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Officer reenacts clash
Photo: Noam Moskowitz
Qawezba's family, Sunday
Photo: AFP

Officer: Shooting death of Palestinian infiltrator accidental

Izz al-Din Qawezba, 38, killed during confrontation with Border Guard force while trying to cross into Israel illegally; officer tells investigators gun misfired, or trigger pulled accidentally. Cousin: He was killed in cold blood

A Border Guard officer who killed a 38-year-old Palestinian infiltrator near Jerusalem on Sunday reenacted the incident and told detectives from the police's internal investigation unit that the shooting was inadvertent.

 

According to sources familiar with the investigation, the officer told police the bullet which killed 38-year-old Izz al-Din Qawezba, a married father of six from the Hebron area, may have been discharged accidentally while the two struggled. He also raised the possibility that his pistol's trigger may have been pulled by mistake.


Blood stains at scene of incident (Photo: Noam Moskowitz)

 

The incident occurred in the early morning hours near the village of Issawiya, located north of the capital, when a Border Guard force apprehended a group of 15 laborers attempting to infiltrate Israel. Qawezba tried to flee the scene, but one of the officers chased him down. During the ensuing struggle, witnesses said, Qawezba was shot to death while trying to snatch the officer's pistol.

 

The B'Tselem human rights organization said an autopsy performed at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute indicated that Qawezba was shot at close range and died immediately.

 

Qawezba's cousin, who also tried to infiltrate Israel, told Ynet, "We approached the fence near Issawiya with the intention of entering Jerusalem. Suddenly, Border Guard officers in a Toyota began chasing us from the Israeli side of the fence and dozens of laborers ran away."

 

The cousin said he witnessed the Border Guard officer shoot Qawezba. "He was hot in cold blood while trying to hide from the (officer), who shot him from point blank range. (Qawezba) wasn't even trying to defend himself," the cousin said.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.03.10, 17:10
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