President Isaac Herzog Tuesday evening addressed the death of an elderly Palestinian man in Israeli custody in a speech, which prompted some members of the crowd to boo and jeer at him.
The Israeli leader spoke at the prestigious Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav in Jerusalem at an event marking the 40th anniversary of the death of its founder Rabbi Zvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook.
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President Isaac Herzog speaks at an event marking the 40th anniversary of the death of Rabbi Zvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook, in Jerusalem, February 15, 2022
(Photo: GPO)
During his speech, Herzog showed his discontent with the death of Omar Abdalmajeed As'ad, 78, who was found dead after being detained by troops in the West Bank village of Jiljilya last month.
A Palestinian autopsy found As'ad, who had pre-existing heart conditions, had suffered sudden cardiac arrest caused by the stress of being manhandled. The military at the time said As'ad was alive when the soldiers left him.
"Just a few days ago we heard about a tragic case in which 80-year-old Omar As'ad died in an incident that should serve as a warning sign for all of us," Herzog said. "The Jewish moral cannot accept this or remain indifferent to it."
Most of the crowd applauded the president, but a vocal minority began booing him and shouting, "you should be ashamed!"
Unfazed, Herzog replied: "We must learn to recognize and love the other, for we were all created in the image of the Lord. This could have been every one of our grandfathers," earning him a round of applause from the crowd.
In the wake of the death of As'ad, who was also a U.S. citizen, the IDF dismissed two officers and reprimanded the commander of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion for the death of the elderly man.