Occupied West Bank: Israel has killed almost one Palestinian a day since the beginning of the year
An Israeli soldier in a Palestinian neighborhood of Hebron (file image).
REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
A macabre count in the occupied West Bank.
Twenty Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the year, by the army or by Israeli settlers.
It's a chilling number.
That's almost one death a day.
According to the Jewish state authorities, some were shot while trying to carry out attacks.
The others are the collateral victims of the occupation.
An investigation has just been opened by the army against one of its soldiers.
The latter claims to have killed a Palestinian who threatened him.
A video proves otherwise.
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With our correspondent in Jerusalem,
Sami Boukhelifa
Shot in cold blood, died in indifference.
Ahmed Kahla, 45-year-old Palestinian, was killed a week ago by an Israeli soldier in front of his son
The tragedy occurs at a checkpoint in Silwad, north of Ramallah.
The images filmed by a witness on the spot are unequivocal.
A completely disoriented, blind man struggles among soldiers.
One of them ends up shooting him, aiming for the upper body.
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Few condemned soldiers
A few minutes earlier, the man in question was sprayed with tear gas.
A stun grenade was thrown at his car.
When he is forcibly extracted from his vehicle, he is completely disoriented.
He can barely make out what surrounds him.
The witness's images contradict the soldiers' versions.
In their depositions, they accused Ahmed Kahla of attacking them.
The Israeli army now recognizes it: there was no attempted attack.
An investigation is opened, but there is little chance that the soldier will be convicted.
Last year, following the death of an old Palestinian, molested by Israeli soldiers, the latter received only a simple suspension.
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Gaza-Hebron.
On the difficulty of being Palestinian
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Israel
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Palestinian territories
Israelo-Palestinian conflict