Israeli soldiers shoot dead elderly shepherd

Irish Sun
Nov. 01, 2008

A 68-year old shepherd was shot in the back by Israeli troops Wednesday.

Both the Israeli army and the Palestinian Authority security forces have confirmed the man was killed in a shooting incident in the village of Al-Yamoun, near Jenin in the West Bank.

The farmer was identified as Mohammed Abari, who supports a family of fourteen. Abahereh's son, Taher, who was assisting him herd sheep just before dawn, said their farm had been raided by rustlers in the past.

"He was locking the gate and he heard something around us. He thought that it was thieves, so he went out with his shotgun and was shot immediately," Taher said.

The son told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz he had not seen the shooting but had heard the gunfire. "My father has never used his gun," he said, accusing the soldiers of leaving his father to bleed to death and stopping an ambulance from reaching the area quickly.

An Israeli army spokesman said troops on patrol in the area shot the man after he opened fire at them.

According to Haaretz, the official Voice of Palestine radio reported that soldiers entered the village and surprised Abahri, who emerged from his house to check on a commotion he heard outside.

The radio said Abahreh was shot in the back and left to bleed for two hours until the soldiers ended their patrol and allowed a Palestinian ambulance to pick him up.

An Israeli army spokesman rejected the accusation, saying, "The troops did not prevent the evacuation and even guided the Red Crescent ambulance to the area so that it could get there as soon as possible."

Palestine Radio said Abahreh's son, Warrad, was also killed by Israeli soldiers three years ago.