Home > Israeli soldiers ’shoot boy for fun’

Israeli soldiers ’shoot boy for fun’

by Open-Publishing - Saturday 11 December 2004
5 comments

Edito Wars and conflicts International


by Khalid Amayreh

A group of Israeli soldiers serving in the Gaza Strip have reportedly admitted
killing a 15-year-old Palestinian in Khan Yunus for sport.

According to the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronoth, the incident took place in
March when a group of newly graduated soldiers were on a hike near the town of
Khan Yunus.

According to the report, an undisclosed number of Givati brigade soldiers shot
and killed Khalid Sulaiman Mahdi while he was working with his father on their
farm.

The boy’s father, Sulaiman Mahdi, told the paper the killing was "just for the sake of it".

"Seven bullets pierced my son’s head, so you can’t talk here about a mistake or random gunfire. This was an act of direct and clear sharp shooting," he said.

"The area is wide open and contains nothing special. The only thing unusual was the shooting at us, which killed my son."

No threat

The father, Khalid, and two other sons were working in the family’s field when the shooting occurred.

According to soldiers interviewed by Yediot Ahronoth, there were no operational purposes for the shooting and no justification, since the boy and his family posed no threat to the soldiers.

An Israeli army spokesman said the army had investigated the incident, but admitted that no arrests were made.

The spokesman refused to say why the soldiers concerned were not arrested or prosecuted.

Sulaiman Mahdi, who leads a simple farmer’s life, said he did not plan to sue the Israeli army for his son’s murder.

"I only hope the Israeli army takes care such a thing doesn’t occur again. There are lots of children here who work with their parents and I hope Khalid will be the last casualty."

Frequent occurrence

According to human-rights groups operating in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation army has killed hundreds of Palestinian minors, often without justification, in the course of its incursions into Palestinian population centres.

The killing of innocent Palestinians by the Israeli army during the past four years has reached a worryingly frequent level, say the rights groups.

"I don’t have the slightest doubt that it is a rampant phenomenon," says Basim Eid, a former field researcher for the Israeli human-rights group, BTselem and head of the East Jerusalem-based Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group.

"The Israeli army is no longer an army that abides by military ethics."

Show trials

In an interview with Aljazeera.net, Eid accused the Israeli army of "inspiring soldiers to commit these abominable acts of sheer murder".

"The army top brass has given every indication that soldiers who commit murder will be immune from serious prosecution, and even if they are prosecuted, it won’t be a big deal."

Eid said investigations carried out by the army were only for show, and to appease international public opinion.

"I don’t think they carry out genuine investigations in these killings," he said.

"They only put up a show and usually after the press and human-rights groups have exposed a given crime."

Last month, BTselem accused the Israeli army of covering up crimes against innocent Palestinians.

The army rejects the charges.

– http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A4BD8038-...

Forum posts

  • Another example that Israels army is out of control. Or like their big brothers - America and Britain.

  • It’s disgusting but does not suprise me. Zionists see all people ( except jews) as gentiles/pigs lowest of the low. At least Islam gives rights to all people regardless of religion. Ask Saladhin he was a real man.

    • That’s total BS.Muslim propaganda & nothing more.There’s no articles on the subject in Yediot Ahronoth.Just wait a little bit & you’ll discover,that this is another arabiac’s lie.
      Thou I do admit,that on the 9 of march two men with name Khalid Mahdi were killed.

    • This is just another prejudice against all Jews around the world who believe in establishing a state for their people. And Your talk about the Islam being a religion which makes all people equal is truly absurd. I study philosophy and I have read the Koran. It is full of wrath against the so called nonbelieving which includes everyone exept the people who believe in the Koran. The womans role is reduced to serve the man. Further: the Koran constantly scolds upon the children of Israel´´ which is nothing but very old propaganda, that served the Arabs to pursue the Jews and chase them out of the Orient. This propaganda was refreshed during the times of WW2 when the germans had good  diplomatic relations in the orient; also the vichy governement of france moved to the orient since they were driven out of europe. When the first Jews started to settle inpalestine´´ without the intention to establish a state , not to mention taking the country away from the Arabs who lived there, there were assaults and violence against the jewish people including those who lived there since many generations. The Israeli people do not represent all Zionists of the world and about 70% of the Israelis are against violent interventions in palestine´´. Why did the Israeli governement build schools and  hospitals when they had the country occupied ? Because they thought that pigs need medical attention and should visit schools ? The muslim countries surroundingpalestine´´ did never help palestine´´ in that particular manner, neither did they allowpalestinian´´ refugees in their countries. The palestinian´´ people are being abused as  soldiers of the anti-israeli campaign that spreads through the whole arab countries. THEY treat their muslim brothers inpalestine´´ like slaves and support them only in becoming Shahids for the djihad. I do respect most religion and culture , but the Islam does not promote a very positive picture of the ``children of Israel´´.......but please have some quotes : 2.AL-BAQARAH / 83.: and we made a bond with Israels children:"You shall not worship anyone but Allah..." So you turned away afterwards by staying opposed exept few of you.´                           211.:Ask Israels children how much proof we gave them. But the one who trades (denies) Allahs mercy after it has been given to him, then Allah is truly strict in his punishment.´ 5.Al-MAEDAH / 70.: Truly we made a bond with Israels children and sent delegates to them. But as often as delegates came to them with things that their hearts did not desire , they declared some of the delegates as liars and killed others.´                                                                 27.AN-NAML / 76.:Truly the Quran explains to Israels children most of which they disagree about.´ My personal impression is a tough ignorance against history and other cultures and religions. To put it in your words. Its sad that you think this way, but it doesnt surprise me.

    • Hitler did a bad job sadly. If he had done a better job with the Jews, we would not have the mess we have in the world today.