Israeli policeman arrested over Palestinian boy’s killing
13 Nov 2014 5:16 AM IST
Nadim Nuwara, 17, and Muhammad Abu Thahr, 16, were killed during a 15 May demonstration in which Palestinians hurled stones at Israeli forces. Video from security cameras suggested they were shot despite posing no immediate threat.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the policeman was arrested in connection with Nuwara’s death, but not Abu Thahr’s, because an autopsy was only carried out on Nuwara’s body. All other details of the investigation were under a gag order, he said. At a remand hearing in a Jerusalem court on Wednesday, Benny Katz, the suspect’s attorney, told reporters his client says he fired only rubber bullets during the protest and denies using live ammunition.
At the time, Palestinian medics said the boys were killed by live bullets. The Israeli military said its forces fired only rubber bullets that day and that border policemen, who are also armed with assault rifles and carry out security duties in the West Bank, were present at the scene as well. Violence between Israelis and Palestinians has spiralled in the last few weeks, raising fears of a new uprising.
Peace talks collapsed in April and Israeli forces and Palestinian militants fought a 50-day war in July and August. In June, the Palestinian attorney-general said an autopsy, requested by Nuwara’s family, showed the youth was killed by live fire. U.S., Danish and Israeli pathologists were also present at the autopsy. Footage from security cameras on Palestinian properties near showed each of the youths, about an hour apart according to the time stamp, walking at some distance and then falling to the ground, apparently shot.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the policeman was arrested in connection with Nuwara’s death, but not Abu Thahr’s, because an autopsy was only carried out on Nuwara’s body. All other details of the investigation were under a gag order, he said. At a remand hearing in a Jerusalem court on Wednesday, Benny Katz, the suspect’s attorney, told reporters his client says he fired only rubber bullets during the protest and denies using live ammunition.
At the time, Palestinian medics said the boys were killed by live bullets. The Israeli military said its forces fired only rubber bullets that day and that border policemen, who are also armed with assault rifles and carry out security duties in the West Bank, were present at the scene as well. Violence between Israelis and Palestinians has spiralled in the last few weeks, raising fears of a new uprising.
Peace talks collapsed in April and Israeli forces and Palestinian militants fought a 50-day war in July and August. In June, the Palestinian attorney-general said an autopsy, requested by Nuwara’s family, showed the youth was killed by live fire. U.S., Danish and Israeli pathologists were also present at the autopsy. Footage from security cameras on Palestinian properties near showed each of the youths, about an hour apart according to the time stamp, walking at some distance and then falling to the ground, apparently shot.
Next Story
