IDF says officer who killed teen was in ‘mortal’ danger

The IDF says a senior West Bank commander who killed a Palestinian stone-thrower last week opened fire because he felt “mortal” danger after stones hit his jeep’s windshield.

The military says that Col. Israel Shomer exhausted “all measures” before firing at 17-year-old Mohammed al-Kasbeh, without elaborating on what the measures were.

However, Palestinian witness Haroun Hazeen tells the Associated Press that the officer got out of his jeep and opened fire immediately, shooting even as al-Kasbeh fled. Hospital physician Samer Saliba says al-Kasbeh was shot in the face and back.

An initial army investigation backed Shomer.

Sarit Michaeli from the left-wing human-rights group B’Tselem says the high-profile case sends a message to soldiers that lethal force is acceptable even when stone-throwers no longer seem to pose a threat.

— AP