Israeli sniper caught shooting Palestinian civilian on camera

GAZA - Anger is mounting among Palestinians and Arab-Israelis alike after a TV channel broadcast a video showing a sniper shooting an unarmed Palestinian in the Gaza Strip as his fellow soldiers cheer and celebrate.

Israel's military says it is investigating video footage, filmed through the scope of a rifle, which went viral online and featured prominently on Israeli TV.

In the video broadcast on Monday, three men are seen nearing a barrier or fence. The crack of an apparent gunshot is heard and one of the men, who had been standing still and appeared to be unarmed, falls to the ground.

Israel's @news10 just published the following video.

An Israeli sniper filmed himself shooting a Palestinian protester inside the occupied Gaza Strip, as he & other soldiers celebrate.

The Israeli army said it's 'investigating'.https://t.co/5y4jTR2wkdhttps://t.co/gaObKf0AOt pic.twitter.com/yeqLQP23v7

— Ben White (@benabyad) April 9, 2018

As reported by Haaretz, in the video, a man is heard asking “Do you have a bullet in the barrel?” and saying “is it on him?” After the sniper shoots and hits the Palestinian, cries of enthusiasm are heard.

"Wow, what a video. Yes! Son of a bitch! What a video!" a voice is heard to exuberantly declare in Hebrew.

Later, someone else adds: “Wow, someone was hit in the head”, “what a legendary video”, “he flew in the air”.

A crowd of people are then seen rushing to retrieve the man who was shot. His condition is not clear.

“According to military protocol, all live fire directed at protests requires approval by the most senior leadership in the field, usually on instructions from a brigade commander or battalion commander,” the Israeli newspaper reported.

The video first appeared on Israel Channel 10 television and was widely shared online, drawing shocked reactions from Israeli politicians on the right and left.

Israeli Arab MP Ayman Odeh said in a tweet that the video "horrifies the mind". "Calls of joy at taking a life and what appears to be the execution of someone who did not threaten anyone," he added.

https://twitter.com/AyOdeh/status/983388270309662722

He called for the alleged culprits to be put on trial.

Yehuda Glick, from the ruling Likud party, called it a "very hard video to watch. Disturbing and disappointing."

https://twitter.com/YehudahGlick/status/983394691378016256

MK Jamal Zahalka, of the Joint List, said the video is the rule, not the exception: “Israeli snipers killed unarmed Palestinian protesters in cold blood who were participating in a non-violent protest.”

https://twitter.com/NewsChannelIL/status/955442278910349317

Prominent Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said it had little faith in the Israeli military investigation.

"Israeli policymakers & military officials' professed shock & promise to investigate are lip service, their 'thorough investigation' will be whitewashing yet again," it tweeted. "They are the ones supporting manifestly illegal commands ordering soldiers to shoot people who pose no threat."

The case comes at a time of heightened tensions over Gaza.

Israel has faced mounting criticism for shooting dozens of Palestinian, many fatally, during clashes at protests along the border in the past two weeks.

At least 28 Palestinians have been killed in one week.

Thousands of Palestinians have gathered near the security fence that separates Palestinian territory from Israel to demand the return of some 700,000 Palestinians expelled from their land or who fled during the war that broke out after the creation of Israel in 1948.

The Israeli government has long ruled out any right of return and says ‘terrorists’ are using the cover of the protests to try to cross illegally into its territory.