An initial IDF probe shows that Palestinian medic Razan al-Najjar was not intentionally targeted by soldiers defending Israel’s border.
By: United with Israel Staff
The Palestinian female medic who was killed during last Friday’s violence the border with Gaza was not intentionally targeted by soldiers defending Israel, an initial IDF inquiry shows.
Razan al-Najjar, 21, was killed on Friday, supposedly while attending to the Palestinian wounded in the battlefield.
The IDF stated that an initial examination of the incident has found that a “small number of bullets” were fired during the incident, and that “no shots were deliberately or directly” aimed at Najjar.
“The examination is ongoing,” the IDF stated.
“In addition, the incident will be examined by the General Staff Fact Finding Assessment Mechanism, with the findings passed on to the Military Advocate General,” the IDF added.
Ashraf Najjar, Razan’s father, rejected Israel’s explanations, saying the IDF has “no credibility.”
“We don’t rely on their investigations and their conclusions are baseless. Instead, we call for an international investigation,” he said.
Speaking about IDF actions on the Gaza border, IDF Military Advocate General Brig. Gen. Sharon Afek rejected calls for an international probe into alleged IDF misconduct during the Hamas-led violent clashes on the Gaza border, saying that such a probe would be an attempt to “undermine the IDF’s legitimate use of force.”
Speaking last month at the Israel Bar Association’s annual conference, Afek noted that the IDF constantly scrutinizes its own actions and that “even during the most complex and difficult battles, the IDF has always marched in line with the law – and will continue to do so.”
He underscored that this was true even when the IDF was “fighting against adversaries devoid of morality and a commitment to that same law,” such as the Hamas terror organization in Gaza.
Many States Only Aspire to IDF Standards
The IDF “does not need external encouragement or pressure in order to examine its conduct,” he added.
“The IDF and its legal system are not immune to criticism, and we do not seek such immunity. We act independently, transparently, and professionally. We are constantly under external legal oversight. Many states can only aspire to such standards,” the legal expert declared.
The IDF is conducting its own probe, and Afek said he will review the findings of the General Staff Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism. “If there is a need for further investigation, I will not hesitate to order [one],” he added.
This latest incident occurred amid the daily violence on the Israel-Gaza border under the banner of the March of Return, orchestrated by Hamas, the Islamic terror group that rules the Strip and calls for Israel’s destruction.
An analysis by Israeli terrorism experts shows that 93 of the 112 Palestinians killed during the past nine weeks on the Gaza border were terrorists, mostly Hamas operatives.