By Palestine Chronicle Staff
Israeli policemen have been cleared over of the shooting dead of an Arab teacher of the Negev village of Umm al-Hiran a year ago.
The public security minister and the police welcomed the decision of the Israeli state’s prosecutor. “There was no reasonable suspicion of criminal offences committed by the policemen involved in the incident,” a statement by the justice ministry said.
Yasmeena, of the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm, tweeted:
“The investigations into the death of Yacoub Abu al-Qian a year ago, in which the occupation police raided the village of Umm al-Hiran to evacuate it and threaten its residents, were closed. The outcome of the thugs’ investigation was “it is impossible to conclude if it was a run-over attempt, and no criminal proceedings will be taken against the police.”
تم إغلاق ملف تحقيق استشهاد يعقوب أبو القيعان قبل سنة أثناء إقتحام شرطة الإحتلال قرية أم الحيران لإخلائها وتهديد الأهالي. نتائج تحقيق السفاحين "من غير الممكن تقرير إذا كانت فعلا عملية دهس، ولن يتم اتخاذ أي إجراءات جنائية ضد الشرطة". https://t.co/w4G9gdonhQ
— ياسَمين (@yasmeena_95) May 1, 2018
Local maths teacher in Umm al-Hiran Yacoub Abu al-Qian was shot dead on January 18, 2017, soon after Israeli authorities raided the village, evacuating its community and demolishing more than a dozen ‘unlicensed’ houses.
The occupation authorities claimed Abu al-Qian deliberately run over a policeman, while eyewitness reports and video evidence attested his car had spun out of control after the police opened fired on him.
Al Jazeera Arabic published a video which it said refutes the internal security minister’s allegation that Abu al-Qian attempted to run over Israeli officers.
هآريتس: فيديو #الجزيرة يثبت افتراء وكذب وزير الأمن الداخلي حول ظروف استشهاد يعقوب أبو القيعان بأم الحيران pic.twitter.com/vaTHJOLYlV
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) February 2, 2017
“The police use of firearms was reasonable in light of their belief that their lives were in danger.” The statement added.
In April, Israeli authorities announced they will demolish nine Arab homes in the village of Umm Al-Hiran in the Negev to prepare for building a Jewish settlement.
Israeli authorities continue to hold body of Yacoub Abu al-Qian, shot dead in Umm al-Hiran on Wednesday https://t.co/HZvfFVct2j
— Ben White (@benabyad) January 22, 2017
According to Arab48, representatives of the village residents went under pressure for weeks, and were eventually forced into signing the deportation orders.
After a long battle in the Israeli courts, the Israeli judiciary recently ruled that the villagers must evacuate their homes between April 15-30 or face forceful eviction.
(PalestineChronicle.com)
