Israel a number of weeks ago reached a settlement in the case pertaining to the shooting death of British film-maker/ correspondent James Miller, who was shot and killed while covering events in Gaza in May 2003. The case was held in the Tel Aviv District Court, with the family of the correspondent represented by prominent Israeli attorney Avigdor Feldman.

The daily Haaretz reports Israel will be paying over NIS 8 million (about NIS 1.5 million pound sterling). Feldman declined to release the amount of the settlement, but confirmed the amount is over 1 million pound sterling.

British authorities were determined to seek extradition of IDF Captain Hib al-Heib, who they blame for the shooting. After the tragic event, Israel stated correspondents entering a war zone are in danger and must take such possibilities into account.

British officials rejected the Israeli findings and stated film footage showed beyond the shadow of a doubt that when Miller was shot dead, the area was quiet. British officials also stated the delay in the IDF military police investigation permitted adequate time to change the barrel of the officer’s weapons and thereby compromise a true investigation.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)