Murder as heroism

Published: 29 March 2016

Last updated: 4 March 2024

This incident has sparked fierce debate about overlapping issues, including the political and social background to the individual soldier’s action (main focus of this post) and more specific questions about the IDF’s rules of engagement (main focus of the post titled ‘A watershed for IDF’s rules of engagement?’).

Why 3 videos of a West Bank shooting are roiling Israel – Ben Sales - Jewish Telegraphic Agency 28.03.16
A video showed a soldier executing the already incapacitated attacker. One day later, after condemnation from the highest reaches of Israel’s government, a second video appeared to show that the attacker might have still posed a threat. In response, the IDF released results of an investigation indicating the soldier was at fault. Then, a third video was released showing the soldier shaking hands with a far-right activist after the incident.
Read article here

And see:

Who’s to blame for Israeli soldier shooting downed Palestinian attacker? - Dahlia Scheindlin – The Forward 27.03.16
The soldier is responsible for his action as an individual. But there is also a whole political and social environment — top-down and bottom-up in a feedback loop — nurturing just this situation.

Lieberman is right about the Hebron shooting – Amira Hass – Haaretz 28.03.16
Is this the first time a soldier has executed a Palestinian in cold blood, or did the fact that it was caught on film make the difference?

The execution of Hadeel al-Hashlamoun November 7, 2015

Ahmed Khatatbeh didn't hear the gunfire that killed him – Haaretz 01.10.15
Why did soldiers fire at a deaf man who arrived at a West Bank checkpoint late at night, and prevent his evacuation by ambulance for an hour?