Jerusalem – A video emerged Wednesday that appears to show a knife being kicked toward the body of a Palestinian attacker who was shot dead by an Israeli soldier in the West Bank, raising the possibility of evidence tampering.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The soldier, who faces charges of manslaughter, has said he felt the Palestinian posed a risk even though he was already lying on the ground wounded. He has reportedly claimed in his defense that the knife was in the Palestinian’s reach and that he also feared the Palestinian had a bomb because he was wearing a jacket on a hot day.
The video, which Israeli media aired Wednesday and said was presented by the prosecution, shows an ambulance driving over a knife on the ground a few meters away from the body and then coming to a halt. The knife then skitters across the ground toward the dead Palestinian, indicating someone kicked it.
Ilan Katz, the soldier’s lawyer, told Channel 2 TV that the video doesn’t tell the whole story and that among other evidence there is a witness who saw a knife just inches away from the attacker. He said his client “saw in real time the terrorist move and feared for the lives of the forces.”
The March shooting came amid months of Palestinian attacks on Israelis. The attacker was shot and wounded after stabbing and wounding a soldier. Another Palestinian who took part in the attack was shot and killed.
The case has left Israel, where military service is mandatory, deeply polarized, with some demanding the soldier face justice and others accusing the military of second-guessing a decision made in the field.
It’s so foolish. Who are these bleeding hearts pandering to? An evil, cold blooded, terrorist killer just attacked an innocent. He should be immediately executed.
yes it is hard for many of us to understand these laws. terrorists keep coming to kill us so instead od having a law that will prevent others from killing us,meaning you can kill anyone coming to kill, instead of protecting our israeli citizens, we have a law- dont kill the terrorist-unless you know he is a danger to you right now!! how are you dealing with this problem?
this is war!! who does that in war and who expects that in war. only anti semites expect that from israelis, no one else in the world expects this kind of a reaction, common sense!!
The knife was run over by the ambulance before it was moved, so it seems like it was done to preserve the evidence. It’s kind of a normal reaction from a young soldier, however it may not be ideal police protocol. The blade was from the terrorist regardless.