Israel will compensate the family of Omar Abdalmajeed As'ad, the 80-year-old Palestinian man who died after his arrest by IDF forces in January, the Defense ministry said Sunday.
A statement from the Defense ministry read that “both sides agreed that the case filed in court against the state will be dismissed. It was also agreed, due to the nature of the unfortunate incident, that As'ad’s family will receive compensation in the sum of NIS 500,000.”
As'ad’s family denies the reports that it has reached a settlement with the Defense ministry, likely out of fear an agreement with Israel could be seen as an act of betrayal.
The incident occurred on January 12, during a counterterror operation by security forces in the Palestinian town of Jiljilyya, located in the West Bank. IDF soldiers stopped As'ad’s vehicle for inspection, who did not carry an ID and refused his car’s inspection.
A probe by the IDF concluded: “in order to allow operation of the forces, and due to his lack of cooperation, and resistance, he was handcuffed and a piece of cloth was placed on his mouth for a short period,” Asad was then taken to a nearby yard, where three other suspects were brought, and all were released by the forces half an hour later.
According to the investigation, the forces did not detect any distress or other signs of warning about Asad’s health, and believed he was sleeping. They did not attempt to wake him, and left the area. Reports of his death were received hours later.
The IDF said that according to partial data from As'ad’s autopsy report delivered by Palestinian authorities, his death was caused by cardiac arrest.
The investigation found planning and execution of the operation to be lacking, and that “the force was wrong to leave the area while As'ad was seen laying on the ground, without checking his condition.”
A probe Military Police Criminal Investigation Division was launched, following As'ad’s death by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division, during which IDF officers, soldiers and witnesses were investigated.
The IDF Central Command chief Major General Yehuda Fuchs, reprimanded the head of the Netzah Yehuda battalion, a Haredi combat battalion in the IDF which took part in the operation, and ordered the discharge of the battalion’s company and platoon commanders.
“The way in which the force left the man in the field is unethical," Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi said. "There’s no conflict between professionalism and maintaining the IDF’s ethical code,” he said.
“IDF commanders and soldiers have the tools to address these complexities, and I expect each of them to follow through diligently, while maintaining dignity and the IDF’s ethical code,” Kochavi said.