The Tragic Mistake: Israeli Soldier Shoots and Kills Hero who Stopped Palestinian Attack

Accident – death – Obituary News : Last Thursday morning, a tragic incident occurred in Jerusalem that has sparked a national debate in Israel. Yuval Doron Castleman, a former policeman with a weapons permit, was driving into the city when two Palestinians opened fire on a group of people waiting at a bus stop, killing three. Castleman, displaying immense bravery, jumped out of his car, approached the attackers, and fired at them before they fled.

In the immediate aftermath, the media followed the usual pattern of reporting the attack, the rising death toll, and the claim of responsibility by Hamas. However, there was one crucial piece of information missing: a fourth fatality that did not initially fit into the narrative. This missing detail has ignited a national debate and cast a shadow over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, raising concerns about the widespread distribution of firearms licenses to civilians and the increasing presence of ultra-nationalist settlers in the army.

The fourth victim was Castleman himself. He was shot by an army reservist who had not witnessed the initial attack and mistook Castleman for one of the assailants. Despite being wounded, Castleman tried to communicate that he was not a threat by raising his hands, removing his coat to show he was not wearing an explosive belt, and shouting in Hebrew that he was a Jew and an Israeli. Despite his efforts, the soldier fired again, as captured in a video of the incident. Castleman would have celebrated his 39th birthday the following day.

Although the outcome of the incident is not unprecedented, with several Palestinian attacks ending in the execution of the attacker, this case has garnered significant attention due to Castleman’s heroic actions and his tragic death at the hands of a compatriot. The outrage from Castleman’s family has intensified as more details emerge. His father, Moshe, described his son’s killing as murder, while his sister, Shaked, lamented the fact that they are now fighting for justice instead of being able to mourn.

The soldiers who fired the shots were unable to witness the attack as they took cover on the ground. When they stood up, they started shooting at those they believed to be the attackers. The soldier who killed Castleman has been identified as Aviad Farija, a religious ultranationalist settler known as a “hilltop youth.” This incident has put pressure on the military police, who have interrogated Farija and confiscated his weapon. An investigation, overseen by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, has been initiated and will be shared between the police and the army.

Castleman’s death has reignited the debate surrounding the risks associated with arming civilians. The number of civilian gun licenses has been on the rise in recent years, driven by spikes in violence and changes to the law. The Hamas attacks on October 7, in which hundreds of civilians were targeted while security forces took hours to respond, has further fueled the demand for firearms. Ben-Gvir has relaxed the rules even further and potentially extended permits to an additional 400,000 Israelis, while also promising to distribute 10,000 firearms to settlers.

Netanyahu’s initial reaction to the incident has also caused controversy. He defended Ben-Gvir’s policy, stating that arming civilians may have a “price,” but it ultimately “saves lives.” However, his comments were widely criticized, forcing him to partially rectify his statement. He phoned Castleman’s father the next day and publicly defined the former policeman as a “hero of Israel” whose death would be thoroughly investigated.

The case is not directly linked to the relaxation of rules on opening fire in recent years, as these regulations do not permit shooting at someone with their arms raised. However, the prevailing message from right-wing politicians, who have expressed their reluctance to see attackers arrested, may have influenced the soldiers’ actions. Roy Yellin, director of the outreach department of Israeli human rights NGO B’Tselem, suggests that Farija’s ideological profile and belief in the inferior value of an Arab’s life compared to a Jew’s may have played a role.

The tragic incident involving Castleman has shed light on the potential dangers of arming civilians and the influence of ideological beliefs within the military. It has sparked a national debate in Israel, prompting discussions about the need for stricter regulations and a reassessment of the prevailing attitudes towards the use of force..