Medic Who Killed Palestinian Being Portrayed as ‘National Hero’

DM Slams Coalition Members for Backing Execution

Tensions within Israel’s extremely narrow right-far-right coalition continue to grow, as the military’s investigation into an Israeli medic who shot and killed an already wounded and disarmed Palestinian has become a cause célèbre for the settler movement and for hawks in general.

Polls show a vast majority of Israelis are opposed to any investigation of the killing, and several groups have organized rallies in support of the medic, with many calling him a “national hero,” circulating petitions demanding he be given a medal for the killing.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon fired back against the comments, saying the medic was not a “hero” for violating the rules of engagement, saying the far-right seems to want a “brutal army that has lost its moral backbone.”

Since the video emerged of the shooting, the medic’s lawyer claims he thought the Palestinian might have a bomb. Military officials, however, say that the man had already been searched. Subsequent videos have shown the medic shaking hands with a Kahanist leader, and witnesses say he told multiple other soldiers at the site that the wounded Palestinian “deserves to die.” The Palestinian had been lying on the street wounded for 11 minutes, and when he lifted his head a bit, the medic shot and killed him.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.