The moment he heard the word "entitled" A. (22), a Border Police soldier, will never forget. Three years ago, he was accused of recklessly killing Iyad al-Halak, a young man with autism who was mistakenly suspected of being a terrorist, and all along insisted that he had acted operationally and professionally and sought contact, in light of the information received from the police that he was an armed victim, and following the cries of a woman coming from where al-Halaq was hiding.
"The night before the verdict, I couldn't sleep," he says in his first interview. "I closed my eyes and didn't fall asleep. The thoughts overwhelmed me, and I wondered what would happen if the outcome wasn't as positive as I wanted. I knew that if I was found guilty, I would continue to fight for my innocence. In the morning I was in a stress bubble and decided to go for a run to release the tension. Then a Border Police team came to escort and secure me and my family toward the Yehudai facility near Jerusalem, because I'm defined as a high-level threat. The whole way I was nervous. The soldiers in the car tried to talk to me, but I wanted peace to myself. From Yehudai, we went to court in Border Police cars. It's maybe a three-minute road, but it was tough and stressful. We entered the courthouse from behind, but I heard the voices of the demonstrators in front of the court. I knew it had something to do with me, and it was terrible."
Iyad's mother holding his picture, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
What did they say?
"They shouted about justice, occupation, the Border Police, and they also called me a murderer."
Did they see you?
"My parents and I entered the hall with a veil on our faces, so they wouldn't recognize us. I sat on the bench and was really shaking. It was out of control. I felt like I had no air in my body. The judge started talking and said she was acquitting me. I burst into tears. My parents too. It was a huge excitement. It was as if a three-year stress had broken down all at once. The security guards immediately took us outside so they wouldn't hurt us. We drove to the base and from there to the Western Wall."
The tragic incident occurred on 30 May 2020 in the Old City of Jerusalem, at the beginning of the COVID-30 period and during Ramadan. Al-Halaq, <>, left his parents' home in East Jerusalem for a centre for young people with disabilities, as he did every day, wearing a surgical mask over his face and black disposable gloves on his hands.
Border Police forces at the scene of the incident, photo: Shlomo Mor
He made his way hiding from time to time, peering in the direction of Jerusalem District police officers who were at the security post, and even making hand gestures that seemed to them as if a gun was pointed at them. After they announced on the radio network that he was a terrorist and asked him in vain to stop, a chase ensued in which the policemen and Border Police soldiers, including A., who was then a month after the end of basic training. Seven bullets were fired at al-Halak, the last of which was fired by A. He is the only one indicted.
The full interview will be published this weekend in the "Shabbat" supplement
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