Amnesty urges probe into police killing of Palestinian Bedouin doctor at Al-Aqsa by Israel

Amnesty International on Sunday called for an investigation into the death of a Palestinian Bedouin citizen of Israel who was killed at the Al Aqsa complex. 

Muhammad al-Asibi, a 26-year-old doctor, was killed on Saturday by Israeli police at the entrance to the complex, which is the third holiest site in the Muslim world and of special significance to Palestinians. 

Palestinian mourners take part in the funeral procession of the Palestinian doctor Muhammad al-Osaibi, 26, who was shot dead on Friday night by Israeli forces in Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/ethAvxwUKb

— Ahmed Shameya (@Ahmedwsh95) April 2, 2023

The international watchdog said they “highly doubt the Israeli police's version of the incident" and urged that a new investigation must take place "outside of the Police Internal Investigation Division.”

Police claim they shot al-Asibi in self-defence, but many Palestinian citizens of Israel - such as former Knesset member Talab al-Sanee - claim al-Asibi was killed when he tried to protect a young woman who was being assaulted by Israeli security forces.

The incident does not appear to have been caught on camera, and this aroused Amnesty's suspicion. 

"This is a surprisingly convenient version for the police," said Gil Neve, a spokesperson for Amnesty Israel as quoted by the Jerusalem Post. "When the Israel Police and the Israeli authorities need it, there are no 'dead areas' in east Jerusalem, only dead Palestinians." 

Neve added that the police statements seemed "jagged" and "rehearsed", appearing to contradict each other. 

Amnesty Israel’s programmes department director Dr Yariv Mohar expressed scepticism at the police version of events, and said that the organisation “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."

The Al-Aqsa mosque complex is frequently targeted by Israeli forces and settlers. Extremist Israelis routinely enter the complex to provoke Palestinians and on Sunday night, Israeli forces forcibly expelled worshippers after prayers during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.