Israel court orders army to reexamine shooting of US activist
AFP
Date: 02-28-05
JERUSALEM (AFP) - The Israeli supreme court ordered the army to reopen an investigation into the shooting of a US peace activist in the northern West Bank nearly two years ago, judicial sources and activists said.
Judges gave the military 90 days to interview six eyewitnesses to the shooting after a petition was presented by activist Brian Avery, who suffered severe facial disfigurement after being shot in the face by troops operating in the town of Jenin.
Avery, who was working with the International Solidarity Movement when he was shot, petitioned the court to order a criminal investigation into the shooting, which occurred during clashes between Palestinian stonethrowers and Israeli troops on April 5, 2003.
After a brief internal inquiry, the army concluded it had no knowledge of the shooting and decided not to open an official investigation.
The ISM said six foreign activists had witnessed the shooting, but none of them had been called to give testimony at the initial inquiry.
"The judges told the military attorney general to take oral testimony from all the eyewitnesses then decide whether to stick by the army's original decision not to pursue an inquiry into the shooting," ISM founder and legal coordinator Neta Golan told AFP.
"The court gave them 90 days to interview all six witnesses. If they decide not to pursue an inquiry, they will have to explain why," she added.
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a group of pro-Palestinian activists who engage in non-violent action to protect civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (news - web sites).
ISM activists set themselves apart from other peace groups through their direct-action methods, for which they have sometimes paid a heavy price.
US activist Rachel Corrie was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in southern Gaza in March 2003 and a month later British activist Tom Hurndall was declared clinically dead after being shot in the same area.
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