Israel Returned Palestinian Attacker’s Body in ‘Misunderstanding’

The Israeli army has handed over the body of a Palestinian who was shot dead while attacking Israeli soldiers with an axe. Israeli officials claim the body was returned in a “misunderstanding that will be investigated.”

At Thursday, April 4th, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson reported that Israeli soldiers shot an assailant who had attacked them with an ax near the Palestinian town of Bethlehem. The body of the attacker was subsequently handed over to the Palestinians, despite this procedure being officially banned.

According to local media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon not to return the bodies of Palestinians killed in the West Bank, to prevent funerals escalating into protests.

Israel has faced a wave of violence beginning in early September 2015, killing almost 230 people. Most of the victims are Palestinians, who have been killed following knife, firearm and car attacks on Israelis. Some 30 Israelis and one US citizen are said to have been killed in attacks since October 2015. Thursday's axe attack, in which the soldier was lightly wounded, ended a three-week pause in such incidents.

Israeli Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan supports holding back Palestinian bodies from relatives, saying he wants to avoid funerals turning into political rallies. This policy, however, is noted to increase the resentment of Palestinians.