Mentally ill Palestinian critically injured by IDF

Another tragedy in Naalin. Palestinian sources reported Monday morning that a 40-year-old Naalin resident was critically injured by Israel Defense Forces soldiers who arrived at the West Bank village in order to arrest his brother, who has active in the struggle against the separation fence being erected in the area. 

The injured man, Awad Srur, who is believed to be mentally ill, was reportedly wounded by four rubber-coated steel bullets fired at him point blank.

The army reported that an IDF force arrived at the village in order to arrest a wanted man suspected of rioting and hurling a grenade at soldiers. The troops entered a four-story building. The brother, who the soldiers later learned was mentally ill, was on the first floor, while his wanted brother was on the second floor.

According to the IDF, the brother went wild and was put in one of the rooms. The force went up to the second floor and detained the wanted man for questioning. The mentally ill brother suddenly arrived and tried to snatch one of the troops' weapon. The soldier fired one rubber bullet in self defense, injuring the man.

The brother then closed himself in a room and did not agree to receive medical treatment, the army said. Other family members began hurling stones at the force as it left the house.

According to Palestinian sources, the mentally ill man cursed the troops as they raided his family's home in search of his brother, Aked Srur, one of an activist against the separation fence being erected in the village.

Family members and neighbors said that the soldiers fired four bullets at his head, although he did not threaten them.

One bullet hit Srur's eye, causing him to lose it, according to doctors at the Ramallah hospital. Another bullet hit his skull, causing severe internal hemorrhage.

The doctors and a paramedic who accompanied Srur to the hospital, Salah Hawajeh, told Ynet that his life was in danger. Doctors at the intensive care unit were attempting to control the internal hemorrhage.

'A normal person would also be irritated'

Kassem, the oldest Srur brother, told Ynet that his injured brother can't even talk.

"He stutters badly, and all he asked was that the soldiers wait before breaking into the house and rooms because there were people inside," he said. "At first the troops shoved and dropped him, but he continued to say to them, 'Wait, wait.' They must have thought that he was irritated with them, so they decided to silence him."

According to Kassem, "Even a normal person, unlike my brother, who would wake up and see soldiers raiding his house, would be irritated. I hope a miracle happens and he recovers from this difficult medical situation."

According to one of the family's neighbors, "The soldiers are scared. They arrive like thieves by foot, entering the village through the mountains."

Another neighbor said that "the shots fired at Awad, who is mentally ill, point blank, show that these soldiers and this army have lost any trace of humanism and specialize in the most serious crimes against the Palestinians."