Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., February 15, 2008 Adar1 9, 5768 | | Israel Time: 15:45 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Mohammed Issa Mahrazeh, the taxi driver injured during the Dahariya rampage. (B'Tselem) Last update - 15:45 13/02/2008 Court okays soldier's 15-month jail term for Hebron rampage By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Hebron, Israel, West Bank  The officer in charge of an army unit that went on a wild rampage in the West Bank and shot a Palestinian without justification last July was sentenced to 15 months in prison Wednesday and demoted to rank of private by a military court in Jaffa. The court okayed the 15-month prison term that had been reached in a plea bargain the week before, but decided to demote the commander to private instead of only to sergeant. Lieutenant Ya'akov Gigi's sentence was the result of an agreement between his attorneys and the Military Advocate General (MAG). Advertisement MAG has not yet presented any charges against First Sergeant Dror, who actually pulled the trigger, despite promising that it would do so. Dror claims that the way the Palestinian looked at him was enough to classify him as a "suspect" and to justify opening fire. Gigi and five of his soldiers hijacked a Palestinian taxi last July in the West Bank village of Dahariya, near Hebron. They then shot an innocent passerby and left him there, even though he was severely wounded in the neck. The soldiers also lied in the initial investigation of the incident, as Israel Defense Forces sources reported at the time. They claimed that one of the platoon's soldiers had sprained his ankle during a morning patrol of the village and was no longer able to walk, so the officer decided to commandeer a Palestinian taxi. Then, they said, after they had tied up the driver and taken control of the vehicle, another Palestinian approached the car, and the soldiers decided that he was acting "suspiciously." One of them therefore fired shots at him, wounding him in the neck. However, IDF sources said the investigation revealed that none of the soldiers, who belong to the Lavi Battalion of the Kfir Infantry Brigade, had sprained an ankle. Instead, the platoon had decided of its own accord to carry out an undercover operation, without coordinating the operation with their superiors. 'Stupidity plus overmotivation' They allegedly removed their uniforms, donned civilian clothing and then commandeered the taxi. One of the senior officers conducting the inquiry referred to the soldiers' actions as "stupidity stemming from over-motivation." They did not stop to treat the wounded Palestinian, who was reportedly severely hurt, but rather left him behind bleeding. The soldiers also failed to report the incident. The affair came to light only after the media reported about the wounded man. Dror, describing the incident in his testimony last month, said: "He looked at me. All the others looked suspicious and he was more suspicious ... I thought he was a threat to my life, because I was under such pressure. "When your life is in danger, you shoot to defend yourself. That's what they teach you in the army. That's what I was brought up on," he said, adding that every commander he served under had told him that. Asked to give the names of the officers who had told him so, Dror replied: "I've passed through almost eight officers and I can't say who exactly taught me that." He testified that he was a professional soldier and an experienced sniper who took part in many operations. He said he had never shot at anyone prior to this incident, but had fired at a fuel container and an empty gas container. He said that when he first reported that the Palestinian looked suspicious, the officer instructed him to "keep him away." Then, the Palestinian made a movement with his arm that looked as if he were drawing a gun, so Dror fired at him from inside the slow-moving taxi. "I was in panic afterward. I was in shock. I was half in shock," he said. He said that Gigi rebuked him after the shot. "What have you done? You shot him," Gigi said. Dror has since completed his military service and is now studying at a yeshiva in Jerusalem. Related articles: IDF probe finds gross misconduct by troops in Dahariya rampage Dahariya officer's lawyers: Probe into West Bank op was flawed Court convicts IDF officer who led troops in W. Bank rampage Bookmark to del.icio.us   'We lost a great leader' Dignitaries honor the only Holocaust survivor to serve in the U.S. Congress. Deadly incursion A mentally disabled Palestinian dies of wounds sustained in a West Bank IDF arrest raid.   1.   15 month? what a joke 15:52  |  Leona 13/02/08   2.   "Overly motivated"??? 17:24  |  Goldberg 13/02/08   3.   Wow, got off easy.. 18:12  |  T A Sheppard 13/02/08   4.   the officer was responsible 18:57  |  rm 13/02/08   5.   to TA Sheppard#3 19:26  |  Ilya 13/02/08   6.   He should be dressed like a virgin 21:25  |  Man 13/02/08   7.   to #3 `Wow. Got off easy..`? 22:04  |  Colin Wright 13/02/08   8.   #3 T.A. Sheppard - You`re describing yourself perfectly 01:13  |  * BEN JABO 14/02/08   9.   There is some hope 01:17  |  Mark Lincoln 14/02/08   10.   If that were an Arab shooting a Jew he would received a Medal 05:09  |  * BEN JABO 14/02/08   11.   #9 Lincoln - You forgot to mention 05:35  |  * BEN JABO 14/02/08   12.   15 months 21:31  |  just me 14/02/08   13.   Ben Jabo #10 08:04  |  melchizedek 15/02/08   14.   #13 melchizedek 15:32  |  *BEN JABO 15/02/08

Today Online Israel: We know how to deal with threats by Hezbollah Responses: 32 Palestinians: Ailing woman dies after IDF denies her access to ambulance Responses: 74 Editorial: As with Murghniyah, killing terrorists sometimes unavoidable Responses: 42 Zvi Bar'el: Roiled Hezbollah chief throws down the gauntlet Responses: 65 Roi Ben-Yehuda: If U.K. rejects sharia law, beit din will face same fate Responses: 13 Rosner's Domain Clinton's peace team: the attacks on Rob Malley "vicious" (WTR) Brzezinski in Israel (WTR) Most blatant example of Israeli interference in American election The U.S. and Mughniyah / Not just 'who' but also 'where' Poll: Was killing Mughniyah both justified and wise? More Headlines 14:22 U.S. on alert for attacks against Jewish targets after Mughniyah killing 14:56 Earthquake shakes Israel; no damage or injuries reported 15:41 Iran's FM meets Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders in Syria 14:33 123 Sudanese refugees inflitrate Israel from Egypt overnight 11:38 Kosovar PM: Our independent nation will not be Islamic 02:38 Jewish functionaries are stirring up the Clinton-Obama race 13:44 Israel: We are capable of handling Hezbollah threat 14:40 Vandals set off explosives in YMCA center in Gaza, burn library 03:37 ANALYSIS: Roiled Hezbollah chief throws down the gauntlet 13:56 Israel, PA negotiators oppose PM's bid to delay talks on Jerusalem 06:51 Palestinians: Ailing woman dies after IDF denies her ambulance 05:04 Contractors named for controversial Har Homa housing plan 14:35 Poland's 1st woman rabbi embarks on mission to build modern Jewish life Previous Editions Select Day 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 01 feb

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