UN: Israel probe of Palestinian amputee’s death insufficient

GENEVA – The U.N. human rights office says an internal Israeli military probe that cleared troops of any wrongdoing in the death of a paraplegic Palestinian protester was “insufficient.”

U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein called Tuesday for an independent and impartial investigation.

He said “facts” gathered by his staffers strongly suggest that excessive force was used against 29-year-old Ibrahim Abu Thraya, who used a wheelchair.

Palestinian health officials say Abu Thraya was shot in the head while demonstrating Friday in Gaza amid unrest following President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Israel’s military said no live fire was aimed at Abu Thraya and it was impossible to determine the cause of death.

Rights office spokesman Rupert Colville said the “very quick internal army investigation” was insufficient.