Israeli army charges two soldiers for killing Palestinian civilians

JERUSALEM (AFP) Apr 06, 2003
The Israeli army has charged two of its soldiers with the killing of two Palestinian civilians in separate incidents last year, including the slaying of a 95-year-old woman, the army said in a statement on Sunday.

The first case was against a soldier who allegedly fired on a suspect taxi near the West Bank town of Ramallah on December 3, 2002. The shots killed Fatmah Obeid, 95, who became the oldest victim of the 30-month Palestinian uprising, or intifada.

"The soldier is charged with causing death through negligence and with the unlawful use of a weapon," the army statement said.

An officer was also charged with causing death through negligence for shots fired during a riot in a village near the northern West Bank town of Jenin on October 4, 2002, which killed stone-throwing youth Mohammed Ali Zeid, 15.

The charges were brought last week, the army said.

SPACE.WIRE