Autistic Palestinian Killed by Israeli Police in East Jerusalem

Israeli border police secured the area outside the Old City of Jerusalem where police killed a man they believed was armed on May 30, 2020. REUTERS / Sinan Abu Mayzer

Text by: Michel Paul

A young man with a mental disability was killed by Israeli police on Saturday May 30, causing Palestinian excitement and anger in East Jerusalem. His death caused renewed tension on the eve of the reopening of the Esplanade des Mosques

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From our correspondent in Jerusalem,

Near the Lions Gate, one of the seven gates of the Old City of Jerusalem and just a stone's throw from the Mosque Esplanade, a young man was killed by Israeli police .

This Saturday, May 30, Iyad Elhalak, a 32-year-old Palestinian man was arrested by police who believed he was carrying a gun. The young man fled so the police fired. He died instantly.

Finally, no weapon was discovered on the body of the young man who turned out to have autism. According to his family, Iyad Elhalak probably did not understand what the police were asking him. He was simply executed, it is said by those around him. For its part, Hamas claims that his death demonstrates the sadistic aspect of the Israeli forces.

Renewed tensions on the eve of the reopening of mosques

According to the Israeli police who opened an investigation, this was an incident raised in the margins of the Palestinian Authority's warnings against the Israeli annexation of part of the West Bank. In recent days, there have been several attacks and attempted attacks directed against the Israeli police.

The event sparked renewed tension on the eve of the reopening of the Jerusalem mosques on Sunday, May 31, after a long period of confinement.

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