Amnesty Israel calls for independent probe of Bedouin man's death on Temple Mount

Amnesty International Israel called on Sunday for an independent investigation without police involvement into the death of Arab-Israeli Bedouin Muhammad al-Osaibi, who was killed at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City.

The organization stated that they "highly doubt the Israeli police's version of the incident" and that the investigation must take place "outside of the Police Internal Investigation Division."

The organization notes their distrust of the agency by citing an investigation led by the Israeli Civil Rights Association two years prior, which states that "30% of complaints are closed after an insufficient 'initial examination.'" 

Police claim that they shot Osaibi in self-defense after he began acting violently toward them. Osaibi's DNA traces were also found on the firearm belonging to the policeman who killed him.

A lack of footage

However, Amnesty Israel states that it's unusual that the incident was not caught on camera, as "the area is networked with security cameras and police officers have body cams, but according to police, the incident happened in a 'dead zone.'"

"This is a surprisingly convenient version for the police," said Gil Neve, spokesman for Amnesty Israel. "When the Israel Police and the Israeli authorities need it, there are no 'dead areas' in east Jerusalem, only dead Palestinians." Neve also stated that the statements Israel Police make in the media "seem to contradict each other on a number of points.

"They also sound jagged, rehearsed and very intellectual, including the use of the term 'terrorist' dozens of times," Neve continued.

The director of Amnesty International Israel's programs department, Dr. Yariv Mohar said that the organization "calls on all relevant parties not to accept the police's position as it is, but to demand an independent and comprehensive investigation to examine the serious event."