A videotape made by an American television crew in Bethlehem last month appears to contradict the Israel Defense Force’s version of an incident in which a masked Palestinian youth was shot to death by border police.
The tape, broadcast in the United States by ABC News on Dec. 28, has been viewed by Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Mordechai, head of the IDF’s Central Command, and by an IDF officer investigating the shooting.
It reportedly shows that 18-year-old Fadi Zabakly was shot while fleeing, without a warning shot being fired first.
IDF spokesman Nachman Shai was quoted as saying that the tape is “a challenge to the IDF’s credibility.” He did not elaborate.
The IDF account was that Zabakly and his companions, armed with axes and iron bars, were shot only after warning shots were fired into the air, and that the soldiers aimed at their legs.
A Jerusalem Post reporter who viewed the tape Monday said it shows Zabakly and about 10 other youths throwing stones and then running up a steep hill to get away from two border policemen.
Zabakly lagged behind the others. The camera shows one policeman kneeling and firing at the fleeing youth’s back while the other fired a shot into the air.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
