Israeli minister promotes officer whose unit executed unarmed Palestinians in Jenin

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has granted a promotion to an officer whose unit “carried out a cold-blooded execution” of two unarmed Palestinians in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, local media reported on Sunday.

Ben-Gvir informed the commander of the unit that he would advance him to deputy commissioner, Haaretz reported, noting that the decision came one day after a video showed unit members firing on two Palestinians who raised their hands.

The minister, who leads the far-right Jewish Power Party, visited the unit’s base to personally notify the commander, identified as “K”, about the promotion, the paper added.

The report described the move as “unusual” because unit commanders in the police typically hold a lower rank.

Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinian men on Thursday.

The Palestinian health ministry said in a statement that the two men were killed in the shooting, identifying them as 26-year-old Montasir Abdullah and 37-year-old Yusuf Asasa.

Palestinian authorities accused Israeli forces of carrying out a cold-blooded execution of two young men.

Full backing

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, later issued a statement giving his "full backing" to the military and the police unit that was involved in the gruesome shooting.

“During the questioning, investigators presented the officers with footage in which the two Palestinians were seen leaving a house in Jenin with their hands raised in the air,” the newspaper said.

After the officers overpowered the Palestinians, they ordered them to lie on the ground at the entrance to the building, and then one of the officers shot them dead at close range.

Ben-Gvir posted videos on Friday, hugging the unit commander and expressing support for the unit as the criminal investigation continues.

The Israeli army has escalated its attacks in the occupied West Bank since October 2023.

More than 1,085 Palestinians have since been killed, and 10,700 others wounded in attacks by Israeli forces and illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied territory.

More than 20,500 people have also been arrested.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

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Source: TRT