Mentally ill Palestinian killed by Israeli officer 'in cold blood'

The family of a mentally ill Palestinian man who was shot dead by Israeli police have accused officers of killing him in "cold blood".

The mother of 33-year-old Muni Anabtawi told Arab48 that she contacted police in Haifa so an ambulance could take him to be treated at a hospital.

When officers arrived he ran at them with a knife and lightly wounded one, according to Israeli police reports.

An officer then shot Anabtawi five times killing him.

"Police killed my son in cold blood instead of helping him. They interrogated me without informing me of the death of my son," Itaf Anabtawi said. "He posed no threat nor had he been violent before"

Israeli police claim they were called to the Wadi Nisnas neighbourhood in Haifa to respond to complaints about a disturbance at the residence.

His mother suggested to Arab 48 his erratic behaviour was due to her not giving him money for cigarettes.

Her sister, Munir’s aunt, told Israel’s Channel 13 that the police were not his target, saying that he wanted "to kill himself with the knife, not the police".

"They have guns. (Why not) shoot him in the leg? Shoot him in the hand."

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Israeli authorities are now investigating the officer involved in the shooting.

Palestinian-Israeli lawmakers have sharply criticised the handling of the incident. MK Ayman Odeh slammed Israel's "aggresive treatment" of its Palestinian citizens and the incident a result of the right-wing government's racist policies.

Israeli forces have been accused of using excessive force against Palestinians, shooting dead those with mental or physical disabilities who could have otherwise easily been restrained.

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