Trial Opens For Israeli Soldier Who Shot Prone Palestinian

The Israeli soldier who shot a Palestinian attacker in Hebron arriving to a hearing at a military court near Kiryat Malachi, Israel, March 29, 2016. The Azaria affair also created a public rift between Prime Minister Netanyahu and the head of a coalition partner that pundits opined could have the impact of bringing down the government.

The assailants who have been killed have either been shot dead by their victims or security forces as they carried out attacks.

Sgt Azaria told Israeli military police: “When I looked at him I saw that he was moving his head, and his hand was within reach of the knife he used in the stabbing – the black knife”.

In their indictment, prosecutors said Sgt Azaria “violated the rules of engagement without operational justification as the terrorist was lying on the ground wounded and represented no immediate threat to the accused or others who were present”. “We will endure”, said defense lawyer Binyamin Malka.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say.

Critics said Sharif’s death was an extra-judicial killing while defenders of the soldier argued that Azaria did nothing wrong, acting according to expectations in a combat situation.

Palestinians have accused Israel of using excessive force against attackers who have already been stopped or wounded, and in some cases, of killing innocent civilians.

The original video of the shooting led to major controversy in Israel and sparked political tensions, with far-right supporters calling for the soldier’s release. Meanwhile, a poll conducted last month found 57% of Israelis did not think the soldier should have been arrested.

On February 9, a Jewish settler group attempted to evict a house rented by a Palestinian family in the neighborhood of Aqabat al-Khalidiya in Jerusalem’s Old City, citing that the house belongs to a Jewish family and that settlers have the right to inhabit it instead of a Palestinian family.

It was the latest move by nationalist Jews to get hold of properties in Arab areas of Jerusalem to make certain the area remains in Israeli hands under any future peace deal with the Palestinians.

About four Palestinian families previously lived in the building that was taken over Monday, said Daniel Luria of the Ateret Cohanim settler group.