA — Israeli interrogation methods such as prolonged sleep deprivation and violent shaking amount to torture and should be halted immediately, a U.N. human rights committee said Friday.

The Committee Against Torture also denounced the use of death threats, loud music and other interrogation methods Israel carries out on suspected terrorists.

Peter Thomas Burns, a panel member, said torture “is particularly evident where such methods of interrogation are used in combination, which appears to be the standard case.”

Israeli representative Yosef Lamdan denied that his country tortured suspected terrorists and said its candor with the panel had backfired.

“Israel has nothing to hide on this issue, and paradoxically, has been badly done by the committee for its openness and honesty,” Lamdan said.

Israel has defended its interrogation methods, saying they have helped prevent 90 terrorist attacks in the last two years.

The committee also expressed concern that an Israeli Supreme Court decision allowing “moderate physical pressure” during interrogation legitimizes torture and called for an immediate end to the methods.

The conclusions had been widely expected. The findings were based on reports by nongovernmental organizations as well as on medical reports and Israeli court records.