Israeli Soldiers Open Fire in West Bank, Killing Teen
BEIT RIMA, West Bank (AP) — Security camera video from a West Bank village shows a young man standing in a central square when he is suddenly shot and drops to the ground. Two others rushing to his aid are also hit, leaving a 17-year-old dead, moments before Israeli military jeeps roll in.
An Associated Press review of the video and interviews with the two wounded survivors showed Israeli soldiers opened fire on the three when they did not appear to pose a threat. One of the wounded Palestinians was shot a second time after he got up and tried to hop away.
The fatal shooting in the village of Beit Rima last week is the latest in a series of incidents in which soldiers appeared to fire without provocation, a trend Palestinians say has worsened since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza three months ago.
The Israeli military said troops entered Beit Rima overnight Thursday into Friday as part of a “counter-terrorism operation.” It said troops fired at suspects who threw explosives and firebombs at them.
The video, obtained by the AP from a local smoke shop, does not show anyone throwing explosives. After reviewing the footage, a military spokesperson said soldiers reported that one of the Palestinians was igniting a Molotov cocktail when he was shot.
After interviewing the wounded survivors and reviewing other social media videos of the shootings from different angles, the AP found inconsistencies with the military’s version of events. The wounded Palestinian residents denied having thrown explosives and claim the shootings were unprovoked.
The video shows that the first shot does not hit the kneeling man but rather another Palestinian man, Nader Rimawi. Nader said that what was thought to be explosives was actually a stack of cardboard boxes and scraps of paper that 17-year-old Osaid Rimawi had gathered and was preparing to light to keep warm.
The video shows a group of about 10 men scattered by gunshots, and the crowd thins to under 10 men. Nader is shot in the left leg, then Mohammed is running to help before also being shot. Osaid rushes to aid them as he is shot, later dying of his wounds.
Mohammed was able to crawl away, but the other two were left rolling on the ground. Nader stood up and attempted to hop away, before collapsing to the ground.
The video further reveals that four armored Israeli vehicles arrived about 2 minutes after the shooting, and around a dozen soldiers got out, with one prodding Osaid with his foot. Within 4 minutes, the soldiers left the wounded Palestinians on the ground and drove away.
The militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel, leaving roughly 1,200 dead, mostly civilians. In response, Israel waged a campaign on the Gaza Strip, killing over 23,000 before tightening its grip on the West Bank through near-nightly raids and crackdowns. Israel says these measures are aimed at Hamas and other militant groups.
Palestinian health officials said 340 Palestinians have been killed in the three tense months, with the death toll expected to rise depending on the severity of wound injuries of victims.
Both Nader and Mohammed, who have undergone surgery for their injuries, are currently recovering from their wounds in a hospital.
This latest incident adds to calls from human rights organizations for thorough vetting of military engagement policies. Military policy violations and unprovoked attacks are an ongoing concern. Israeli rights group B’Tselem has accused the military of rarely indicting soldiers even when questionable shootings are caught on camera and investigated.
Further clarity is needed to determine whether the killings are justified. As the situation develops, eyes are on Israel for further clarification and investigation into the matter.