BICOM

A Palestinian man has died following a confrontation with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank on Thursday.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) entered Jericho early Thursday morning to arrest a terrorist suspect and confronted rioting Palestinians. During the riot, 33-year-old Yassin al-Saradih, ran towards IDF troops and attempted to attack them armed with an iron rod.

The incident was filmed by a Palestinian surveillance camera and has now appeared online. The footage shows a soldier bringing down the Palestinian man, followed by a group of soldiers beating and kicking him whilst they tried to restrain him.

According to the IDF, riots erupted during a raid on the West Bank city in which a “terrorist armed with an iron bar charged at the soldiers and tried to attack them. The force responded with gunfire, confronted the terrorist from close range and managed to stop him. A knife was found in his possession. He was evacuated by the force from the scene to receive medical treatment. He was later pronounced dead”.

An army spokesperson added that the assailant also tried to steal a soldier’s gun.

Palestinian Prisoners Commission chairman Essa Qaraqaa called the death “a crime, an execution and a premeditated murder,” which “reflects the brutality and terrorism of those soldiers”.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the circumstances of al-Saradih’s death, expressing concern that the Israeli soldiers used excessive measures during his arrest and this caused his death.

The IDF has opened an investigation and has taken testimony from the soldiers involved. The military said it has reviewed the CCTV footage but does not consider that it captures the whole series of events properly.

An autopsy was also carried out, though the results have not been officially released. Haaretz has reported that no bullet wounds were found on his body.

Yassin al-Saradih’s brother was interviewed on Palestinian television and said that Yassin had been imprisoned by Israel during the Second Intifada for terrorist activities. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, al-Saradih had inhaled a substantial amount of tear gas during the clashes before his death. The IDF notified the family of their son’s death on Thursday morning.

Residents of Jericho held a general strike in the city in response to al-Saradih’s death.