Israeli officer demoted for shooting of bound Palestinian

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

JERUSALEM (AFP) — An Israeli army officer has been demoted but will not face a jail term for ordering that a bound and blindfolded Palestinian be shot with a rubber-coated bullet, military sources said on Wednesday.

They said Lieutenant Colonel Omri Borberg would face the relatively minor charge of "conduct not in conformity with army norms," under an accord struck between his lawyers and the military justice system.

The accord, which has to be approved by the army chief of staff, means the officer will no longer be given a command but will not be formally expelled from the military, the sources said.

The army launched a probe after footage of the incident was released on July 20 by Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, showing a Palestinian demonstrator...