Soldiers hesitated to shoot terrorist, fearing legal repercussions, a witness claims

A tour guide who witnessed Sunday’s truck-ramming terror attack said soldiers at the scene hesitated to shoot, fearing they could be charged with murder.

Sunday’s vehicular terror attack in Jerusalem, which claimed the lives of four young Israelis and injured approximately 15 others, could have been less deadly had officers at the scene not been fearful of receiving the same fate as IDF soldier Elor Azaria, who was convicted of manslaughter this past week for shooting a neutralized terrorist.

“There was a delay in opening fire,” Eitan Rond, a tour guide for a group of young Israelis who was lightly injured, told Israel Army Radio. “I have no doubt that the Azaria case was a significant factor, because everything that’s been said to the soldiers as of late is that they should be careful.

“It pains me to say this,” he continued, “but some of the more serious injuries here were caused when the truck drove in reverse. A few seconds less of dawdling and perhaps the situation would have been better.”

The soldiers felt compelled to “linger,” not knowing whether the situation would have justified the killing of the terrorist, the tour guide said. In Rond’s view, the “lingering” was very costly.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

Elor AzariaJerusalem terrorTruck-rammingVehicular attack