Israel army to open new probe into judge killing

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — The Israeli army said Monday it is to open a new investigation into the March 10 killing of a Jordanian judge by Israeli soldiers at a West Bank border crossing.

The probe will be carried out in coordination with Jordanian authorities, it said.

“The Israeli army prosecutor’s office has decided to open a new investigation into this incident,” an army spokeswoman told AFP.

“An investigation was carried out immediately after the incident in the form of witnesses being questioned,” the army said in a statement.

“But at the instruction of the political leadership, the military command of the Central Region [covering the West Bank] has decided to open a new probe.”

The shooting death of Judge Raed Zuaiter caused a furore in Jordan, which has a 1994 peace treaty with Israel.

Israeli troops killed Zuaiter, 38, at a border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, claiming he had attacked them and tried to take one of their weapons.

But his family, witnesses and Palestinian rights groups dispute the army’s account, saying he was killed during a row with the soldiers after they insulted him.