Israeli Border Policeman Charged with Manslaughter in Death of Palestinian Protestor

An Israeli border policeman who allegedly shot and killed a 17-year old Palestinian during a demonstration in the West Bank town of Betunia last May has been charged with manslaughter by a Jerusalem court. At the time of the shooting, the police were trying to quell a violent demonstration marking what the Arab world calls the “Naqba” or “disaster,” referring to the founding of the state of Israel in 1948. The border police claimed to be using only rubber-coated bullets, but an autopsy reportedly showed that Nadeem Nuwarah was struck by live ammunition. Nuwarah’s family and other Palestinians were critical of the indictment, insisting it should have been for premeditated murder.