Former Israeli policewoman charged with shooting Palestinian
JERUSALEM (AP) — A former policewoman in Israel has been charged with assault and reckless use of a weapon for allegedly shooting an unarmed Palestinian man in the back with a sponge-tipped bullet as he walked away from a West Bank checkpoint.
The case has drawn widespread attention since Channel 13 TV broadcast a video of the May 2018 incident earlier this month.
In the video, the Palestinian is shot in the back nearly 20 seconds after walking away from the checkpoint.
Border police often use sponge-tipped bullets as a “nonlethal” tool to disperse crowds, but the bullets are painful and can cause serious injury.
The Palestinian, Karam Qawasmi, said on Thursday that other officers also abused him and should have been charged. He says he fears she’ll receive a “very light punishment.”
