A Palestinian martial court will try Friday night the Palestinian soldier who shot and killed an Israeli officer late Thursday, and injured another.
According to a Palestinian security source, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat ordered the formation of the court the same day.
Arafat had called Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Friday morning to condemn the attack, as he passed along best wishes for the start of the Jewish new year.
The Palestinian source told Albawaba.com in a telephone interview that the soldier, Nael Suleiman “has no political background,” but added that the officer, 25, comes from the village of Assira Shamaliyya near Nablus, which was a stage last month for a botched Israeli military operation aimed at arresting Hamas activist, Mahmoud Abu Hanoud.
The raid resulted in the death of three Israeli commandoes.
Quoting Suleiman, the source said the Palestinian soldier “was seeking revenge for his village.” He added that the suspect said during interrogations that his act was also a response to the visit by Likud leader Ariel Sharon to Jerusalem earlier Thursday.
The source said that Suleiman shouted "Allahu Akbar" -- "God is Greatest" -- before firing at the military jeep in the Palestinian town of Qalqilya.
According to the source, the martial court will be presided over by Colonel Awani Samara, director of Qaqilya police, and with Lieutenant Lutfi Hassan, and Captain Mohammad Amir as members. Hassan and Amir are members of the National Security Forces. Meanwhile, Colonel Mohammad Bishtawi will represent the prosecution.
Trying Palestinians accused of attacking Israelis by Palestinian security courts bars Israel from demanding that PNA hand over the suspects to be tried in Israel.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad called on the PNA in a statement Friday to release Suleiman and “award him a decoration for his heroism.”
On Friday, five Palestinians were killed and at least 200 injured as Palestinians and Israeli soldiers clashed at Al Aqsa Mosque in a second day confrontations that came as a response to a visit by the right-wing Likud leader Ariel Sharon to the noble Muslim shrine on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, two bombs went off in the Gaza Strip, killing an Israeli soldier and injuring one of his colleagues as a convoy of Jewish settlers and their military escorts drove on a road near the Netzarim settlement, according to AFP.
On Thursday another bomb went off near the settlement, although on that occasion no one was injured – (Albawaba.com)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
