- Title: Funaral of Palestinian driver killed by Israeli troops in disputed incident
- Date: 6th April 2021
- Summary: BIDDU, WEST BANK (APRIL 6, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEN CARRYING THE BODY OF OSAMA MANSOUR DURING FUNERAL, MEN CARRYING VARIOUS FACTION FLAGS MEN PRAYING IN MOSQUE DURING FUNERAL MEN PRAYING AROUND BODY OF OSAMA MANSOUR IN MOSQUE VARIOUS OF MEN CARRYING PALESTINIAN FLAGS AND CHANTING AS PROCESSION CARRIES MANSOUR'S BODY / GROUP BRINGING BODY TO FAMILY FAREWELL HOME MANSOUR'S MOTHER, SARA MANSOUR, WALKING FORWARD TO SEE HER SON'S BODY / OTHERS TRYING TO STOP HER SARA MANSOUR CRYING VARIOUS OF MANSOUR AND OTHERS MOURNING WIFE OF OSAMA MANSOUR, SUMAYA MANSOUR SITTING NEXT TO HER DAUGHTER OSAMA MANSOUR'S DAUGHTER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) WIFE OF OSAMA MANSOUR, SUMAYA MANSOUR, 35-YEARS OLD, SAYING: "We were going to the doctor, in Bir Nabala, when we were heading back, we found a checkpoint, standing there they told us to switch off the car and park it, we switched it off and parked there, he only asked us where we are coming from and where we are going, that was it, then he told us to go, leave, we switched the car on, and left, and within seconds four soldiers started shooting at us immensely, from behind, and Osama out of fear started speeding. I looked and saw that Osama was leaning towards the sidewalk, I wasn't paying attention to Osama, he had left the steering wheel and was unconscious and his blood was everywhere, I was kneeling down on the ground." MANSOUR'S DAUGHTER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOTHER OF MANSOUR, SARA MANSOUR, SAYING: "Why, why would they shoot someone like that, leaving his children behind, isn't it unfair that they become orphans, and burn his mother (pointing at herself) like that, isn't it unfair of them, they obviously don't know God, killing a young man who was with his wife at the doctor's and was heading home." CHILDREN RUNNING WITH FLAGS UNDER A BANNER HUNG OUTSIDE THE MANSOUR HOME
- Embargoed: 20th April 2021 15:55
- Keywords: Israeli soldiers Palestinian Shooting funeral incident
- Location: BIDDU, WEST BANK
- City: BIDDU, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001E7DWTVR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
The body of a Palestinian motorist shot dead by Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint earlier on Tuesday (April 6) was buried as his family wept.
Israeli authorities say the man tried to ram them at the - an account disputed by his wife, who was with him in the car.
Salem Eid, the mayor of Biddu village, where the man lived, said Palestinians may raise the incident at the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutor announced last month it would formally investigate war crimes in the Palestinian territories.
In a statement, the Israeli military said the vehicle accelerated towards a group of soldiers "in a way that endangered their lives" and they responded with gunfire "to thwart the threat".
The Palestinian health ministry said the man, identified as 42-year-old Osama Mansour, had been killed and his wife had sustained bullet fragment injuries. The military statement said no troops were hurt in the late night incident.
"We were going to the doctor, in Bir Nabala, when we were heading back, we found a checkpoint, standing there they told us to switch off the car and park it, we switched it off and parked there, he only asked us where we are coming from and where we are going, that was it, then he told us to go, leave, we switched the car on, and left, and within seconds four soldiers started shooting at us," the man's spouse, Sumaya Mansour said.
Asked about the woman's account, an Israeli military spokesman said: "The attempted car-ramming attack carried out earlier this morning is being investigated by the commander of the Binyamin Regional Brigade."
Eid challenged the military's accusation that the driver had carried out an attack, noting that he was a father of five and his wife was with him in the vehicle.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced the incident, describing it as "a field execution".
Citing security concerns, Israel maintains a network of military checkpoints in the West Bank, territory it captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
Anti-Israeli violence in the West Bank has included car ramming as well as shootings. Rights groups have documented incidents in which they said Israeli troops were unjustified in opening fire at Palestinians they perceived as posing a threat at checkpoint.
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