Military inquiries into two incidents in which Arabs were killed two weeks ago have found that the Arab casualties might have been avoided if the forces had taken different tactical actions. The first incident occurred at the village of Arak Burin near Shechem on March 20. It was concluded that entering the village had been unnecessary and the results of the decision to enter it were “severe.” The Military Police's investigation of the incident is ongoing.
The second inquiry dealt with an event at the entrance to Awarta the next day, when a soldier killed an Arab who attacked another soldier with a bottle and another Arab who held a sharp object in his hand, causing the soldier to suspect that he was also about to attack him. It was determined that firing at the first Arab was justified in the circumstances but that firing at the second one was not.