An Arab terrorist in Kafr Kanna, located in the Galilee just north of Nazareth, on Saturday night attacked a police car with a knife and tried to stab officers – after succeeding in forcing their way out of the vehicle, the officers shot him dead.

The terrorist, 22-year-old Hir Hamdan, was brought to a hospital but died of his wounds. In response, the Israel-based Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights has called the incident of police defending themselves against an attacker using a lethal weapon as an “execution.”

The confrontation was captured on video, and in the footage an officer is seen opening a door as the knife attacks rain down on the windows. He appears to fire a shot in the air in warning, as police reported doing, and after closing the door again to avoid another knife strike, makes his way out and shoots dead the knife-wielding terrorist.

Police were in Kafr Kanna to arrest a relative of Hamdan who was suspected of throwing a stun grenade during a clash which occurred on the background of family struggles.

Adalah claimed in a statement that “from the video that documents the shooting of the youth Hir Hamdan it can be clearly seen this is an execution for all intents and purposes, as the youth was not a threat to the lives of the officers at the time they shot and killed him.”

Despite the claims that the officers breached protocols by not firing into the air, as noted it appears one of the officers fired in the air when the door was initially opened. In any case, protocols allow soldiers to open fire if there is an immediate threat on their lives, such as the repeated knife attacks perpetrated by Hamdan.

The Arab legal group also claimed there was a “heavy suspicion” the officers shot the terrorist once he was on the ground to confirm his death.

“The officers didn’t settle with killing, they also dragged the youth while he was wounded and bleeding in a humiliating manner, and threw him into the car while he was bleeding as if he was an inanimate object, instead of ordering immediate medical treatment,” Adalah continued.

From the video evidence, the officers can be seen pointing their guns towards the direction the car is facing after Hamdan is shot and on the ground, indicating there likely were other Arab rioters in close proximity, a situation which would have necessitated leaving the area post haste.

Adalah called for a criminal investigation under the supervision of the attorney general against the police officers who were in the car that came under knife attack.

The Arab group was behind an unsuccessful 2012 petition to nullify the “Nakba Law,” which blocks funding for groups claiming the founding of Israel was a “catastrophe.”

Former MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari wrote about the event on Facebook on Sunday, calling for support of the officers for “otherwise the officers will turn into targets for every beginning terrorist, because they will hesitate in eliminating him.”