Justice Ministry report reveals private contractors, not police, shot Palestinian would-be stabbers

A Justice Ministry investigation concluded that the police officers on the scene followed protocol, firing warning shots in the air.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: MAY 2, 2016 00:34
A Palestinian woman argues with border policeman near the scene of attempted stabbing attack at a checkpoint in Kalandiya‏ (photo credit: REUTERS)
A Palestinian woman argues with border policeman near the scene of attempted stabbing attack at a checkpoint in Kalandiya‏
(photo credit: REUTERS)
A sister and brother who tried to stab a policeman at the Kalandiya checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem last week were shot and killed by a privately contracted security guard and not officers, a police investigation revealed on Sunday.
The investigators concluded that the police officers on the scene followed protocol, firing warning shots in the air, Channel 10 reported. It was the shots fired by the security guards stationed at the checkpoint that killed the assailants, who were later identified by the Palestinian Authority as Maram Abu Ismail, 23, and her 16-year-old brother, Ibrahim Taha.
A spokesman for the Jerusalem Police said Sunday that now that the Justice Ministry has determined that civilian security personnel were the ones who fired the shots, the police will open an investigation into the incident. He added that the investigation had yet to begin.
Regarding video of the incident, the spokesman said that the video is considered evidence, and they cannot release it before the investigation has begun.
According to police, the pair aroused suspicion when they walked toward soldiers on a road that is designated for vehicles instead of the path designated for pedestrians.
Abu Ismail had her hand hidden in her handbag and Taha had a hand hidden behind his back. Despite warnings from the police, the pair continued to walk toward the security officials, according to police.
The woman pulled a knife out from her bag and threw it at a police officer standing in front of her. Shots were fired and the two would-be stabbers were subdued.
Two additional knives were found on the male terrorist, said police.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.