Israel's military on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of a video that has spread widely showing a soldier shoot a Palestinian along the Gaza Strip border, but alleged it followed riots and warnings from troops.
It said in a statement that the Palestinian in the video was hit in the leg and wounded. The video was recorded on December 22 in the area of Kissufim near the Gaza Strip, it said.
Israeli right-wing ministers have defended the actions of the soldiers in the video in which rejoicing can also be heard after the shooting.
"Wow. What a video! Yes! That son of a bitch," one of the voices behind the camera says in Hebrew.
סרטון הנטען כי מתעד צלף של צהל בגבול עזה בשישי. בצהל בודקים. pic.twitter.com/I3SetBlC2e
— Or Heller אור הלר (@OrHeller) 9 Nisan 2018
Remarking on the video on Tuesday, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman told reporters the Israeli sniper "deserves a decoration, and the photographer a demerit."
Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett also criticised the storm of negative reactions that has followed the emergence of the video.
Bennett said on social media that he supported the actions of the soldiers shown in the video.
"Israeli soldiers are protecting our lives," Bennet said on his Twitter account. "And we are protecting them. We won't let them down."
"A SINGLE BULLET FIRED"
Palestinians have said the video shows Gazans being shot along the border while posing no threat to soldiers.
"The video depicts a short part of the response to a violent riot, which included rock hurling and attempts to sabotage the security fence, and lasted about two hours," the army said.
"During the riot, means were taken in order to disperse it, including verbal warnings and calls to halt, using riot dispersal means and firing warning shots into the air."
It alleged the warnings were ignored and "a single bullet was fired towards one of the Palestinians who is suspected of organising and leading this incident while he was a few metres from the fence."
According to the army, the video was recorded by a soldier not part of the unit that fired the shot.
"As for the unauthorised filming of an operational event, the distribution of the filmed material and the statements made there, it should be noted that these do not suit the degree of restraint expected of [Israeli] soldiers and will be dealt by commanders accordingly," it said.
