Israeli soldier under investigation for killing of unarmed Palestinian

WARNING: Video embedded below is of a graphic nature

The Israeli Defense Force is investigating one of its soldiers after video surfaced of the soldier apparently shooting and killing an unarmed Palestinian man, suspected of stabbing an IDF soldier, while he lay prone in the street.

Video released by the Israeli human rights group B'tselem of the incident, in the West Bank city of Hebron, where IDF forces have on several previous occasions clashed with Palestinians, has since circulated online.

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The video begins after IDF soldiers responded to the stabbing. Medics are wheeling the injured IDF soldier to an ambulance while, near the ambulance, lies the body of one of the alleged attackers.

In the foreground lies the second alleged attacker who, early in the video, shows signs of movement. At the 1:50 mark, as the ambulance with the injured solider pulls away, a second ambulance obscures the second attacker from the camera and a shot rings out. Once the second ambulance pulls away, the attacker's body is seen with a new trail of blood from his head. 

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz told the Times of Israel that the soldier who shot the attacker has been arrested and an investigation is proceeding, adding, “This is not the IDF, these are not the values of the IDF and these are not the values of the Jewish people.”

Another IDF spokesperson, Ltc. Peter Lerner posted about the incident on Facebook, calling it, "a grave breach of IDF values." 

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told the Times that the incident was “in utter breach of IDF values and of our code of ethics in combat," and added, “Even when the blood boils, we must not allow such loss of reason and such loss of control.”

The IDF's investigation had already begun when the video surfaced online.

Haaretz identified the two assailants as Al-Fatah Ashraf, 21, and Ramzi Alkasrawi, 20, but did not say which assailant was shot and killed by the IDF soldier. The two were reportedly associated with Hamas. 

The incident comes amid a six-month wave of Palestinian stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks that has killed 28 Israelis and two Americans. Over the same time, at least 188 Palestinians have died by Israeli fire. Israel says most of them were attackers, and the rest died in clashes with Israeli security forces.

Israel blames the attacks on incitement by Palestinian leaders and social media. Palestinians say the violence stems from frustration at nearly five decades of Israeli military occupation. The Palestinians have also accused Israel of using excessive force and killing assailants who have already been stopped or wounded.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press.

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