Friday, February 14, 2025

Cover-Up? Policeman's shooting at settlers: The IDF has not summoned a single witness to testify


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אל המקום אשר ..
ציון במשפט תפדה ושביה בצדקה
ישעיהו פרק א פסוק כז


By Oz Israel Schwartz

Three weeks have passed since the policeman shot at settlers near Ramat Gilad. So far, the IDF has not summoned a single witness to testify. "The IDF's conduct in the incident raises serious questions about its functioning vis-à-vis the Settler community"

Three weeks have passed since the policeman shot at settlers near Ramat Gilad, in which four people were injured, two of them in serious condition, and yet – the IDF has not summoned a single witness to testify.

See related article in Hebrew: Former Deputy Chief of the Machash (Machlaka Chakira Shotrim), the  Police Investigation Unit:  "The policeman's shooting at the settlers was intentional"  MK Moshe Saada, who served as deputy head of the Police Investigations Department, attacks the conduct of the Police Investigations Department in the Samaria shooting incident: "The policeman was released, this disrupts the investigation."
(H)

 Immediately after the incident, the Honenu organization, which represents the settlers who were injured in the incident, appealed to the Machash, the Police Investigation Unit, demanding that the policeman be arrested for questioning, the cameras that recorded the incident, and that the settlers who were present at the scene be summoned to testify.

So far, despite numerous requests from the Honenu organization's lawyers, no response has been received from the Police Investigation Unit, which has not summoned even one witness from the incident to testify. Lawyers Nati Rom and Moshe Polsky of Honenu attacked the Police Investigation Unit's conduct and claimed that this is a cover-up of the investigation, as was done in the case of the late Ahuvia Sandak.

"We are witnessing another cover-up of an unprecedentedly serious case"

Attorney Nati Rom said: "This is not how an investigation into a shooting incident that almost ended in the killing of four teenagers is conducted. We are witnessing another cover-up of an unprecedentedly serious incident."

Attorney Moshe Polsky said: "The conduct of the police department in the incident raises serious questions about its functioning vis-à-vis the settler community. I don't remember a similar case in which a police officer shoots at the heads of civilians, mortally wounds them, and is released home the same day after an initial investigation. This is serious negligence, and in fact, it is an opportunity to disrupt and cover up the investigation of a serious shooting incident that requires a thorough and effective investigation, and including, as required, a request for the arrest of the police officer who shot him, at least during the investigation phase, both in order not to disrupt the investigation and due to the great danger that arises from his conduct." 

Advocate Polsky added: "We demand that the Police Department not be negligent in investigating the incident as it did in the case of the late Ahuvia Sandak and to summon the eyewitnesses who were at the scene in order to do justice to the victims of the incident, to reach the truth, and to bring the shooting officer to justice." Furthermore, it does not make sense for the police officer to continue to serve in any position in the Israel Police. The testimonies received indicate that the above-mentioned officer gave a false version that is inconsistent with many testimonies from the field. And it seems that the only reason for the investigation into his case was the identity of the victims."

Related article: 

A boy from the  shooting incident in Samaria: "The Policeman Shot Wildly In All Directions" (H)

Translated (E)
Srugim: Video Testimony From One of the Boys From The Shooting Incident In Samaria: "The Policeman Shot Amok In All Directions"

Earlier this week, we published in Srugim that the Honenu organization is demanding from State Attorney Amit Isman, from the police, and from the head of Machash that the investigation into the shooting incident of the settlers by a policeman in Samaria be removed from the hands of the District Commander of Judea and Samaria and transferred to the responsibility of the Police Investigation Unit alone. Honenu announced that if the demand is not met, they will petition the High Court of Justice.

We also published that the policeman suspected of shooting the settlers was questioned by the Police Investigation Unit District Commander and released to six days of house arrest. Afterwards, the police announced that they had decided to suspend the policeman who shot the boys near Ramat Gilad from his post and transfer him to an administrative position outside the Police Investigation District. In "Honenu" they demanded that the Minister of National Security Haim Katz cancel the policeman's firearms license. So far, no response.


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