Israel to Charge Own Sniper

The Israeli military announced that it will charge an Israel Defense Forces sniper for actions during the Gaza offensive.
Israel to Charge Own Sniper
7/6/2010
Updated:
7/7/2010
The Israeli military announced that it will charge an Israel Defense Forces sniper for actions during the Gaza offensive two years ago.

Military Advocate-General (MAG), Maj. Gen. Avichai Mendelblit said that there was enough evidence for the staff sergeant to be tried in a military court.

It is alleged that the soldier opened fire on a group of men who were waving white flags, killing one man. Other accounts say the soldier killed two Palestinian women. Although Mendelblit said investigations could not determine exactly who was killed, the evidence is strong enough to indict the sharp shooter.

The charges, if brought, will only be the third case where individual soldiers have been reprimanded over their role within Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009, where hundreds of Palestinians were killed.

In February, the army announced that it had reprimanded a brigadier general and a colonel for authorizing an artillery attack, which hit a U.N. compound in Gaza.