Israeli Soldier Found Guilty in Slaying of Arab in Gaza Strip

A military court convicted an Israeli soldier of killing a Palestinian nearly five months ago in the occupied Gaza Strip, the army said today.

Pvt. Yaakov Tamir, an Ethiopian immigrant, was convicted Monday in the military’s southern district court for the Jan. 10 slaying of Touqan Misbeh, 35, in the Shajaiya neighborhood of Gaza, an army spokesman said.

Tamir is the first Israeli soldier to be convicted of slaying a Palestinian during the nearly 6-month-old uprising in the occupied territories.

At least 187 Palestinians and two Israelis have been killed since the violence began Dec. 9.

A rock thrown at the car Tamir was riding in sparked the incident. Tamir testified that the Palestinian cursed him and his mother as he was being questioned and that the Arab tried to injure him, according to Israeli newspapers.

Tamir said he did not remember what happened but admitted sticking the barrel of his M-16 automatic rifle into Misbeh’s stomach and hearing a gunshot. Prosecutors said Tamir was not in danger and there was doubt the Arab tried to harm him.

In the West Bank today, shops reopened and laborers returned to work after a one-day general strike. Palestinian sources reported at least five people were wounded today in scattered unrest in the occupied territories. The army could not confirm the reports.