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Last update - 15:14 07/08/2008
IDF colonel and soldier charged in shooting of bound Palestinian
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: IDF, Israel, Na'alin 

Israeli human rights organizations on Wednesday blasted the Israel Defense Force's decision to remove an officer from his current post and reassign him, over an incident in which a soldier under his command fired a rubber bullet at a bound Palestinian prisoner.

B'Tselem and Yesh Din both released statements Wednesday condemning the deal reached between the attorneys of Lt. Colonel Omri Burberg, the officer, and the military advocate general, Brigadier General Avihai Mandelblit.

The deal saw Burberg indicted in a military court on Thursday morning on a minor charge of "inappropriate behavior for a commander" The soldierú Staff Sergeant L., who carried out the shooting was also indicted on Thursday.
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"The Military Advocate General determined that the said incident reflects a severe moral failure of command, and requires that both the officer and soldier involved will be tried in a military court," the spokesman said in a statement.

The Military Advocate General said it was charging the soldiers with the offence of "unworthy conduct."

Branding the deal as "disgraceful," B'Tselem stated: "The army treats the shooting at point-blank range of a bound man [only] as inappropriate behavior. It disgraces the values which it pretends to uphold."

Last week, Burberg was suspended for 10 days pending an investigation into the incident, which occurred three weeks ago near the West Bank village of Na'alin.

The incident was caught on camera by a local Palestinian. The footage shows Burberg, the commander of the 71st Armored Battalion, holding on to a bound and blindfolded civilian as the soldier took aim and shot him in the foot with a rubber-coated bullet.

B'Tselem is also demanding that the military police launch an investigation into the IDF Ramallah Brigade commander, Col. Aviv Reshef, for not immediately reporting the incident.

The soldier in the incident claimed in a hearing earlier this week that he opened fire upon orders from his superior, but Burberg said he simply wanted to intimidate the victim.

His future in the IDF is presently uncertain, but Burberg said in a statement he released Wednesday evening that he takes responsibility for the incident and expects to continue to serve in the IDF.

Last week's decision to suspend Burberg came following a hearing by GOC Northern Command, Major General Gadi Eisenkot, who is the overall commander of Battalion 71.

Eisenkot said at the conclusion of the hearing that the incident "was serious and reflected a failure of command and values, even though the battalion commander did not intend for real shots to be fired, only that it be used as a scare tactic."

Related articles:
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  • Soldier filmed shooting bound Palestinian released from detention
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      1.   Any comments from Zionists who claimed this was staged? 21:13  |  Clickfool 06/08/08
      2.   dismissed 21:15  |  anja 06/08/08
      3.   Still serving in the IDF? 21:24  |  Dave 06/08/08
      4.   Still plans to serve? 21:30  |  GS 06/08/08
      5.   Cleaning the stables 21:45  |  MarkC 06/08/08
      6.   Lt. Col. not a "senior officer" 21:52  |  John 06/08/08
      7.   Click the fool #1 22:13  |  Philippe 06/08/08
      8.   Israel`s Dichotomy 22:16  |  Milo 06/08/08
      9.   John (6) 22:21  |  Magnus Kragset 06/08/08
      10.   Just Following Orders 22:25  |  Binyamin 06/08/08
      11.   This is the norm for IDF 22:26  |  Navy Vet 06/08/08
      12.   Harsh punishment 22:43  |  Brod 06/08/08
      13.   He was dismissed 23:03  |  EDBTZ 06/08/08
      14.   #1 the fool 23:11  |  Dr Noam 06/08/08
      15.   Cowardly Pathetic Brutal Thugs 23:14  |  Lee Kaplan 06/08/08
      16.   justice 23:27  |  yuval 06/08/08
      17.   One Swollen Toe - Big Deal 23:29  |  X Ajerate 06/08/08
      18.   To: Magnus Kragset 23:38  |  Howard 06/08/08
      19.   Disgrace B`Sheker doesn`t demand demolishing terrorist houses 23:39  |  Genuine Tosefta 06/08/08
      20.   Cowardly Pathetic Brutal Thugs 23:39  |  Jay 06/08/08
      21.   Thanks GOD for the world communities to witness this. 23:41  |  Bernadette 06/08/08
      22.   The REAL B`tselem shame 23:42  |  Arie 06/08/08
      23.   shooting a blindfolded man 23:43  |  Dik 06/08/08
      24.   Disgrace...! 23:45  |  Esther 06/08/08
      25.   #7.Philippe, bet you he will B rewarded with a Medal? 23:46  |  philipa 06/08/08
      26.   shot him in the foot with a rubber coated bullet 23:47  |  Akiva P 06/08/08
      27.   # 7 philippe 23:53  |  Axel 06/08/08
      28.   Genuine Tosefta @#19 23:55  |  Akiva P 06/08/08
      29.   #14 - Dr. Nonothing 23:59  |  yezmar 06/08/08
      30.   A wrongful act, sure, but puh-leez. 00:01  |  Jack 07/08/08
      31.   IDF should let Palestinian shoot IDF officer with a rubber bullet 00:03  |  Uzi Hirschberg 07/08/08
      32.   To Magnus Kragset (9) 00:07  |  John 07/08/08
      33.   Dr Noam 00:16  |  Chet 07/08/08
      34.   To Lee Kaplan 00:17  |  John 07/08/08
      35.   General questions 00:20  |  John 07/08/08
      36.   Apologies.. the Pal was a wanted terrorist. 00:33  |  Homer Sexeul 07/08/08
      37.   slap on the wrist 00:39  |  hanna 07/08/08
      38.   Hirschberg will B`Sheker object to your inhumane suggestion? 00:41  |  Genuine Tosefta 07/08/08
      39.   Akiva more 00:44  |  Genuine Tosefta 07/08/08
      40.   B`tselem another bias accusation 00:46  |  Fred 07/08/08
      41.   #30 Jack 00:50  |  Boycott 07/08/08
      42.   BIG DEAL!! 00:50  |  WYSIWYG 07/08/08
      43.   # 26 akiva 00:52  |  Axel 07/08/08
      44.   Barbarian Israelis.Nothing new. 00:58  |  jaffar 07/08/08
      45.   # 30 jack 01:01  |  Axel 07/08/08
      46.   Brit soldiers who drowned Iraqi youths got acquited 01:26  |  Absolute Sweden 07/08/08
      47.   When a suicde bomber destroys a full bus, b`tselem keeps quiet 01:32  |  dave 07/08/08
      48.   B`Tselem should relocate to Gaza 01:52  |  Great White North 07/08/08
      49.   Free Shalit 01:55  |  Great White North 07/08/08
      50.   Axel # 27 02:02  |  Philippe 07/08/08
      51.   this IS punishment 02:06  |  Miransky 07/08/08
      52.   Milo # 8 02:06  |  Philippe 07/08/08
      53.   There`s always politics... 02:10  |  Victor 07/08/08
      54.   #1 Clickfool - Unlike your side 02:12  |  * BEN JABO 07/08/08
      55.   Rotting within.. 02:16  |  E40 07/08/08
      56.   For real? 02:30  |  roger 07/08/08
      57.   Bernadette #21 02:56  |  Philippe 07/08/08
      58.   perspective 03:16  |  Dr Noam 07/08/08
      59.   oh yea as if Israeli`s aren`t punished enough living w/savages 03:49  |  david 07/08/08
      60.   yep an israeli did something bad 03:55  |  fuck every 07/08/08
      61.   PHIL THE LIP # 04:04  |  Mona 07/08/08
      62.   JOHN / Washington, DC 04:10  |  Mona 07/08/08
      63.   B`Tselem Sure Wants Its Pound Of Flesh On This One 04:23  |  Jeff Northridge 07/08/08
      64.