Fury after Israeli officer in charge of prisoner's shooting is 'reassigned'

[ProgressiveMuslim]

By Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem
Friday, 8 August 2008



Outraged Israeli human rights organisations have united in challenging the military's decision to invoke only minor penalties against a senior officer over the shooting of a bound and blindfolded Palestinian prisoner by a soldier under his command.


Lt-Col Omri Burberg has been "reassigned" and was indicted yesterday on the limited charge of "unworthy conduct" after the incident last month in which he held the Palestinian as the soldier shot him at close range in the foot with a rubber-coated bullet. The offence does not carry a custodial sentence.

The soldier, a staff sergeant who claims he was ordered to fire by the officer, has been demoted to private but faces the same charge. Lt-Col Burberg claimed he only wanted to intimidate the Palestinian, Ashraf Abu Rahmeh, after he was detained near Ni'ilin, the scene of regular unarmed demonstrations against the military's West Bank separation barrier.

Human rights group B'Tselem, which exposed the incident – shown on Israeli television after being videoed by a Palestinian woman in the village – said yesterday: "The army treats the shooting at point-blank range of a bound man as inappropriate behaviour. It disgraces the values which it pretends to uphold."

And Yesh Din, the legal action group representing Mr Abu Rahmeh's family, pointed out that if the officer had been "caught smoking a joint" he would have suffered the worse penalty of a prison sentence and dishonourable discharge. It added: "This case proves once again that the military judicial system views harming innocent citizens as a public image problem and not as a moral issue."

read on...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/fury-after-israeli-officer-in-charge-of-prisoners-shooting-is-reassigned-888292.html

[LeftishBrit]

1. He should have been thrown out altogether

At least he IS being prosecuted; but it should be a more serious charge.

[breakaleg]

2. Israel has a habit of goein through the motions of bringing its officers up on weak charges, just so

they can show the world they deal with these incidents. But the reality is, they aren't dealing with these people as they ought to. I'm afraid giving them a slap on the wrist doesn't get them the credit from me they seem to get from many around here.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

3. And the culture that spawns it certaily doesn't change. nt

[Sezu]

4. Neither has the enemy which caused it all in the first

place.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. Pesky Palestinians. Why don't they learn to accept their inferior status? How annoying! nt