The Border Police officer who shot and killed Iyad al-Hallak, a Palestinian with special needs, in eastern Jerusalem in 2020 was acquitted of all charges by a Jerusalem district court on Thursday afternoon.

Hallak, a 32-year-old student, was shot dead on his way to school near the Lions’ Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City. In the Border Police’s original statement, it was noted that the officer identified what appeared to be a “suspicious object” in al-Hallak’s hands that they said looked like a gun, and told him to stop in his tracks, after which the man began to flee.

Border Police chased him on foot before firing at him, resulting in the special needs student’s death.

Border Police Commander Amir Cohen hailed the court’s acquittal, stating that they had backed the officer “throughout the entire journey.” Shabtai was Border Police commander at the time of the incident.

Cohen confirmed in a statement that the officer will be reinstated into Border Police, further adding that he approved the officer’s request to join an upcoming commander’s course. More on this story here.