Monday, 24 June 2024

Israeli soldiers who drove with wounded Palestinian tied to their vehicle 'violated orders', military says.

Extract from ABC News 

ABC News Homepage


Wounded Palestinian man strapped to bonnet of Israeli military vehicle

The Israeli military says its soldiers violated orders and failed to meet the values of the country’s defence force when they drove with a wounded Palestinian tied to the front of their vehicle.

Palestinians filmed the incident in the city of Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on June 22.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the man was a suspected Palestinian militant who was part of a group firing at Israeli troops. 

"During the exchange of fire, one of the suspects was injured and apprehended," the IDF said in a statement provided to the ABC.

IDF vehicles in Gaza
The vehicle (not shown) was part of a convoy moving through the West Bank. (Supplied)

"In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle.

"The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF.

"The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly."

Video showed a wounded local man, Mujahed Azmi, lying on the bonnet of a jeep as it drives past two ambulances in Jenin.

News agency Reuters was able to confirm the location of the video from verified footage shared on social media that shows the same vehicle transporting an individual on top in Jenin.

The date of the footage and identity of the man were confirmed by eyewitnesses interviewed by Reuters.

According to the family of Mr Azmi, the man was hit by gunfire from Israeli troops. When the family requested an ambulance for Azmi, Israeli soldiers took him, strapped him on the hood of their jeep and drove off, the family said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Israeli soldiers initially prevented paramedics from treating the man.

He was eventually transferred to an ambulance and taken to hospital.

The incident recalled scenes in the Second Intifada, when Israeli troops were criticised for tying Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy, to the front of an army vehicle. 

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, called the incident an example of "human shielding in action".

The use of human shields is prohibited by international law.

The IDF was banned from using Palestinians as human shields by the Israeli Supreme Court, but has been accused of using the practice multiple times since, the Guardian reports.

Israel has accused the Palestinian militant group Hamas of using civilians in Gaza as human shields, saying that is why it is difficult to avoid civilian casualties in the bombardment and invasion launched in response to the October 7 attacks. 

No comments:

Post a Comment