First Conviction of Causing the Death of Palestinian in the Al-Aqsa Intifa

[Classical_Liberal]

First Conviction of Causing the Death of Palestinian in the Al-Aqsa Intifada

On May 3rd a Military Court sentenced Captain Zvi Kortzky to two months' imprisonment, four months' of military tasks and six months' probation. He had been convicted of shooting to death Muhammad Zid, 16. The shooting took place when the minor was in his home, in Nazlat a-Sheikh Zid, Jenin District. This is the first time that an IDF soldier has been convicted of "causing the death by negligence" of a Palestinian during the al-Aqsa intifada.

When the intifada broke out, the Judge Advocate's Office determined that the situation prevailing in the Occupied Territories was one of "armed conflict." Thus, the JAG's Office changed its policy of opening a Military Police investigation in every case in which a Palestinian civilian is killed by IDF soldiers. In the existing situation, the JAG's Office decided, Military Police investigations would be opened only when soldiers "severely violate the open-fire regulations and cause injury to life or limb...."


The light sentence given to Kortzky, who killed a minor who was sitting in his home and did not endanger soldiers, gives a strong impression that Palestinian life is worthless. The offensive sentence, together with the JAG's Office's policy of limiting the number of criminal investigations, contributes to the sense of immunity and transmits a message to IDF officers and soldiers that even if they violate the regulations and harm innocent persons, it is extremely unlikely that they will be punished.

http://www.btselem.org/ won't link directly to article. So you have to go to the website and find it. Sorry.