Israeli policewoman shoots, seriously injures Palestinian for ‘fun’

Rasa - An Israeli policewoman has been arrested on suspicion of opening fire at a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank, and critically wounding him as a “dubious form of entertainment.”

News ID: 441078

Date: 17 October 2018 - 10:29

RNA - The judge at a hearing in the Jerusalem al-Quds Magistrate’s Court said on Tuesday that the unnamed suspect, who is said to be in her 20s, fired a sponge-tipped bullet at the back of the Palestinian man, without any apparent operational reason, near the al-Za'im checkpoint in East Jerusalem in May.

The policewoman is also suspected of obstructing justice, since she allegedly told her friend—an Israeli soldier who knew about the investigation and was summoned by the Police Investigation Unit to testify—she did not know anything about the incident.

Itzik Cohen, the Israeli policewoman's defense attorney, denied the charges against his client, asserting she is innocent.

“The policewoman categorically denies that she fired a sponge-tipped bullet at the Palestinian man. Needless to say that the defendant's face does not appear in the video obtained by the Police Investigation Unit, and nor does her voice,” Cohen said.

“The real reason for the defendant's arrest is an attempt by the Police Investigation Unit to break her spirit and make her confess to an act she did not commit, apparently because she was unwilling to implicate others to save herself,” he added.

Tensions continue in the occupied Palestinian territories in the wake of US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital.

According to Press TV, the dramatic shift in Washington’s policy vis-à-vis Jerusalem al-Quds on December 6 last year has triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco and other Muslim countries.

On December 21 last year, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution that calls on the US to withdraw its controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israeli “capital.”

In an attempt to prevent the passing of the resolution, Trump threatened reprisals against countries that backed the measure, which had earlier faced a US veto at the UN Security Council.

On June 13, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution, sponsored by Turkey and Algeria, condemning Israel for Palestinian civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip.

The resolution, which had been put forward on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries, garnered a strong majority of 120 votes in the 193-member assembly, with eight votes against and 45 abstentions.

The resolution called on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to make proposals within 60 days “on ways and means for ensuring the safety, protection, and well-being of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation,” including “recommendations regarding an international protection mechanism.”

It also called for “immediate steps towards ending the closure and the restrictions imposed by Israel on movement and access into and out of the Gaza Strip.”

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