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Sunday, January 23, 2005
Dead Palestinian's Family Sue Israel Army
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By LAURIE COPANS, Associated Press Writer
JERUSALEM - The family of a 13-year-old Palestinian girl shot repeatedly by an Israeli soldier and an officer has sued the military over her killing which provoked broad international criticism, a lawyer said Sunday.
In its appeal to Israel's Supreme Court, the family of Iyman Hams asked to move the case from a military to a civilian court, release the results of the investigation and examine orders that led to the shooting, said lawyer Labib Habib.
Soldiers fired at the girl as she approached a military observation post near the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) on Oct. 5. The soldiers said they thought she was planting a bomb. The girl's family said she was on her way to school.
Then, according to an army indictment, an officer approached the girl's body and fired two more shots ? an illegal practice called "verifying the kill." Palestinian doctors said at least 15 bullets hit the girl.
Both soldiers involved in the shooting are facing trial in the case which received wide international attention.
While rejecting the practice of "verifying the kill," Israeli military officials say Palestinian children have been involved in many attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, including planting bombs.
In its petition to the Supreme Court, the family charged that the military issued illegal orders that led to the shooting of the girl.
"We are asking that the army conclude that the soldiers were at fault for giving illegal orders," Habib said.
Such a finding could increase the number of soldiers charged in the case and widen it to include higher commanders.
The officer accused of shooting initially said he came under fire from Palestinian gunmen at least 300 yards away as he approached the girl's body and shot at the ground to deter the fire, a military official said.
However, a soldier in an observation tower said the officer aimed at the girl's body, the official said.
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