Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., July 29, 2007 Av 14, 5767 | | Israel Time: 04:24 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Print Edition
Diplomacy
Defense Real Estate Arts & Leisure Jewish World National Sports Advertising  
Magazine Week's End Opinion Business Rosner's Domain Anglo File Travel
Q&A
 
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Last update - 13:22 28/07/2007
IDF: Soldiers lied during questioning over wrongful shooting of Palestinian
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent

Members of an Israel Defense Forces platoon who apparently shot and wounded a Palestinian without any justification in the West Bank on Thursday, apparently lied in the initial investigation of the incident, IDF sources reported Friday.

A military court on Friday extended the remand of the six suspects involved in the shooting, which occurred in the village of Dahariya near Hebron.

An internal military police investigation, ordered by GOC Central Command Major General Gadi Shamni on Thursday, has not yet been completed. A central command inquiry is being conducted concurrently and the platoon commander has been suspended.

Advertisement

The suspects had originally claimed that during a morning patrol in the village, one of the platoon's soldiers sprained his ankle and couldn't walk. They said that the commander then decided to stop and commandeer a Palestinian taxi.

After the soldiers had tied up the driver and taken control of the vehicle, another Palestinian approached the car. The soldiers decided he was acting "suspiciously" and one of them fired shots in his direction, wounding him in the neck.

According to the IDF sources, the initial investigation revealed that the soldiers had lied, and that no ankle had been sprained. Instead, the platoon had decided on its own accord to carry out an undercover operation, without coordinating the operation with their superiors.

They removed their uniforms and donned civilian clothing and then commandeered the taxi. One of the senior officers conducting the inquiry termed the soldiers' actions as "stupidity stemming from over-motivation."

It emerged that the soldiers had not stopped to treat the wounded Palestinian, who was reportedly severely hurt, and had in fact left him behind bleeding. The soldiers also failed to report the incident. The affair only came to light after media reports of the wounded Palestinian.

Shamni ordered an investigation into the entire platoon and suspended the platoon from operational activity until the completion of the inquiry. Shamni also appointed Colonel David Menahem to head a taskforce that will probe the overall behavior of the regiment in order to see if the incident was part of a much wider phenomenon.

Bookmark to del.icio.us
Choice of a nation
As a "special people," Jews must inspire great expectations among gentiles
Telling time
Of Swatches and Tissots: Some telling tales about watches, old and new.
  1.   Amazing! 21:55  |  Victor 27/07/07
  2.   An IDF soldier lied? My whole world is tumbling down, I can`t 22:09  |  Andreas 27/07/07
  3.   The Corruption of Occupation 22:36  |  The Natural 27/07/07
  4.   So they were acting without orders 23:33  |  Efox 27/07/07
  5.   He saw "Civilians" with Machine Guns tying up a Taxi Driver 23:35  |  Efox 27/07/07
  6.   Norma procedure around Hebron 00:55  |  Omran 28/07/07
  7.   "Over- Motivation." 01:22  |  Maureen Ann 28/07/07
  8.   Responsibility 03:00  |  dev 28/07/07
  9.   A hate crime by right-wing elements... 04:40  |  Dutch Dirk 28/07/07
  10.   Dev 04:50  |  Silvienne 28/07/07
  11.   #8 06:02  |  watching/listening 28/07/07
  12.   Omran see my post to Maureen Ann, it applies to you as well . 07:10  |  Genuine Tosefta 28/07/07
  13.   Dutch Dirt # 9 09:12  |  Brad 28/07/07
  14.   What about the 765 Pals 10:31  |  Dav 28/07/07
  15.   #12 `Genuine` Tosefta. 10:51  |  Maureen Ann 28/07/07
  16.   The "new" IDF in the Hebron area...... 10:53  |  Esther 28/07/07
  17.   Good that it came out 11:51  |  Zoltan 28/07/07
  18.   How dumb do you have to be to believe this? 13:07  |  H50 28/07/07
  19.   to call it stupidity is 14:32  |  cool 28/07/07
  20.   Young Men With Guns... 15:38  |  SM 28/07/07
  21.   Over-motivated 16:15  |  Axel 28/07/07
  22.   Esther #16 16:32  |  Mary 28/07/07
  23.   moses 17:01  |  barry sloan 28/07/07
  24.   IDF lying. . . !!! 18:36  |  Miriam 28/07/07
  25.   Business as usual for the IDF. 19:04  |  Deborah 28/07/07
  26.   The IDF are "Light Weights" compared to..... 00:35  |  Warmapril 29/07/07
  27.   Just High-Spirited Boys 03:26  |  Reader 29/07/07
 Today Online
Israeli sources: PA has helped foil terror attacks
Responses: 233
Report: PA gov't platform excludes 'armed struggle'
Responses: 258
Yoel Marcus: Israel must take battle to Palestinian home front
Responses: 117
Fayad associates planning alternative to Fatah and Hamas
Responses: 120
Jonathan Kolieb: Blair must ensure Gaza-West Bank link
Responses: 66
Abraham Foxman: Success is biggest threat to U.S. Jewry
Responses: 103
Rosner's Domain
* Why did only Jews protest Ellison's statement?
* A message to the moderate Arabs: With Hamas there's no reconciliation
* Rosner's guest: Bush's empty rhetoric


More Headlines
04:10 U.S. pledges to increase its military aid to Israel
04:05 ANALYSIS: Are we in the midst of a cold war in the Middle East?
22:21 PRC: Fayad and 'Ramallah traitors' targets for attack
01:58 Nasrallah: Lebanon war crushed U.S. vision for 'new Middle East'
02:56 Doctors slam British Medical Journal for boycott op-eds
20:55 Russian company confirms delay in construction of Iranian reactor
02:15 Report: One of two soldiers held by Hezbollah is no longer alive
21:26 IDF kills two Gaza militants trying to plant bomb near border fence
02:09 Polish prosecutors investigate communist-era anti-Semitic purge
21:13 Lebanese troops kill 8 militants in Palestinian refugee camp
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
LEUMI
Mortgages in Israel tailor made to your specific needs and currency
Israeli History Documentaries.
Own a piece of Israel?s treasured past.
Skin Care Products
Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off!
JOIN FREE AT JDATE.COM
The most popular online Jewish dating community in the world! Explore the possibilities! Click Here!
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt.
Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel
Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !
Home| Print Edition| Diplomacy| Opinion| Arts & Leisure| Sports| Jewish World| Underground| Site rules|
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved