Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked responded to the B’Tselem organization, which feels the fatal shooting of an Arab rock-thrower by Binyamin Region Commander Colonel Yisrael Shomer was unjustifiable, demanding the reopening of the investigation. Senior IDFcommanders have released statements backing Shomer, but B’Tselem insists the shooting was not justified and the colonel must be held accountable.

Shaked accuses B’Tselem of “Chasing soldiers to tie their hands. A great miracle occurred, that this time the rock did not kill him or any of his soldiers. We cannot live our lives depending on miracles. Attempted murder is just that, attempted murder. There is no nice way to say this or to describe the incident in which Colonel Yisrael Shomer was involved. Judaism reaches us there is a moral code that permits a person to defend himself and to save his life at the cost of the one endangering him. In essence this is self-defense, a preemptive strike. ‘One who rises to kill you, arise to kill him’. When a large rock is hurled at the window of a vehicle no one can argue it was thrown to sculpture the window. It was attempted murder and nothing else. The video seen shows evidence cited by B’Tselem and it does not suggest the act was improper”.

Shaked continues that “the video does not show everything and what is seen in the video is not new. The facts shown by B’Tselem were known and in line with statements given by the officer. He spoke of an ‘unidentified object’ that was hurled, which might have been an explosive device”.

Shaked concludes the outcome was miraculous and she feels the senior commander acted appropriately and that B’Tselem’s allegations to the contrary are unfounded.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)