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al-Sharifs killer Elor Azraya
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Abdel Fattah al-Sharif 21
Ramsey Qasrawi 21 March 24 2016 |
27 mar 2016
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted on Sunday to the shooting of a wounded Palestinian at point-blank range in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron earlier this week, stating that any questioning of the Israeli army’s moral integrity was “outrageous and unacceptable.”
During the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu commented in the wake of the killing of Abd al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif, 21, on Thursday, which sparked widespread outrage after footage by Israeli rights group B’Tselem showed an Israeli soldier shooting al-Sharif in the head while the young Palestinian was lying wounded on the ground after allegedly stabbing an Israeli soldier.
Another Palestinian, 21-year-old Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi, was also killed on the scene. One Israeli soldier was treated for moderate wounds.
“Any challenge to the morality of the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) is outrageous and unacceptable. The soldiers of the IDF, our children, maintain high ethical values while courageously fighting against bloodthirsty murderers under difficult operational conditions,” Netanyahu said.
“I am certain that in all cases, as in the current one, the inquiry takes into account all conditions,” he added. “We must all support the IDF Chief-of-Staff, the IDF and our soldiers, who safeguard our security.”
The Israeli army opened an investigation into the killing on Thursday, although rights groups have expressed serious doubts over Israeli authorities’ history of holding Israelis accountable for crimes against Palestinians.
Additional footage from B’Tselem was published by Israeli media on Sunday, revealing moments before al-Sharif was killed. The Palestinian activist who filmed the scene has said he has been threatened by Israeli settlers since the footage was made public.
In the video shared by Hebrew news website Walla, Israeli soldiers are heard saying “this dog is still alive” while speaking of al-Sharif.
An Israeli soldier is seen tying his shoelace near the wounded al-Sharif while Israeli settlers walk near the young Palestinian man lying on the ground, apparently belying the Israeli claim that he was perceived as a threat at the time he was killed.
Earlier this week, Netanyahu said the killing “(did) not represent the values of the IDF.”
However, Israel has come under repeated criticism for what many have termed a “shoot-to-kill” policy against Palestinians advocated by Israeli officials since a wave of unrest began last October.
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said he strongly condemned the apparent "extrajudicial execution" of al-Sharif, calling it "a gruesome, immoral, and unjust act that can only fuel more violence and escalate an already volatile situation."
Amnesty International called for the incident to be prosecuted as a potential war crime, saying: “The shooting of a wounded and incapacitated person, even if they have been involved in an attack, has absolutely no justification.”
Philip Luther, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Amnesty International, said that Thursday’s incident mirrored a number which took place previously.
“Israeli forces have a long history of carrying out unlawful killings -- including extrajudicial executions -- in the occupied Palestinian territories with impunity," he said.
"While it is encouraging that the soldier in the video has reportedly been suspended and placed under investigation, previous Israeli investigations have failed to hold members of the Israeli forces accountable even when there has been clear evidence of criminal wrongdoing."
More than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since October, many of them while allegedly carrying out or attempting to carry out small-scale attacks against Israeli soldiers. Almost 30 Israelis have been killed during the same time period.
Earlier this year, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon condemned the wave of attacks, but said that Israeli security measures were failing to "address the profound sense of alienation and despair driving some Palestinians -- especially young people."
He added: "As oppressed peoples have demonstrated throughout the ages, it is human nature to react to occupation, which often serves as a potent incubator of hate and extremism."
During the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu commented in the wake of the killing of Abd al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif, 21, on Thursday, which sparked widespread outrage after footage by Israeli rights group B’Tselem showed an Israeli soldier shooting al-Sharif in the head while the young Palestinian was lying wounded on the ground after allegedly stabbing an Israeli soldier.
Another Palestinian, 21-year-old Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi, was also killed on the scene. One Israeli soldier was treated for moderate wounds.
“Any challenge to the morality of the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) is outrageous and unacceptable. The soldiers of the IDF, our children, maintain high ethical values while courageously fighting against bloodthirsty murderers under difficult operational conditions,” Netanyahu said.
“I am certain that in all cases, as in the current one, the inquiry takes into account all conditions,” he added. “We must all support the IDF Chief-of-Staff, the IDF and our soldiers, who safeguard our security.”
The Israeli army opened an investigation into the killing on Thursday, although rights groups have expressed serious doubts over Israeli authorities’ history of holding Israelis accountable for crimes against Palestinians.
Additional footage from B’Tselem was published by Israeli media on Sunday, revealing moments before al-Sharif was killed. The Palestinian activist who filmed the scene has said he has been threatened by Israeli settlers since the footage was made public.
In the video shared by Hebrew news website Walla, Israeli soldiers are heard saying “this dog is still alive” while speaking of al-Sharif.
An Israeli soldier is seen tying his shoelace near the wounded al-Sharif while Israeli settlers walk near the young Palestinian man lying on the ground, apparently belying the Israeli claim that he was perceived as a threat at the time he was killed.
Earlier this week, Netanyahu said the killing “(did) not represent the values of the IDF.”
However, Israel has come under repeated criticism for what many have termed a “shoot-to-kill” policy against Palestinians advocated by Israeli officials since a wave of unrest began last October.
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said he strongly condemned the apparent "extrajudicial execution" of al-Sharif, calling it "a gruesome, immoral, and unjust act that can only fuel more violence and escalate an already volatile situation."
Amnesty International called for the incident to be prosecuted as a potential war crime, saying: “The shooting of a wounded and incapacitated person, even if they have been involved in an attack, has absolutely no justification.”
Philip Luther, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Amnesty International, said that Thursday’s incident mirrored a number which took place previously.
“Israeli forces have a long history of carrying out unlawful killings -- including extrajudicial executions -- in the occupied Palestinian territories with impunity," he said.
"While it is encouraging that the soldier in the video has reportedly been suspended and placed under investigation, previous Israeli investigations have failed to hold members of the Israeli forces accountable even when there has been clear evidence of criminal wrongdoing."
More than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since October, many of them while allegedly carrying out or attempting to carry out small-scale attacks against Israeli soldiers. Almost 30 Israelis have been killed during the same time period.
Earlier this year, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon condemned the wave of attacks, but said that Israeli security measures were failing to "address the profound sense of alienation and despair driving some Palestinians -- especially young people."
He added: "As oppressed peoples have demonstrated throughout the ages, it is human nature to react to occupation, which often serves as a potent incubator of hate and extremism."
Education minister slams politicians who were quick to condemn the soldier who shot dead a neutralized terrorist, while the prime minister retorts: 'Don't preach me about morality.'
The political controversy over the IDF soldier who shot dead a neutralized soldier continued on Sunday as Education Minister Naftali Bennett clashed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers during a cabinet meeting.
At the beginning of the weekly meeting, Netanyahu addressed the issue for the third time, after at first harshly condemning the incident and then offering a softer statement two days later.
On Sunday, he continued along the new line he took on Saturday evening.
"Any challenge to the morality of the IDF is outrageous and unacceptable," Netanyahu told the media. "The soldiers of the IDF, our children, maintain high ethical values while courageously fighting against bloodthirsty murderers under difficult operational conditions. I am certain that in all cases, as in the current one, the inquiry takes into account all conditions. We must all support the IDF Chief-of-Staff, the IDF and our soldiers, who safeguard our security."
Later in the meeting, while the cabinet discussed a bill proposal by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to toughen punishment to stone-throwing minors, Bennett used the platform to bring the conversation back to the Hebron incident.
"I welcome the bill, but it is not enough. We're in a war against murderous Palestinian terrorism," Bennett said. "At the forefront there's the soldier, and we're being tested. Why did you need to jump to condemn the soldier on Thursday, while the GOC Central Command's investigation was only conducted on Friday?"
The Bayit Yehudi leader pressed on, asking "Why is he being led (to court) in handcuffs? What kind of message does this send to thousands of soldiers? An indictment for 'murder'? You're confused who are the good guys and who are the bad guys! Why is the entire leadership dancing to the tune of B'Tselem?"
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan was quick to respond to Bennett, "Who are you talking about, who were quick to condemn the soldier?"
"You know very well who," Bennett responded.
Shaked backed her party leader, demanding to know why the IDF's press briefings "against the soldiers" haven't stopped.
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri chimed in, saying "We all support the soldier. But there's a world outside, an international attack."
The prime minister agreed. "We're all backing him. Don't preach me about morality," he told Bennett.
"Backing is done in actions, not with words," Bennett insisted. "Why is he being sentenced before the issue is examined?"
Erdan demanded Bennett to name those he accused of "sentencing the soldier. You're talking like we're on one side and you're on another side."
Lieberman: Impeach the defense minister
The political controversy over the IDF soldier who shot dead a neutralized soldier continued on Sunday as Education Minister Naftali Bennett clashed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers during a cabinet meeting.
At the beginning of the weekly meeting, Netanyahu addressed the issue for the third time, after at first harshly condemning the incident and then offering a softer statement two days later.
On Sunday, he continued along the new line he took on Saturday evening.
"Any challenge to the morality of the IDF is outrageous and unacceptable," Netanyahu told the media. "The soldiers of the IDF, our children, maintain high ethical values while courageously fighting against bloodthirsty murderers under difficult operational conditions. I am certain that in all cases, as in the current one, the inquiry takes into account all conditions. We must all support the IDF Chief-of-Staff, the IDF and our soldiers, who safeguard our security."
Later in the meeting, while the cabinet discussed a bill proposal by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to toughen punishment to stone-throwing minors, Bennett used the platform to bring the conversation back to the Hebron incident.
"I welcome the bill, but it is not enough. We're in a war against murderous Palestinian terrorism," Bennett said. "At the forefront there's the soldier, and we're being tested. Why did you need to jump to condemn the soldier on Thursday, while the GOC Central Command's investigation was only conducted on Friday?"
The Bayit Yehudi leader pressed on, asking "Why is he being led (to court) in handcuffs? What kind of message does this send to thousands of soldiers? An indictment for 'murder'? You're confused who are the good guys and who are the bad guys! Why is the entire leadership dancing to the tune of B'Tselem?"
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan was quick to respond to Bennett, "Who are you talking about, who were quick to condemn the soldier?"
"You know very well who," Bennett responded.
Shaked backed her party leader, demanding to know why the IDF's press briefings "against the soldiers" haven't stopped.
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri chimed in, saying "We all support the soldier. But there's a world outside, an international attack."
The prime minister agreed. "We're all backing him. Don't preach me about morality," he told Bennett.
"Backing is done in actions, not with words," Bennett insisted. "Why is he being sentenced before the issue is examined?"
Erdan demanded Bennett to name those he accused of "sentencing the soldier. You're talking like we're on one side and you're on another side."
Lieberman: Impeach the defense minister
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman also attacked Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon for not giving what he deemed to be the proper backing to the soldier.
"The prime minister is worthy of being called the ultimate weather vane, he and Ya'alon are the face of the B'Tselem organization," Lieberman told Ynet on Sunday morning.
"I saw Netanyahu's first statement, and then he saw where the winds were blowing - and flipped his position," Lieberman said.
Netanyahu initially determined that "what happened in Hebron does not represent the IDF's values," and then posted a softer message on his official Facebook page on Saturday night in support of the IDF. "The attacks on IDF as an immoral army as expressed over the past weekend are outrageous and the opposite of the truth.
The IDF is a moral army that does not execute people. IDF soldiers use their bodies to block murderous terrorist attacks on Israeli soldiers, and they are deserving of all our support. Regarding the latest incident—I trust the IDF to perform a thorough, responsible and fair investigation, as it always does."
Lieberman also lamented, "How can a soldier even expect a fair investigation, a fair trial, when all in the proper authorities in the IDF already know what the commander wants?"
The former Netanyahu ally called the prime minister "spineless," accusing that "all he's trying to do is please public opinion."
Lieberman also called for the impeachment of Defense Minister Ya'alon. "I expect the Likud members to sign the petition demanding to impeach the defense minister immediately."
"The prime minister is worthy of being called the ultimate weather vane, he and Ya'alon are the face of the B'Tselem organization," Lieberman told Ynet on Sunday morning.
"I saw Netanyahu's first statement, and then he saw where the winds were blowing - and flipped his position," Lieberman said.
Netanyahu initially determined that "what happened in Hebron does not represent the IDF's values," and then posted a softer message on his official Facebook page on Saturday night in support of the IDF. "The attacks on IDF as an immoral army as expressed over the past weekend are outrageous and the opposite of the truth.
The IDF is a moral army that does not execute people. IDF soldiers use their bodies to block murderous terrorist attacks on Israeli soldiers, and they are deserving of all our support. Regarding the latest incident—I trust the IDF to perform a thorough, responsible and fair investigation, as it always does."
Lieberman also lamented, "How can a soldier even expect a fair investigation, a fair trial, when all in the proper authorities in the IDF already know what the commander wants?"
The former Netanyahu ally called the prime minister "spineless," accusing that "all he's trying to do is please public opinion."
Lieberman also called for the impeachment of Defense Minister Ya'alon. "I expect the Likud members to sign the petition demanding to impeach the defense minister immediately."
Israel army investigations confirmed that the martyr Abdel Fattah al-Sharif was not carrying explosives or an explosive belt, and denied the allegations of the soldier, who had executed Sharif, along with his lawyer and the extreme right, which expressed its support for this crime.
Analysts believe that the extreme right is trying to give new and more lenient instructions to the Israeli army about shooting Palestinians.
Military sources confirmed that the initial investigation conducted by the army in the wake of the execution crime of Sharif proved that the soldier, who fired a bullet at Sharif's head and killed him, came to the crime scene six minutes later and after Sharif was already lying on the ground unable to move after being shot.
The army said that before the arrival of the military unit, which the soldier was one of its members, a soldier had already examined Sharif's body and found that he was not carrying an explosive belt. The Hebrew site, Walla, quoted an Israeli official military source as saying that "the soldier shot at the head of the terrorist after that".
The same military source said that the instructions on suspicion of explosive belt are very clear, and "require the evacuation of the place so as to prevent any injuries to others and the instructions do not include shooting".
The footage that documents the execution crime filmed by a Palestinian volunteer in B'Tselem organization (The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories) shows that there were a big number of soldiers and officers around Sharif.
The extreme right
In the meantime, the extreme right ministers and activists continue to criticize the Israeli Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot as well as the Israeli war minister Moshe Ya'alon because they condemned this crime and opened an investigation against the killer soldier.
In the meantime, it turned out that the soldier, perpetrator of the murder crime, belongs to the extreme right.
He posted on his page on the media site "Facebook" slogans and phrases which prove that, including "Kahane is right," in reference to the extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane. The racist group "La Familia" also issued a statement expressing support for the soldier and claimed that he was subjected to a field trial.
For its part, the extremist group Lehava issued a statement demanding investigation with the Palestinian volunteer who documented the crime.
The military analyst for Haaretz newspaper, Amos Harel, wrote today that the extreme right-wing campaign against the army, "its goal is clear: to set new standards to make everything permitted in the struggle against the Palestinians and nothing in the (occupied) territories is subject to the law and trial, and that the investigations hamper the Israeli army fighting its war against Palestinians, therefore; regulations on shooting-fire should be eased."
In another comment, the writer for Haaretz, Gideon Levy, described the execution of Sharif, saying: "It was an abominable murder crime, the killing of a helpless person carried out by a coward soldier pretending to be a hero on a wounded man, his teammates and those around him are all partners in the crime."
He continued: "If the soldier shot a homeless dog, this would have resented the soldiers and settlers who were in the crime scene, the soldiers who see the crime of killing a Palestinian as nothing but a usual event.
The Israeli racism has reached this depraved level, a state of indifference toward the killing of a human in front of others ".
Analysts believe that the extreme right is trying to give new and more lenient instructions to the Israeli army about shooting Palestinians.
Military sources confirmed that the initial investigation conducted by the army in the wake of the execution crime of Sharif proved that the soldier, who fired a bullet at Sharif's head and killed him, came to the crime scene six minutes later and after Sharif was already lying on the ground unable to move after being shot.
The army said that before the arrival of the military unit, which the soldier was one of its members, a soldier had already examined Sharif's body and found that he was not carrying an explosive belt. The Hebrew site, Walla, quoted an Israeli official military source as saying that "the soldier shot at the head of the terrorist after that".
The same military source said that the instructions on suspicion of explosive belt are very clear, and "require the evacuation of the place so as to prevent any injuries to others and the instructions do not include shooting".
The footage that documents the execution crime filmed by a Palestinian volunteer in B'Tselem organization (The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories) shows that there were a big number of soldiers and officers around Sharif.
The extreme right
In the meantime, the extreme right ministers and activists continue to criticize the Israeli Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot as well as the Israeli war minister Moshe Ya'alon because they condemned this crime and opened an investigation against the killer soldier.
In the meantime, it turned out that the soldier, perpetrator of the murder crime, belongs to the extreme right.
He posted on his page on the media site "Facebook" slogans and phrases which prove that, including "Kahane is right," in reference to the extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane. The racist group "La Familia" also issued a statement expressing support for the soldier and claimed that he was subjected to a field trial.
For its part, the extremist group Lehava issued a statement demanding investigation with the Palestinian volunteer who documented the crime.
The military analyst for Haaretz newspaper, Amos Harel, wrote today that the extreme right-wing campaign against the army, "its goal is clear: to set new standards to make everything permitted in the struggle against the Palestinians and nothing in the (occupied) territories is subject to the law and trial, and that the investigations hamper the Israeli army fighting its war against Palestinians, therefore; regulations on shooting-fire should be eased."
In another comment, the writer for Haaretz, Gideon Levy, described the execution of Sharif, saying: "It was an abominable murder crime, the killing of a helpless person carried out by a coward soldier pretending to be a hero on a wounded man, his teammates and those around him are all partners in the crime."
He continued: "If the soldier shot a homeless dog, this would have resented the soldiers and settlers who were in the crime scene, the soldiers who see the crime of killing a Palestinian as nothing but a usual event.
The Israeli racism has reached this depraved level, a state of indifference toward the killing of a human in front of others ".
Moti Almoz responds to allegations by family of soldier who shot neutralized terrorist, saying 'We're listening to his version and will continue to do so, and it is up to law enforcement authorities and the justice system to determine' what would happen.
The IDF Spokesperson, Brig.-Gen. Moti Almoz, responded on Sunday to the harsh criticism from the family of the soldier who shot dead a neutralized terrorist in Hebron, saying the soldier "is not being court-martialed in public, nor is he being lynched."
In a post on his Facebook page, Almoz stressed that "the soldier is under investigation. We're listening to his version and will continue to do so, and it is up to law enforcement authorities and the justice system to determine" what would happen.
On Saturday night, the soldier's family held a press conference in which his sister turned to the IDF chief and the IDF spokesperson asking "why are you giving him a court-martial in the media? Why are you killing him without a trial?"
She also asserted that the IDF did not let her brother explain his actions. "Why didn't you give him a minute to explain what he was going through, what he was feeling, was he worried the heinous terrorist was planning on blowing himself up, or perhaps draw a weapon?" she wondered.
The IDF spokesman responded to the sister's accusations, saying "All incidents are investigated. We check professionalism, training, activity, weapons, judgment and more. When necessary, the moral aspect is also examined. These incidents are not being examined and investigated so we could 'appear' right, or because of B'Tselem, or because of concern of international pressure. But for the sake of ourselves, our character and values."
Abed al Fatah a-Sharif, along with another Palestinian attacker, stabbed an IDF soldier in Hebron on Thursday. Both were then gunned down by other soldiers.
A video filmed by a B'Tselem volunteer several minutes later shows the wounded a-Sharif lying on the ground motionless as an IDF soldier aims his weapon at him and shoots him in the head.
The IDF suspended and then arrested the soldier on suspicion of murder, and the military’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) has already launched an investigation into the incident.
The soldier’s lawyer said his client saw a-Sharif moving and feared he was going to detonate a bomb, leading him to shoot the neutralized attacker.
A second video from the incident shows the terrorist moving before being shot, while a third video of the evacuation of the wounded soldier reveals dialogue between the rescue team members and the soldiers around them, with an authoritative figure saying, "He probably has an explosive on him, pay attention. Until the bomb squad comes, nobody touches him." The CID is investigating whether the warning was made by an IDF soldier of commander, or by a civilian paramedic.
When questioned by the CID, the soldier claimed that there have been warnings over the past three weeks of a Hamas cell planning a combined terror attack in Hebron that would include both shooting and explosives. The CID said Friday it has yet to check the validity of his claim. His remand has been extended until Tuesday.
The CID is also planning to gather testimony from Palestinians who were at the scene of the attack, after already having spoken to officers and soldiers who were there.
The investigation of the incident has found that one of the junior officers on the scene did check the terrorist for explosives after he was shot down and neutralized.
The soldier who later shot the terrorist to death, however, was not at the scene of the attack when that check was conducted, and was not aware of the fact the officer "cleared" the terrorist of carrying explosives.
The soldier arrived at the scene about two minutes after the attack as reinforcement, and then shot the terrorist who was lying on the ground - of his own accord.
"The procedure for a situation in which there's suspicion the terrorist has an explosive belt on is clear and known, and includes telling the other troops to back away and be careful, something the soldier did not do," an IDF official said on Saturday evening.
Almoz said on Sunday that the investigation into the incident is still ongoing. "On the professional level, we determined the fighters acted properly, and we praised them for the quick neutralization of the terrorists. On the ethical and moral level, we determined after an initial investigation that this was a grave incident. Norms and values are not measured and determined in the comments section, but out in the field, when it's hard and complicated and not everything is clear."
He concluded, saying "We will determine the norms: that this incident is grave, that we will insist that political talk stays out of the IDF. Yes to a fair investigation that has only just begun and that we shouldn't determine its results in advance."
Israeli Soldiers Kidnap Two Palestinians In Hebron
Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Sunday at dawn, two Palestinians in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, including the brother of a Palestinian who was executed by an Israeli soldier, on Thursday morning, after he was already severely injured.
The soldiers violently searched many homes, interrogated families, and kidnapped Adeeb Shafiq al-Qawasmi, 20, and Khaled Yosri Sharif, 25, the brother of Abdul-Fattah, who was executed by an Israeli soldier, after suffering a serious gunshot injury.
The execution was captured on tape.
The soldiers also installed a roadblock on the main road leading to the al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron, searched many cars and interrogated dozens of Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.
Another roadblock was installed at the entrance of the al-Harayeq area, in Hebron, in the opposite direction of Haggai illegal Israeli colonialist outpost, build on private Palestinian property, and also stopped and searched cars while inspecting the ID cards of the passengers
The IDF Spokesperson, Brig.-Gen. Moti Almoz, responded on Sunday to the harsh criticism from the family of the soldier who shot dead a neutralized terrorist in Hebron, saying the soldier "is not being court-martialed in public, nor is he being lynched."
In a post on his Facebook page, Almoz stressed that "the soldier is under investigation. We're listening to his version and will continue to do so, and it is up to law enforcement authorities and the justice system to determine" what would happen.
On Saturday night, the soldier's family held a press conference in which his sister turned to the IDF chief and the IDF spokesperson asking "why are you giving him a court-martial in the media? Why are you killing him without a trial?"
She also asserted that the IDF did not let her brother explain his actions. "Why didn't you give him a minute to explain what he was going through, what he was feeling, was he worried the heinous terrorist was planning on blowing himself up, or perhaps draw a weapon?" she wondered.
The IDF spokesman responded to the sister's accusations, saying "All incidents are investigated. We check professionalism, training, activity, weapons, judgment and more. When necessary, the moral aspect is also examined. These incidents are not being examined and investigated so we could 'appear' right, or because of B'Tselem, or because of concern of international pressure. But for the sake of ourselves, our character and values."
Abed al Fatah a-Sharif, along with another Palestinian attacker, stabbed an IDF soldier in Hebron on Thursday. Both were then gunned down by other soldiers.
A video filmed by a B'Tselem volunteer several minutes later shows the wounded a-Sharif lying on the ground motionless as an IDF soldier aims his weapon at him and shoots him in the head.
The IDF suspended and then arrested the soldier on suspicion of murder, and the military’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) has already launched an investigation into the incident.
The soldier’s lawyer said his client saw a-Sharif moving and feared he was going to detonate a bomb, leading him to shoot the neutralized attacker.
A second video from the incident shows the terrorist moving before being shot, while a third video of the evacuation of the wounded soldier reveals dialogue between the rescue team members and the soldiers around them, with an authoritative figure saying, "He probably has an explosive on him, pay attention. Until the bomb squad comes, nobody touches him." The CID is investigating whether the warning was made by an IDF soldier of commander, or by a civilian paramedic.
When questioned by the CID, the soldier claimed that there have been warnings over the past three weeks of a Hamas cell planning a combined terror attack in Hebron that would include both shooting and explosives. The CID said Friday it has yet to check the validity of his claim. His remand has been extended until Tuesday.
The CID is also planning to gather testimony from Palestinians who were at the scene of the attack, after already having spoken to officers and soldiers who were there.
The investigation of the incident has found that one of the junior officers on the scene did check the terrorist for explosives after he was shot down and neutralized.
The soldier who later shot the terrorist to death, however, was not at the scene of the attack when that check was conducted, and was not aware of the fact the officer "cleared" the terrorist of carrying explosives.
The soldier arrived at the scene about two minutes after the attack as reinforcement, and then shot the terrorist who was lying on the ground - of his own accord.
"The procedure for a situation in which there's suspicion the terrorist has an explosive belt on is clear and known, and includes telling the other troops to back away and be careful, something the soldier did not do," an IDF official said on Saturday evening.
Almoz said on Sunday that the investigation into the incident is still ongoing. "On the professional level, we determined the fighters acted properly, and we praised them for the quick neutralization of the terrorists. On the ethical and moral level, we determined after an initial investigation that this was a grave incident. Norms and values are not measured and determined in the comments section, but out in the field, when it's hard and complicated and not everything is clear."
He concluded, saying "We will determine the norms: that this incident is grave, that we will insist that political talk stays out of the IDF. Yes to a fair investigation that has only just begun and that we shouldn't determine its results in advance."
Israeli Soldiers Kidnap Two Palestinians In Hebron
Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Sunday at dawn, two Palestinians in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, including the brother of a Palestinian who was executed by an Israeli soldier, on Thursday morning, after he was already severely injured.
The soldiers violently searched many homes, interrogated families, and kidnapped Adeeb Shafiq al-Qawasmi, 20, and Khaled Yosri Sharif, 25, the brother of Abdul-Fattah, who was executed by an Israeli soldier, after suffering a serious gunshot injury.
The execution was captured on tape.
The soldiers also installed a roadblock on the main road leading to the al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron, searched many cars and interrogated dozens of Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.
Another roadblock was installed at the entrance of the al-Harayeq area, in Hebron, in the opposite direction of Haggai illegal Israeli colonialist outpost, build on private Palestinian property, and also stopped and searched cars while inspecting the ID cards of the passengers
