Israel returns body of scissor-wielding teenage terrorist

Israel on Friday handed over the body of 16-year-old Hadil Wajia Awad, a Palestinian schoolgirl who was shot dead as she carried out a terror attack in Jerusalem in late November.

Awad’s body was returned to her family following government approval, the IDF said. The body was driven Friday afternoon to the Qalandiya checkpoint between Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Palestinian sources were quoted by the Hebrew language paper Haaretz as saying that the funeral procession would begin after the body had been returned to the family. Israel’s Defense Ministry permits the return of bodies of terrorists killed at the scene by Israeli security forces on the condition that the funerals do not become mass gatherings, for fear that they will descend into violence.

But in the West Bank city of Hebron, some funerals held after the return of terrorists’ bodies have been attended by thousands of people, an occurrence that one security official called a violation of understandings between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Awad was killed on November 23 when she and her cousin, 14-year-old Nurhan Awad, stabbed and wounded an elderly Palestinian man on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem, believing him to be Jewish. An off-duty police sapper who was in the area saw the attack and quickly shot both girls. Nurhan was badly wounded and Hadil died from her injuries.

The sapper was questioned by the Police Investigative Department for firing two shots at Hadil, despite her being wounded badly. According to his lawyers, the sapper was also afraid that the girls were wearing explosive vests.

The police defended the sapper’s actions, arguing that at the time the officer could not quickly ascertain that Hadil was no longer dangerous. The whole incident, from the stabbing of the old man to the sapper’s response, took less than a minute.

The investigation by the PID was demanded by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and State Attorney Shai Nitzan. Police officials criticized the decision to investigate the sapper, saying that “from an operative point of view, he acted correctly.”

The state prosecutor last week served an indictment against Nurhan Awad for two attempted murders and possession of a knife (scissors). The prosecutor asked the Jerusalem District Juvenile Court to extend her remand until the end of the proceedings.

Israel has so far transferred to the Palestinians the bodies of nine terrorists. According to Palestinian sources, Israel is still holding the bodies of six other terrorists.

On Friday, the family of Arab Israeli terrorist Muhanad Alukabi was also informed that his body would be returned to them, the Walla website reported. Alukabi killed an IDF soldier and wounded 11 others in an October 18 terror attack at Beersheba central bus station.