VALLEY OF ELAH — What should have been a joyous celebration following a decisive victory over the Philistines turned to controversy, as the young shepherd boy David was condemned for executing the giant Goliath of Gath without due process.

The incident occurred at the culmination of a tense standoff between the Israelite and Philistine armies, in which the son of Jesse arrived to accept the challenge from Goliath, resulting in him defeating and beheading the giant despite the absence of a fair trial.

"You can't just kill a guy who was threatening to destroy your entire nation," said Hilkiah of Jezreel, a human rights advocate. "We live in a civilization that is ruled by laws. Goliath may have been up to no good, yes, but no one is allowed to just stop him without giving him due process f

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