Killing of Eyad al-Hallaq

Incident

On 30 May 2020, Eyad al-Hallaq and his teacher were walking to the Elwyn El Quds center, a facility for people with disabilities, when they reached the Lions' Gate checkpoint. This checkpoint was on his usual route from his home in East Jerusalem's Wadi al-Joz neighborhood to the special-needs center in the Old City, which he had attended since 2014. As he stepped through the gate's arches, Israel Border Police officers grew suspicious when he reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

He did not understand their shouted orders to stop, so he ran and hid in a garbage room. His father later said the teacher tried to explain that Hallaq had a disability and urged the police to check his identification, but the officers kept their distance and opened fire. The Israeli police stated they thought Hallaq was carrying a weapon after seeing an object that resembled a pistol. A local TV station reported that he was chased into a dead-end alley, where a senior officer ordered a cease-fire upon entering.

Another officer allegedly ignored this order and fired around six or seven rounds from an M16 rifle, killing Hallaq. A search after his death found no weapon on him.

Investigation

After the shooting, the officers involved were questioned as per standard procedure. One of them, through his lawyer, expressed condolences to the family on Israeli Army Radio. The officer who kept firing was a new recruit, and his lawyer claimed he believed he was in genuine danger. Halaq’s relatives demanded that all footage of the chase and killing—since the Old City has many security cameras—be used in the investigation and shown to the family.

His parents asked the High Court of Justice to finish the investigation and put the two officers on trial. On October 21, 2020, Israeli prosecutors recommended charging the officer who shot Halaq with manslaughter. The Israel Police Internal Investigations Department looked into the incident. That same month, the Justice Ministry said the shooter would face a reckless manslaughter charge, pending a hearing.

On July 6, 2023, a court acquitted the officer of reckless homicide, accepting his self-defense claim that he thought Halaq was about to attack. Halaq’s parents were shocked and dismayed; his father called the verdict a disgrace, arguing there is one justice system for Jews and another for Arabs. The next day, Halaq’s mother, in tears, confronted a group of Israeli demonstrators, including far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who called her a terrorist.

Aftermath

On June 2, a protest outside Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity condemned police brutality, George Floyd's murder, and Eyad al-Hallaq's death, echoing earlier demonstrations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The hashtag #PalestinianLivesMatter spread on social media, and over a thousand people attended Hallaq's funeral. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that hundreds of mourners chanted "Khaybar Khaybar ya yahud," a reference to a seventh-century battle.

Reactions

Diana, the sister of Eyad al-Hallaq, told reporters she believed the police officer who killed her brother should be jailed but would likely go unpunished because her family is Palestinian. Ayman Odeh, head of the main Arab party in Israel’s parliament, echoed her concerns on Twitter, warning of an “expected cover-up” and stating that justice for Palestinians would only come with their freedom and independence. The day after the killing, Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz addressed the weekly cabinet meeting, expressing the government’s sorrow and sharing the family’s grief while urging a quick investigation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the meeting but made no comment. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described the killing as a “war crime,” and Hamas threatened a new intifada. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights characterized the incident as another example of Israeli security forces routinely using lethal force against Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, emphasizing that only minimal force should be used.

On June 7, 2020, Netanyahu offered his condolences, called the event a “tragedy,” and said he expected a full investigation.