Soldier who shot dead injured Palestinian will not be charged with murder

The Israeli army prosecutor has downgraded the charge against an Israeli soldier who fatally shot a Palestinian man in Hebron, south of the West Bank, last week from murder to manslaughter.

Under Israeli law, manslaughter signifies an intentional but not premeditated killing.

Attorney Lieutenant Colonel Adoram Reigler told a hearing at the Qastina Military Court that “significant developments in recent days necessitated the downgraded charges,” Israeli radio reported.

He did not elaborate on those developments.

However, the prosecutor said: “The soldier said after shooting the attacker that he had deserved death.”

Another soldier who was at the scene quoted the soldier as saying: “The attacker has stabbed my friend and deserved to die.”

Last week, the Kfir Brigade soldier was caught on film shooting a 21-year-old in the head while he was lying on the ground injured after he was shot and disarmed by another soldier.