Israeli military sentences commander to 10 days in prison over shooting of Palestinian motorist.

An Israeli military court sentenced a commander to 10 days in prison on September 18, 2023, for shooting a Palestinian motorist in the head in the occupied West Bank. The commander, identified as Maj. Kfir Damari, was found guilty of "reckless opening fire" after he fired three shots at the Palestinian motorist, Omar al-Abed, during a traffic stop in January 2022. Al-Abed was seriously injured in the shooting, but survived. Damari's sentencing comes after months of delays and public outcry over the case. Many Palestinians and human rights groups have accused the Israeli military of using excessive force and impunity against Palestinians, and have called for Damari to be held accountable for his actions. In a statement, the Israeli military said that Damari's sentencing was "fair and proportionate" and that it "hoped that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to other soldiers." However, human rights groups criticized the sentence, saying that it was too lenient and did not reflect the seriousness of the crime. "Ten days in prison for shooting a Palestinian in the head is a slap in the face of justice," said Sari Bashi, director of Gisha, an Israeli human rights group. "This case is just the latest example of the Israeli military's impunity for its crimes against Palestinians." The shooting of Omar al-Abed is one of many cases in which Israeli soldiers have been accused of using excessive force against Palestinians. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile cases of Israeli soldiers killing or seriously injuring unarmed Palestinians, often in circumstances that appear to be unjustified.

The Israeli military has defended its use of force, saying that it is necessary to protect Israeli soldiers and civilians from Palestinian attacks. However, human rights groups have accused the military of using excessive force and of having a low threshold for using live ammunition against Palestinians. The sentencing of Maj. Kfir Damari is a rare case in which an Israeli soldier has been held accountable for using excessive force against a Palestinian. However, human rights groups say that the sentence is too lenient and that it does not reflect the seriousness of the crime. They are calling for the Israeli military to do more to hold its soldiers accountable for their actions and to prevent future abuses.