Naalin rally (Archives)
Photo: AFP
Officer who killed Palestinian in Naalin under investigation
Border Guard officer who shot protestor dead during Friday's violent rally against West Bank security barrier says he opened fire because his life was in danger
The Border Guard officer who shot and killed a Palestinian on Friday during a rally in Naalin against the construction of the West Bank security barrier was interrogated by Shai District Police investigators.
The officer, who was released following Monday's interrogation under restrictions, said he shot Akal Srur because he felt his life was in danger.
A subsequent military inquiry said that Srur, a known Hamas operative, attacked Israeli security personnel as part of a large group. Security sources said Srur was detained a number of times in the past for various offenses.
However, Ahmed Amira, who said he was standing by Srur when he was shot, told Ynet that the soldier who shot Srur was in no danger: "The soldier was to our right and Akal was running to the left to help an injured man… when he was shot in the heart."
According to security sources, some 200 Palestinians, peace activists and left-wing activists took part in the anti-security barrier protest and it turned into a violent riot shortly after it began.
The IDF maintained that the protestors hurled rocks at the troops and tried to damage the barrier. The military further said that several soldiers were attacked by a group of men, some of them masked and that the soldiers used crowd control measures, which apparently contributed to Srur's death.
