Probe into shooting of civilians by soldiers
JERUSALEM: The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) is investigating the incidents surrounding the shooting deaths, or wounding, of 20 Palestinians by its security forces in disputed circumstances.
“The IDF has gathered testimonies from soldiers involved in the incidents, and in some cases asked human rights organisations, such as B’Tselem, for more details regarding the events,” reported the Israeli daily Haaretz.
The Military Advocate General orders an investigation into the death of every Palestinian in the West Bank “who isn’t involved in actual combat activity”.
For this reason, most of the investigations opened by the Military Police in recent months have mainly involved cases in which Palestinians were shot during confrontations with defence forces.
According to Israeli human rights organisations, including B’tselem, most of the investigations rarely result in a conviction and even when they do the punishment is considered mild.
An Israeli soldier Sergeant Elor Azaria is standing trial for manslaughter after shooting dead a seriously wounded Palestinian as he lay on the ground in Hebron, in the southern West Bank, after he allegedly tried to attack other soldiers with a knife.
Haaretz reported that investigations had been launched into two separate incidents in which 13-yearold Palestinian children died.
Last October, Abed al-Rahman Obeidallah was killed in the Al-Aida refugee camp after being shot with a live 0.22-inch calibre bullet.
According to an inquiry carried out by B’Tselem, a sniper shot Obeidallah in broad daylight.
“In February, meanwhile, Haitham Saada was shot dead near the West Bank town of Halhul. The army said he was shot as he was about to throw a fire bomb on to the nearby Route 60. Saada’s cousin, who was with him at the time, was arrested by the IDF,” reported Haaretz.
“The Military Police are also investigating the fatal shooting of Malik Shahin, 19, in the Deheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem, last December.
“According to B’Tselem, Shahin was shot in the head.”
Mahmoud Badran, 15, was also shot by Israeli soldiers in June when they shot at a car Badran’s family was travelling in.
The soldiers had been chasing other Palestinian stone-throwers. – Reuters