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Ya’alon says IDF chief, not popular clamour determines rules of engagement
Israel’s Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon yesterday expressed concerns over the tone of public debate surrounding the controversial killing of a wounded Palestinian terrorist in Hebron by an IDF soldier.
During the incident two weeks ago, the terrorist stabbed two Israeli soldiers before being shot and incapacitated. Video footage from the Israeli human rights group B’tselem shows a soldier several minutes later opening fire and killing the wounded Palestinian. Hebron has been a focal point during the wave of attacks by Palestinians; overall at least 31 Israelis have been killed in the wave of violence since October.
The incident has sparked intense public debate. It has seen the soldier condemned by many for unnecessarily killing the terrorist. However, others have defended his actions, saying that the attacker could have been armed with explosives. Politicians have sharply clashed on the issue. Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon has defended the arrest and condemned Jewish Home leader, Economy Minister Naftali Bennett for appearing to encourage support for the soldier.
Ya’alon yesterday reiterated his concerns, telling a high school in the Jordan Valley: “This is a soldier who did not act as he was supposed to.” He warned that, “It is important to us as an army that we know how to win [in battle] while remaining human beings. If we lose our moral compass, we will lose our way. It is forbidden to act in contravention of our orders.” Ya’alon said he was concerned by the “unprecedented” tone of debate surrounding the case and the criticism levelled at the army by the soldier’s supporters. He commented, “I suggest that the rules for opening fire be determined by the IDF chief of staff and not gang leaders.”
During yesterday’s court proceedings, army prosecutor Adoram Reigler argued that there was no evidence to support the soldier’s claim he was concerned about an explosive belt, saying the accused did not warn anyone of the possibility before opening fire. Reigler also confirmed that the prosecution believes it has enough evidence for a manslaughter conviction.