Netanyahu slammed for claiming to care for Palestinians

Palestinian rights groups have slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that he and Israel care more about the Palestinian people than their own leaders do.

"I, the prime minister of Israel, care more about Palestinians than their own leaders do," Netanyahu claimed in a video posted online. "Israel cares more about Palestinians than their own leaders do," Netanyahu added.

"Innocent and impoverished Palestinians were denied vital aid supplied from nations around the world," he claimed.

Shawan Jabarin, director general for the Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu's comments were part of a long-standing campaign to consolidate Israel's control of financial aid to the heavily blockaded territory by discrediting international charity organisations.

Jabarin said that Netanyahu's "propaganda" is part of an effort to convince the international community to cease funding humanitarian campaigns in Palestine by spreading the fear of aid funds reaching the wrong hands.

"They are trying to undermine the work of international aid organisations," he said, adding that Netanyahu has tried to persuade European foreign ministers to stop funding Palestinian organisations.

Ayed Abu Qtaish, from the rights group Defence for Children International - Palestine, told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu's comment can be discredited best by Israel's systematic mistreatment of the most vulnerable, both within and without the state of conflict.

"Since the beginning of the Second Intifada [uprising] in 2000, more than 2000 children were killed as a result of Israeli presence in the territories - two-thirds of which were in Gaza."

"The numbers show how much Israel is violating the rights of children, especially the right to live," he said, pointing out that an Israeli law passed a week ago that allows child "terrorists" as young as 12 to be jailed for anti-Israeli attacks , will most likely result in the further discriminatory targeting of Palestinian minors.