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Israeli soldier faces manslaughter charge for killing Palestinian

Xinhua, March 31, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Israeli soldier who shot and killed an unarmed Palestinian attacker at point blank will face a manslaughter charge, rather than a murder charge, military prosecutors said Thursday.

The military prosecution announced its intention to prosecute the 19-year-old soldier for manslaughter during a remand hearing which took place on Thursday afternoon at the Qastina military court in south-central Israel, according to Israeli media.

The military prosecution asked during the hearing to remand the soldier until next week. The prosecutors said the soldier shot the Palestinian who tried to stab another soldier in Hebron, and then said the attacker "needed to die," Channel 10 said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) prosecutors said that they have gathered evidence in the past days, including testimonies from eye witnesses that substantiate their case against the soldier, whose name is currently under a gag order.

The prosecutors also said that an autopsy of the Palestinian would take place on Sunday.

Last week, a video footage shot by a volunteer for the B'tselem organization advocating for human rights in the West Bank, showed the soldier shooting an unarmed Palestinian in the head at point blank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following the attack that this incident exceeded the IDF's ethical conduct.

Several days later, he softened his tone, saying soldiers and policemen operate in "hard conditions", amid the wave of violence that claimed the lives of 28 Israelis in attacks and more than 190 Palestinians, mostly attackers, in the past six months.

The case sent shockwaves in Israel, with many condemning the incident, and others expressing support of the soldier.

Whereas Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and IDF's chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot said the soldier must be brought to justice and denounced the incident, right-wing lawmakers and ministers supported the soldier.

Israeli leaders blame the ongoing wave of violence on what they say is Palestinian incitement to violence, whereas the Palestinians charge it is the result of frustration amid 49 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, where they wish to establish a Palestinian state. Endit