IDF: Soldiers acted properly in 2 checkpoint incidents
After probing both shooting incidents that killed two Palestinians east of Nablus, Central Command chief says soldiers acted according to orders
Central Command Chief Avi Mizrahi determined Monday that IDF soldiers acted properly in both shooting incidents earlier this month at the Bekaot checkpoint east of Nablus, saying "their decision to open fire was justified."
In the first incident on January 2, soldiers from the Duchifat Battalion under the command of Lt.-Col. Raz Sarig, shot to death a Palestinian man who advanced toward them while yelling in Arabic and ignoring orders to halt.
He then aimed a shot at the suspect's feet, but he still refused to stop. The soldiers were left with no choice and opened fire at him.
Bekaot checkpoint (Photo: Reuters)
Mizrahi noted that the soldiers took several preliminary steps before shooting the suspect, and therefore "acted in accordance with the orders."
Six days later, on January 8, Khaldoon Samoudi from the village of al-Yamun got out of a cab and approached the same checkpoint while yelling "Allahu Akbar."
A probe following the incident revealed that soldiers detected a grenade-like object in Samoudi's hand, and after he refused orders to stop, shot him.
A sapper who was called to the scene found two improvised explosives and a knife on Samoudi's body.
Mizrachi noted the soldiers acted correctly in this incident as well, and even lauded Battalion 601 of the Engineering Corps for "preventing an attack that could have cost human lives."
- Follow Ynetnews on Facebook
