Last week in Hebron, an Israeli soldier shot and killed an unarmed Palestinian terrorist lying wounded on the ground. This outrageous incident calls into question the discipline of the Israel Defense Forces, or at least units patrolling the West Bank.
The entire episode was caught on video. It shows a terrorist who was shot after stabbing and lightly wounding an Israeli soldier, supine and untended in the middle of the street, while an Israeli emergency medical team treats the wounded soldier.
Minutes later, another soldier can be seen approaching the wounded terrorist, cocking his rifle and calmly shooting him in the head.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the soldier’s actions, saying they “do not represent the values of the IDF. The IDF expects its soldiers to behave level-headedly and in accordance with the rules of engagement.”
Indeed, the soldier was immediately detained by the military. He was initially charged with murder, which has since been downgraded to manslaughter.
Predictably, a backlash has ensued. Some Israelis on the political right slammed criticism of the soldier, especially before a full investigation is completed. Others said military and EMT personnel on the scene should be forgiven because they feared the terrorist might be wearing a suicide vest. (In fact, soldiers had already inspected the man and found him unarmed.) Still others suggested that criticizing the IDF for failing to prevent this incident showed a lack of patriotism.
However this matter ends up after the IDF finishes its investigation, it is clear from the video that the killing was extrajudicial, an execution — something utterly intolerable in a civil society.
Yes, this was a terrorist intent on murder and mayhem. It is a blessing that he was taken down before he could inflict worse harm (his companion died at the scene). But once suspects no longer pose a credible threat, a soldier must do his job, keeping the peace and living up to the moral code the IDF swears by.
Furthermore, it is atrocious how the case has been politicized, with right-wing politicians demanding that the soldier be pardoned and opposition leaders calling for his prosecution.
Arresting and prosecuting a soldier for shooting an unarmed prisoner is not about left or right; it’s about justice. The IDF would do well to ensure that its soldiers understand and are committed to its protocols — that is true patriotism.
The camera never blinks, and in this situation neither should the State of Israel or its military.