An Israeli officer who shot a 13 year old Palestinian girl repeatedly at close range has been cleared of any wrongdoing by senior military officials. The officer was accused by fellow soldiers of repeatedly shooting at the girl, who the army says was in a restricted area, after she was felled by an intial shot. The practice, known as confirmation killing, is officially banned by international convention. The girl's parents claim that she was on her way to school.
Sources quoted by Al-Jazeera state that the officer "put his weapon on the automatic mode and emptied his entire magazine." Other soldiers who watched said that he emptied "his entire magazine to her head." Palestinian doctors said that the corpse had approximately 15 gunshot wounds, while a magazine carries 30 rounds. Sources in the Israeli army said that the officer had been firing into the ground to deter gunfire from Palestinian militants.
Dru Oja Jay
» Al-Jazeera: Israeli cleared for shooting schoolgirl
» Guardian: Israeli Army Officer Cleared in Killing
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