Indictments filed against officer, soldier involved in Naalin shooting
Judge Advocate General files charges of conduct unbecoming against regiment commander, soldier who pulled trigger. Rights groups, Palestinian shot in infamous incident demand indictment be amended to 'reflect severity of actions'
The Military Judge Advocate General indicted Armor Corps Regiment 71 Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Omri Bruberg and Staff-Sargebt L., who were involved in the Naalin shooting of a bound Palestinian detainee, for conduct unbecoming on Thursday.
The two were indicted in the Military Court in Tel Aviv, but a trial date has yet to be set. Sources in the Military Judge Advocate's Office estimated that the no trial will be held and that cased will end with a plea bargain. The military prosecution, added the source, is likely to ask for a suspended sentence for both Bruberg and L.
Earlier Thursday, several human rights groups petitioned the Military Judge Advocate General, Brigadier-General Avi Mandelblit, asking he halts the military's legal proceedings against the two, in favor of an amended indictment.
The Judge Advocate General announced Wednesday that both L., who fired the shot, and Bruberg will face relatively minor criminal charges: L. faces demotion; while Bruberg will also be charges with conduct unbecoming an officer and will subsequently be dismissed from his.
The human rights groups - B'Tselem, Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, as well as the Palestinian who was shot, Ashraf Abu-Rahma, demand that the proceeding taken against Bruberg "will coincide with his responsibility for the shooting of a bound man and will reflect the severity of his actions.
The petitioners are awaiting Mandelblit's reply before deciding on any further legal steps.
The Judge Advocate General's Office said that they were aware of the possibility that some may try to contest the decision made in that matter, adding they believed the decision was a fair one, and that it will stand up in court.
Senior military sources familiar with the case told Ynet that had the regiment commander objected to his dismissal, he would have faced a more serious indictment.
Further disciplinary actions was also taken against Binyamin Brigade commander Colonel Aviv Reshef – the brigade which Regiment 71 is part of – who was cited for failing to properly reporting the incident to the Military Police. A notation to that effect was put in his service record.
