IDF soldier indicted for firing on Palestinian vehicle, seriously wounding 18-year-old woman

An IDF soldier was indicted on Friday morning on suspicion of his involvement in the shooting at a Palestinian vehicle carrying a couple in the West Bank, seriously wounding an 18-year-old woman.

Following the lifting of a gag order, it was cleared for publication on Friday morning that Pinchas (Hasi) Shem Tov Ran, 37, from Itamar, who serves as a security coordinator in the Gidonim Ridge area, is the security official arrested on suspicion of involvement in a shooting incident in the village of Aqraba in the West Bank.

The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office filed an indictment against him on charges of aggravated assault with intent to cause serious injury and obstruction of justice.

The indictment was filed with the Jerusalem District Court by attorney Shai Etzion of the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office. The prosecution also requested that Ran remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings against him.

According to the indictment, the incident occurred on September 18, after Ran entered the village of Aqraba, which lies outside his area of responsibility, driving an off-road vehicle and accompanied by a career soldier.

Prosecutors allege that military officials had warned Ran several times not to operate outside the boundaries of his assigned area and to adhere to established procedures, particularly the rules of engagement.

While in the village, Ran stopped several passersby and checked their identity cards, allegedly without legal authority to do so. He later noticed a vehicle carrying a couple and called on the driver to stop.

According to the indictment, the driver feared that he would be subjected to violence after realizing that the individuals were not soldiers and that one of the occupants of the off-road vehicle was masked. He therefore ignored the calls to stop and accelerated.

In response, prosecutors allege, Ran drew his weapon and fired at least three shots toward the fleeing vehicle, intending to strike the vehicle and its occupants.

Two of the bullets struck the vehicle and the woman sitting in the passenger seat. One bullet penetrated her lung and lodged near her heart. The young woman was evacuated to a hospital in serious condition, underwent surgery to remove the bullets from her body, and required hospitalization for several days.

The indictment further alleges that Ran returned to the scene after the shooting and searched for spent bullet casings in an effort to obstruct the legal proceedings. Later, when security officials asked whether he had heard about the incident, he denied knowing about it or having been present at the scene.

According to Ran's account, as presented by the Honenu legal aid organization representing him, the shooting occurred after a vehicle without license plates sped toward him and an officer accompanying him in what they perceived as an attempted ramming attack.

Ran maintains that the two men feared for their lives and were forced to jump aside. He then fired into the air in an attempt to make the vehicle stop, but it fled into the village.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Israel Police's Judea and Samaria District Central Unit and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).

On October 11, two members of the security forces were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the incident, in an operation that also involved Border Police officers and investigators from the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division.

During searches, authorities seized the suspects' firearms and a vehicle believed to have been used in the incident. The authorities' statement did not specify what happened to the second suspect.

The Honenu organization, whose attorney Nati Rom represents Ran, provided details about the defendant's military service and family background.

Ran served in the regular military as a combat soldier in the Paratroopers Brigade's 101st Battalion and has served for years as a reservist in Battalion 697 of Brigade 551, the Fire Arrows Formation.

Since the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, he has completed more than 600 days of reserve duty and participated in combat operations in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon.

According to the organization, he continued volunteering for operational missions even during periods when other members of his team were taking breaks from combat. Among other assignments, he assisted forces from the Golani Brigade and the Border Police's undercover unit in the West Bank.

Last month, during Rosh Hashanah, Ran was selected as an outstanding community security coordinator by the commander of the Samaria Brigade. He also received a certificate of appreciation for his service alongside the Border Police's undercover unit in the West Bank.

His younger brother, Or Yosef (Orush) Ran, was killed on October 7, 2023, during the battle for Kibbutz Kfar Aza, after fighting terrorists and helping evacuate residents.

The family has six sons, all of whom served as combat soldiers. Even after his brother was killed, Pinchas continued serving in the reserves and participating in operational missions.

Since his arrest, letters of support and recommendation from officers and commanders who served alongside Ran over the years have been submitted to the court.

Among those who wrote letters was Maj. Dr. Limon Adam, deputy commander of Battalion 697 and former commander of its support company, who described serving alongside Ran during combat operations in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

"Pinchas exemplifies professionalism, seriousness, personal responsibility, and humanity," he wrote.

He added that Ran had fought alongside him throughout the periods of combat and revealed that even when Ran learned of his brother's death in Kfar Aza, he "refused to leave his comrades in the unit."

Lt.-Col. (res.) Tzach Eckstein, former commander of Battalion 697, noted in his letter that Ran continued volunteering for repeated rounds of combat in Lebanon and Gaza, even beyond what was required of him, and asked the court to take his military service into account.

Maj. (res.) Rotem Shaked Aharon, operations officer of the support company, who has known and commanded Ran for 16 years, emphasized his commitment to the mission and his operational experience.

According to Aharon, Ran consistently demonstrated personal responsibility, dedication, and fighting spirit over the years.

First Sergeant (res.) Amit Barak, the battalion's mobility officer, also described Ran's willingness to volunteer for operational missions, including alongside the Golani Reconnaissance Unit in Lebanon and Border Police undercover forces in the West Bank.

He concluded his letter with the words: "I wish everyone could have Pinchas by their side during a combat incident or any other complex situation. He always acted calmly, responsibly, and with sound judgment."

The Israel Police and Shin Bet emphasized that they view incidents of extreme violence with particular severity, especially when they involve unlawful activity and the exceeding of legal authority. They made clear that they would continue working to ensure that those involved are held accountable under the law.