Remand extended for Israel soldier who killed wounded Palestinian

An Israeli military court on Thursday ordered a soldier filmed shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant to remain confined to his base for a further week, his lawyer told AFP.

Defence counsel Binyamin Malcha said the 19-year-old sergeant would appear for another remand hearing on April 14.

The soldier, whose name is barred from publication by court order, was arrested by military police after he shot Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in the head on March 24 while he posed no apparent threat.

Sharif, 21, was shot as he lay on the ground wounded from earlier gunshot wounds by other soldiers.

According to the army, Sharif and another Palestinian stabbed and moderately wounded a soldier minutes earlier.

An autopsy on Sunday showed that the shot to the head was the fatal one.

Video of the incident in Hebron in the occupied West Bank spread widely online and rights groups labelled it a summary execution.

It has led to major controversy in Israel and sparked political tensions, with far-right supporters and politicians calling for the soldier's release.

Top military brass, including chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, have strongly condemned the soldier's behaviour.

The case has threatened to exacerbate Israeli-Palestinian tensions amid a wave of violence that began in October.

Violence since October has left 200 Palestinians and 28 Israelis dead.
Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities.

But Israeli forces have also been accused of using excessive force in some cases, charges which they have firmly denied.

The soldier, who holds both Israeli and French nationality, was initially detained in a military prison but an army judge last Friday ordered him transferred to his base.

He has freedom of movement within the base's perimeters but may not talk to other soldiers who are witnesses to the incident.

He has not so far been charged, but prosecutors say he is likely to face a manslaughter indictment.

The defence argues that he shot the man in the belief that he still posed a threat, including the possibility that he was wearing explosives.

But Sharif had reportedly already been checked for a suicide belt before the soldier shot him.

Prosecutors say the soldier mentioned nothing about the possibility of explosives when he was questioned immediately after the shooting, though his lawyers say he was in shock at the time.

The soldier serves with the Kfir infantry brigade, which the Israel military website says was formed last year to specialise in anti-terror operations and urban combat.
Source: AFP