Palestinians say death of J'lem man was murder, not "security related"

Published today (updated) 23/09/2009 13:26

Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Walid Rabi Al-Tawil, shot dead Tuesday by Israeli occupation forces near the Beta Illit checkpoint, died not because the 27-year-old failed to stop when ordered, but from a planned ambush that abused the power soldiers wield over travelers, local residents told Ma'an.

The Israeli officer that shot Al-Tawil met the young man Monday at the Betar Illit checkpoint, where he had pulled him over and detained At-Tawil for two and a half hours, according to purported witnesses. An altercation between the two during the period of detention saw the officer scream at Al-Tawil that he was never to return to the checkpoint, they said, claiming that the officer threatened to kill Al-Tawil if he ever saw him again.

The following day Al-Tawil was stopped at a gas station near the checkpoint when Israeli army vehicles pulled in, one carrying the same officer with whom the altercation had taken place, according to the same witnesses. They said the officer disembarked from the jeep, walked over to Al-Tawil, struck him and then demanded to see his ID card. He was instructed to get in his car and follow the military vehicle, they said.

A short distance from the gas station Israeli soldiers opened fire on the vehicle, shooting the car and driver at least 35 times, they said. One Palestinian said Al-Tawil attempted to flee in his car when soldiers began firing their weapons, but did not manage to escape the scene.

They also said that the soldier was from the regular army, not an Israeli police officer or border guard. Their reports countered claims made in the Israeli press that Al-Tawil had run through the Betar Illit checkpoint, been chased down by Israeli forces, and then tried to run them down when he was caught.

According to the Palestinians who spoke to Ma'an, the gas station's owners had working video cameras operating at the time of the incident, but by Wednesday no footage had been brought forward.

Following initial media reports on the incident taken from statements from the military spokesperson, more detailed reports appeared near the end of the day. One article in the English online news source of Yedioth Ahronoth, Ynet, quoted the Sur Baher village chief as saying, "The army and police are taking the law into their own hands with the government's authorization...the lives of all Arabs here are at risk, and this must end."