By Bilal Gheith
RAMALLAH, May 2, 2017 (WAFA) - The Israeli police story is always ready: A Palestinian tried to stab a soldier or settler and the soldiers immediately "neutralized" him and a knife was found on him.
This is the same story that was given by the Israeli police on Tuesday immediately after the shooting and killing of a young man who was passing near the Hizma checkpoint, northeast of occupied Jerusalem.
Half an hour later, the scene changed. The Israeli police started to say that the identity of the dead man may not be Palestinian. He may have been an Israeli.
Shortly after, it declared that he was an Israeli Jew from Pisgat Ze‘ev settlement built on land of Palestinians from Beit Hanina and Hizma and that he was walking on foot by the army checkpoint when he was shot and killed.
This is the second such incident when the Israeli authorities retract their original story, usually fabricated and ready to be sent to the media for every field execution carried out by the occupation army in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem. An Israeli was also shot dead by police in Jerusalem about a year ago, also thinking he was Palestinian to be later confirmed that he was Israeli Jew.
These incidents indicate that the occupation forces are indifferent to the lives of Palestinians, and that they are quick to shoot to kill on suspicion only without any convincing evidence to justify the shooting.
George Giacaman, professor of international law at Birzeit University, said what the Israeli occupation forces do is considered killing in cold blood. The incident of today confirms that it was cold blooded murder then a knife is planted next to the dead person to confirm their allegations.
For his part, Shawan Jabarin, director of Al-Haq human rights organization, says what happened at the Hizma checkpoint reflects the policy of the occupation forces who open fire without warning when they feel that the person approaching them is a Palestinian, which makes it easier for them to open fire.
He said the event today is proof of Israeli police fabrication of stories that affected hundreds of Palestinians shot dead under the pretext of possessing a knife and stabbing. What happened today has exposed this policy.
Jabarin said that the shooting at the checkpoint is proof that Israeli forces shoot with the intention to kill when it comes to Palestinians, but this time it was an Israeli Jew.
Palestinian government spokesman Yousef al-Mahmoud said that what happened today at the Hizma checkpoint is a clear indication of the falsehood of the Israeli narrative.
He called on the world to review all Israeli allegations that dozens of Palestinians have been killed under the pretext of stabbing or attacking Israelis, which is a lie to cover up the crimes committed by his soldiers.
He said that “when we call for international protection for our people, we do that because we live under the injustice of the Israeli occupation, and today’s incident of the killing of an Israeli settler because they believed he was Palestinian was clear proof of that.”
B.G./M.K.
