Ofra Edelman, Haaretz Correspondent: Charges dropped against settler filmed shooting Palestinians
Talkback
Title:What Ofra Edelman forgot to tell us
Name:Emmet
City: JerusalemState: Israel
Zeev Braude, 51, a security guard, was filmed by the left-wing Israeli-Palestinian civil rights organization B`selem shooting at two Arabs after the violent eviction by special police units of 200 Jews from the Beth Shalom Pease House in Hebron on Dec. 4.
Braude was indicted in the Jerusalem`s Magistrate`s court on Dec. 10 despite the acknowledgement by Aviv that Braude was the victim of a lynch by Arabs in the area.
"It was clear from the film I saw that the lynch was carried out on the suspect who was lying on the ground helpless, while more Palestinians gathered to kick and beat him," Aviv said.
Aviv criticized the police for not arresting the Arabs who were filmed hurling rocks at Braude.
During the hearing, Aviv described Braude as a "respectable citizen" without a criminal record, who "happened" to find himself in a violent incident.
Immediately after Aviv released Braude to house arrest, attorneys from the state prosecutor`s office and police offices barged into her chambers and demanded that she remand Braude into custody citing the high media coverage and international profile of the case.
Aviv rejected the plea so the state prosecutor`s office appealed to the Jerusalem District Court which upheld Aviv`s decision. Relentlessly, the state prosecution petitioned the Supreme Court. Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein also rejected the appeal but tightened the house arrest and ordered Braude to be accompanied 24 hours per day.