Jaffa, Israel // An Israeli soldier caught on video shooting a wounded Palestinian assailant in the head was charged with manslaughter on Monday.
The shooting, which occurred minutes after the Palestinian had stabbed another soldier and lay prone on the ground wounded by gunfire, sparked widespread controversy when a video of the March 24 killing was circulated.
“The accused violated the rules of engagement without operational justification as the terrorist was lying on the ground wounded and represented no immediate threat for the accused or others who were present,” a copy of the indictment said.
“By his acts, the accused unlawfully caused the death of the terrorist Abdul Sharif.”
The 19-year-old soldier, who also holds French citizenship, was named as Sgt Elor Azria after a gag order was lifted. He was also charged with inappropriate military conduct.
He will be freed from custody to spend one night with his family to mark the beginning of the Jewish festival of Passover on Friday.
Footage of the incident in Hebron – a West Bank city that has been a focal point of a seven-month wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence – spread widely online and the soldier was arrested, with rights groups labelling it a summary execution.
The video showed Abdul Fatah Al Sharif, 21, lying on the ground, shot along with another man after stabbing and moderately wounding a soldier minutes earlier, according to the army.
The soldier then shoots him again, in the head, without any apparent provocation.
His lawyers have argued that the soldier may have thought the Palestinian was wearing explosives, but he was reportedly already checked for a suicide belt and no one in the video appears to be acting with caution toward him.
The case has led to major controversy in Israel and sparked political tensions, with far-right supporters and politicians calling for the soldier’s release.
Top military brass, however, have strongly condemned his actions. The killing came amid a wave of violence that began in October and which has killed 201 Palestinians and 28 Israelis.
Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities.
The sentencing came as Israel’s military on Monday said it had located and destroyed a tunnel extending from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.
It was the first such discovery since the Gaza war in 2014.
Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner accused Hamas of building the tunnel which extended from the southern Gaza Strip several hundred metres into Israel, though no exit was constructed.
“This tunnel is the first one to be found since Operation Protective Edge,” Mr Lerner said, referring to the 2014 war.
“It was built by Hamas in order to infiltrate and execute terror attacks against the people of the southern communities and [military] forces in that area.”
Hamas’ military wing claimed the discovery, which it said was east of the southern Gazan city of Rafah, was “only a drop in the ocean of what the resistance has prepared in order [to] defend our people, the freedom of the holy places and its land and captives”.
Its armed wing, the Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, said the Israeli army had not “dared” to publish the full details of the tunnels for fear of scaring Israelis.
Hamas forces have used tunnels in the past to avoid or carry out attacks, store weapons and at times to enter Israel and capture soldiers.
Israel launched its 2014 operation in Gaza, run by the Hamas movement, with the stated objectives of halting rocket fire and destroying attack tunnels into Israel.
It was the third war in Gaza since 2008 and the longest, deadliest and most destructive.
During the war, Israel said that 32 tunnels were discovered, including 14 that extended into Israel, according to a UN report on the conflict.
The war killed 2,251 Palestinians – most of them civilians. More than 10,000 were wounded and 100,000 were left homeless.
On the Israeli side, 73 people were killed, of whom 67 were soldiers.
* Agence France-Presse, with additional reporting from Associated Press
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
RACE CARD
5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB); Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA); Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA); Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA); Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T); 1,400m
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Schedule:
Friday, January 12: Six fourball matches
Saturday, January 13: Six foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, January 14: 12 singles
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5