Israel Rejects Palestinian Participation in Hebron’s Executed Youth Autopsy

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) Thursday said the Israeli Supreme Court rejected an appeal to allow a Palestinian doctor to take part in the actual autopsy of Hebron’s youth who was executed by an Israeli soldier.

Lawyer Ahmad Safiyah said the Israeli Magistrate Court has agreed that a Palestinian doctor attend the autopsy of 21-year-old Abdul Fattah al-Sharif, share his observations and have his notes documented in the final autopsy report, but not take part in the actual autopsy.

The appeal submitted by Safiyah aimed to allow for the actual participation of a Palestinian doctor in the autopsy of al-Sharif, who was killed execution style by an Israeli soldier in Tel Rumaida neighborhood in Hebron on March 24.    

Al-Sharif allegedly took part in a knife attack with Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi, 21. They were gunned down leading to al-Qasrawi’s death. Al-Sharif, on the other hand, sustained injuries before an Israeli soldier shot him with one bullet in the head killing him instantly.

PPS appealed to allow the doctor to take part in the actual autopsy of al-Sharif and to return the body to the Palestinian side immediately.

The court rejected the appeal, but sustained the decision to allow the doctor to observe the autopsy and agreed that the Palestinian side address the military commander to retrieve the body; if the commander refuses, the lawyer has to file another appeal, said the court.

Safiyah said the court will inform him about the date when the autopsy will be performed and give him enough time to apply for a permit to allow the doctor entry to attend the autopsy, which is expected to take place on Sunday 3rd.

Following the execution, a video broadcast by Israeli human rights group showed the two Palestinians lying on the ground after they were shot dead, and a knife nearby.

In graphic footage released by B'Tselem, an Israeli soldier is seen shooting al-Sharif in the head after he had already been injured and left, motionless, on the ground for minutes.

The footage shows medical teams treating the moderately injured soldier while ignoring the dying Palestinian youths, while the second shooting of al-Sharif takes place in plain view of the medical team and other soldiers who did not react to the execution.

Source: WAFA