17-year-old Rakan al-Nusairat was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers Monday evening near Jericho checkpoint. According to eyewitnesses, the boy had a plastic gun in his hand when he was shot.IMEMC is of course not giving all the details:
An IDF reservist force has shot and killed a 17 year-old Palestinian Monday at a checkpoint north of Jericho after he drew a pistol at the soldiers. A preliminary investigation of the incident revealed that the gun was a toy gun made out of metal.Even if the IMEMC account is accurate, how many 17-year olds do you know that still play with toy guns? How many of those would specifically show one off at a military checkpoint?
An IDF investigation revealed that the youth arrived at the checkpoint in a vehicle, walked towards the checkpoint and spoke to the local commander, telling him he wants to travel to the village of Udga. He then turned around and drew the pistol at the soldiers. One of the soldiers shot at him and killed him on the spot. The IDF is reporting that the toy pistol is identical in its shape to a real pistol.
This was a obviously a case of "suicide by cop" where someone does something specifically to get shot and killed. Whether the young man was depressed (Islam prohibits suicide, and being killed by Israelis means "martyrdom" and paradise,) or whether he was conned into his actions by a more cynical terror leader who wants to maximize PalArab "child" casualties, we'll never know. But what is clear is that the IDF acted properly and that the terrorist apologists will use this case as a means of demonizing Israel - and one can be sure they will never mention the entire context.