B'Tselem seeks military protection for volunteer who filmed Hebron shooting

B’Tselem director wrote a letter to the Central Command and the Police Chief informing them of death threats made against Imad Abu Shamsiyeh, the B’Tselem volunteer who filmed the incident.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: MARCH 31, 2016 17:57
IDF soldier shoots subdued Palestinian (photo credit: screenshot)
IDF soldier shoots subdued Palestinian
(photo credit: screenshot)
NGO B'Tselem, who last week obtained a video of an IDF soldier shooting a subdued Palestinian in Hebron from one of its volunteers, is now asking for military protection for the volunteer who documented the shooting.
B’Tselem director Hagai El-Ad wrote a letter on Wednesday to the OC Central Command Roni Numa and Chief of Police Roni Alsheich informing them of death threats made against Imad Abu Shamsiyeh, the B’Tselem volunteer who filmed the incident.
El-Ad requested assurance from the military and police commanders that they are aware of the threats made against Abu Shamsiyeh and his family. He emphasized that it is the duty of the police and the central command to ensure that everything in their power is done to  protect the family from further violence, including issuing clear, adequate directives to soldiers and police officers stationed in Hebron.
 
El-Ad stressed that threats made against Abu Shamsiyeh were not hypothetical because he is a well known figure in his neighborhood, Tel Rumeida, and in recent years has fallen victim to several attacks by settlers living there.
 
Since the footage has been released, Abu Shamsiyeh and his family have received death threats and hate-filled messages on Facebook.
Additionally, stones have been thrown at their home by Jewish settlers living in Hebron.
The soldier involved in the incident has been the subject of intense scrutiny, and is currently on trial.
On Thursday,  IDF Prosecutor Lt. Col. Edoram Rigler said that they were reducing the expected charge from murder to manslaughter.
At the same time, Rigler told IDF Lt. Col. Judge Ronen Shor at the hearing in Kastina near Ashdod that they felt highly confident they would get a conviction for manslaughter, which still carries heavy jail time.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.