© International Solidarity Movement Imad Abushamsiya, videographer
"When I heard the last gunshot, which, as it turned out, hit Abdel Fattah Al-Sharif in the head - I got scared. But I thought it was very important to spread this video in the media. I handed it over to rights groups, including the B'Tselem organization," Imad Abushamsiya told RT. "But from that day on now my family and I are living in constant fear - we have received numerous threats from Israeli nationalists," he added, stating that through social media he now constantly receives pictures with phrases like "I will kill you whatever it takes. I have received calls on my mobile and messages on Facebook, in which I was threatened and told to leave the district," Imad, who lives with his family in the West Bank city of Hebron, said.
The activist filmed the gruesome video of the fatal incident, which took place outside his home in Hebron on March 24, 2016. Imad heard gunshots and went outside to witness the aftermath of what appeared to be a stabbing attack on an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier.
In the video the alleged attacker, Palestinian Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, who had already been incapacitated, lies wounded on the road while an injured soldier is taken away by ambulance. The footage shows al-Sharif moving his head from side to side as soldiers, medics and settlers crowd around, making no attempt to help. Then a soldier, later identified as 19-year-old Elor Azaria, approaches al-Sharif, shouts "Stand back!" and shoots the teenager in the head at close range.
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Comment: Imad Abushamsiya is being persecuted in order to send a message to the public. Ignore what you see, forget what transpires, and never, ever report it to the media. If you do, there will be hell to pay or worse. This incident and the subsequent video helped solidify a segment of Israelis into demonizing, threatening vigilantes.
Netanyahu wants Azaria pardoned for at least two reasons: 1) Winning public points by protecting his own, and 2) By letting Azaria off the hook, it will enrage more Palestinians to act out and therefore justify more eliminations. In addition, Israel wants complete immunity for IDF soldiers, no matter what they do, no matter who they kill, no matter the circumstances. See below: