An investigative committee has recommended that high-ranking officers be questioned over the use of force against protesters in Ramallah.

President Mahmoud Abbas ordered an investigation after police cracked down on protesters who opposed a visit by Israel's vice premier to Ramallah for talks with the president on June 30, and again used force to shut down a protest on July 1 against police brutality.

In its report, submitted to Abbas on Tuesday, the committee recommended that the police chief of Ramallah, the head of the Ramallah police station and the director of criminal investigations should be questioned by prosecutors over their failures in dealing with the protests.

The officials should be questioned over their decision to allow officers in uniform and in civilian clothing to attack protesters, the report said.

All the officers who mistreated and detained protesters should also be transferred to judicial authorities, the report added.

The use of force in both demonstrations was unjustified, the inquiry found, and the committee recommended that Abbas should issue clear instructions to security forces forbidding all officers from dealing with protests when in civilian clothing.

The committee recommended that state media should stress the importance of peaceful gatherings as the right of citizens and government spokespeople must not incite against protesters.

Meanwhile, the organizers of peaceful protesters should inform concerned authorities of planned demonstrations, the report said.

The committee was formed by independent political figure Munib al-Musri and included Abu Yousif, a PLO leader, and Ahmad Harb of the Independent Commission for Human Rights.