Soldiers: `“We thought the child was armed, and killed him`

Israeli soldiers operating in Askar refugee camp, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, claimed that they thought the child they shot and killed ion Friday evening, was armed.

The child was identified as Adi Khaled Tantawi, 13; he suffered a gunshot injury in his heart, and died before arriving at the hospital.

An Israeli military source reported on Saturday morning that an initial probe found out that soldiers opened fire at the child “against orders”. 

“Soldiers were on a routine operation in the camp”, the source claimed, “Palestinians began throwing stones at them”.

Also the source added that soldiers identified the child approaching them, “believed he was armed, and killed him”.

ColonelYuval Bezek, Nablus areas military commander at the Israeli army probed the events and found out that soldiers violated the rules of engagement.

Bezek added that the probe will continue next week by the West Bank commander, Brigadier General Yair Golan, and Central Command Chief Yair Naveh.

The army will decide at the end of the investigation whether to open a military criminal investigation in the shooting.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the latest operations in the Palestinian areas, and the killing of the child and five resistance fighters in recent days.

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas criticized Israel for its ongoing offensive in the Palestinian areas and called on the Palestinian resistance to show restraint.

Palestinian Prime Minister, Ahamd Qurei said that the Israeli offensive might drag the area into“blood soaked water”. 

Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fateh, vowed retaliation inside Israel and teh occupied terrotories, after the army killed two of its fighters in Balata refugee camp in Nablus, on Friday.

“The Israeli leadership is not interested in peace”, Jamal Tirawi one of the leaders of Al Aqsa Brigades in Nablus area told the IMEMC, “Sharon wants to please the Israeli right wing by spilling the Palestinian blood”.

The Brigades officially declared that it unbound itself from the truce, and will retaliate to the assassination of its fighters, and to the continuous military operations in the Palestinian territories.