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Israeli Court Acquits Border Police Officer Charged with Killing Autistic Palestinian

Khairy al-Hallaq, the father of Eyad al-Hallaq sits surrounded by pictures of his son in his family home in East Jerusalem, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer
Khairy al-Hallaq, the father of Eyad al-Hallaq sits surrounded by pictures of his son in his family home in East Jerusalem, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer
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Israeli Court Acquits Border Police Officer Charged with Killing Autistic Palestinian

Khairy al-Hallaq, the father of Eyad al-Hallaq sits surrounded by pictures of his son in his family home in East Jerusalem, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer
Khairy al-Hallaq, the father of Eyad al-Hallaq sits surrounded by pictures of his son in his family home in East Jerusalem, July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer

An Israeli court on Thursday acquitted a border police officer who was charged with reckless manslaughter in the deadly shooting of an autistic Palestinian man in Jerusalem’s Old City three years ago.
The Jerusalem district court ruled that the officer was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed 32-year-old Eyad Hallaq. The case has drawn comparisons to the police killing of George Floyd in the United States.
The court described the incident as a tragic mistake, noting that the officer made a split-second decision in a dangerous situation.
Taking risks, the court said, “is an integral part of military activity.”
According to The Associated Press, the court said the officer, whose name has not been made public, was acting in “good faith” when he fatally shot Hallaq, believing him to be an attacker.
Hallaq's family has long criticized Israel's investigation into the killing. After the decision was handed down, Hallaq's mother, Rana, exited the courtroom crying.
She described her son as “simple, calm.”
“Because he was calm they killed him,” she said.
She added that she had great hope in God, “our Lord has another judgment.”
Hallaq, 32, was fatally shot just inside the Old City’s Lion’s Gate on May 30, 2020, as he was on his way to the special-needs institution that he attended.
Police, saying they thought he was a Palestinian attacker, pursued him and called for him to stop. According to accounts at the time, two members of Israel's paramilitary border police then chased him into a garbage room and shot at him as he cowered next to a bin. In total, police fired four bullets, shooting him twice, before he died, according to a court document.
A police investigation found the officer had defied instructions to stop shooting, and had acted in a “reckless” manner, according to a statement released after the verdict by the department's internal investigations unit.
Hallaq's father, Khairy, said he was shocked by the acquittal and vowed to pursue other legal action.
“We spent years in the courts waiting for the decision, but we did not expect this shocking decision,” he said. “We will not allow the murderer to be acquitted.”

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Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
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Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)

As Lebanese authorities proceed with the deportation of Egyptian activist Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, the son of the late cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, to the United Arab Emirates, an Egyptian source involved in the case told Asharq Al-Awsat that Cairo plans to formally request his extradition from Abu Dhabi once he arrives there.

Controversy has surrounded the case since Lebanon announced that the government had approved the deportation of Qaradawi to the UAE instead of Egypt, where he holds citizenship.

Former Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that citizenship is not an obstacle in extradition cases between countries, saying that a state may decide to extradite a person to another country even if they hold the nationality of a third state, as in the case of Qaradawi’s son.

According to Lebanese sources, the decision to extradite Qaradawi to the UAE is based on a warrant issued by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers. As a member of the council, Lebanon is obligated to comply with the UAE’s request, despite the absence of a direct bilateral extradition agreement between the two countries.

Additionally, the extradition decision was influenced by the fact that the charges against Qaradawi are criminal, not political, as political charges would prevent extradition and instead warrant protection under international conventions.

An Egyptian judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the International Cooperation Office of Egypt’s Public Prosecutor had prepared a comprehensive file containing all rulings issued against Qaradawi to ensure that the extradition request met all legal requirements. This file was sent to Lebanese judicial authorities through official channels. However, Egypt has yet to receive a response from Lebanon, though one is expected in the coming days.

Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Mehran, a member of the American and European societies for international law, told Asharq Al-Awsat that international law generally allows extradition when the individual is either a citizen of the requesting state, has committed a crime on its territory, or when the requesting state has a direct legal interest in the case.

As Qaradawi is an Egyptian citizen, Egypt “has the legal right to request his extradition under international law and bilateral agreements, provided all legal conditions are met,” Mehran said.

Meanwhile, Qaradawi’s lawyer, Mohammed Sablouh, confirmed plans to file an urgent appeal in Lebanese courts to prevent his client’s extradition, according to Reuters. Mehran explained that extradition laws grant the individual the right to appeal in court, while the requesting states also have the right to challenge decisions.

Mehran suggested that if Qaradawi is ultimately handed over to the UAE, it is highly likely he will later be extradited to Egypt after procedural requirements in the Emirates are fulfilled. This is due to the strong bilateral relations and close security coordination between Egypt and the UAE.

Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, who holds dual Egyptian and Turkish citizenship, was arrested in Lebanon on December 28 after returning from Syria. His arrest followed an Interpol red notice issued based on an in absentia ruling by an Egyptian court sentencing him to five years in prison for spreading false news, inciting violence, and terrorism. Before his arrest, Qaradawi appeared in a video filmed at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, where he made remarks considered offensive to both Egypt and the UAE.