Two Israeli army commanders have been suspended after a Palestinian-American was killed during an operation in the occupied West Bank in January.
The Israeli army on Tuesday announced the suspension of two commanders after the death of a Palestinian-American during an operation in the occupied West Bank in which the military showed “lack of judgment” and “lack of moral considerations”.
The United States had urged Israel to investigate the January 13 death of Omar Abdalmajeed Assad, who was found dead in a West Bank village after being detained and left handcuffed by Israeli soldiers, according to Palestinian officials.
Aged 78 according to the army, Mr. Assad had been arrested, handcuffed, beaten, abandoned in a building under construction, then found dead in the early morning after the departure of the soldiers, had indicated to AFP the chief of the village of Jiljiliya, north of Ramallah, where authorities had confirmed his death from a heart attack.
“Lack of moral considerations”
In its investigation into this death, which it says it “regrets”, the Israeli army indicated on Tuesday that after having arrested and tied up “for thirty minutes” Mr. Assad, the old man had been “released”, but that the soldiers had considered that he was “sleeping”, without identifying any “sign of distress” at home, and had “not woken him up”.
“But the soldiers failed in their duty by leaving Mr. Assad lying on the ground without treatment and without reporting the incident to their superiors,” the army report concluded, citing “a lack of judgment in decision-making. on the part of the soldiers and their “lack of moral considerations”.
“Leaving Mr. Assad alone, without inquiring about his state of health, was a reckless act that goes against the values of the Israeli army,” the Israeli army chief of staff said in a statement. Israeli army, Avi Kochavi.
The two commanders involved in the case will be relieved of their duties and will not be able to serve in command roles for the next two years, the army said.
A third soldier, the commander of the “Netzah Yehuda” battalion, whose soldiers were present during the incident, will receive a “reprimand”, she added.
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