Footage obtained by Israel’s Channel Two seems to shed light on what happened shortly before an Israeli soldier shot a Palestinian man in the head in March. The video apparently shows a knife being kicked in the direction of a Palestinian man lying on the ground after being shot in the head by an Israeli soldier.

The killing of 21-year-old Abed al-Fatah al-Sharif caused widespread shock and condemnation from various rights groups and liberal Israelis, many of whom called the killing an execution.

Abed al-Fatah al-Sharif was injured and then shot in the head by Israeli soldier, Elor Azarya. At the time, controversy was raised when a Palestinian activist with Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem captured footage showing Sharif lying motionless on the ground for eight minutes after being injured, and then being approached and shot in the head at close range, as revealed by an army investigation.

However, new footage fuels the controversy further as a knife is apparently seen being kicked in al-Sharif’s direction. It is not clear who moves the knife in the video but voices are heard calling for the knife to be kicked closer to the body, as revealed by Israel’s Channel Two.

Elor Azarya has only been charged with manslaughter and inappropriate military conduct but has not been charged with murder.

(PC, Middle East Eye)