Palestinian slain by Israeli troops in a case of mistaken identity

Members of an Israeli special forces unit hunting for a Hamas militant shot dead a 66-year-old Palestinian man in his bed early Friday, mistaking him for the wanted man, who lived in the same building. The killing, witnessed by the man's wife, raised fresh questions about the military's conduct and rules of engagement in the West Bank.

The army expressed regret for the killing, the latest in a string of fatal incidents in the past week.

After the killing, a jeep pulled up and soldiers called on the wanted militant, Wael al-Bitar, who lived on the floor below, to give himself up, said his wife, Sana, a niece of the slain man. Bitar then emerged from the house and was handcuffed and taken away, his wife said.

www.washingtonpost.com...

The man the Israelis actually wanted, and later did arrest, may or may not be a terrorist. What I do not understand is the rules of engagement: why would the man be shot while in bed? Why not do as the soldiers did later, call on the man to give himself up? It worked the second time, why not the first time?

Originally posted by InvisibleAlbatross
What I do not understand is the rules of engagement: why would the man be shot while in bed? Why not do as the soldiers did later, call on the man to give himself up? It worked the second time, why not the first time?

Shoot first, ask questions later?

They had to do it that way the second time around because of the media interest which had been generated by the 'mistaken identity' of the first murder.

The incident goes to show once again that they operate on the basis of cold blooded murder when the press aren't around. Had it not been for a case of mistaken identity, the man they were looking for would be dead and most of the world would have no idea it had happened.

reply to post by InvisibleAlbatross


Sounds like lazy and negligent field work by those operatives..

Another unnecessary civilian death in this unnecessary conflict.