Stuff like this happens everyday in the West Bank as peace activists attempt the most dangerous of all types of protest against Israel’s military occupation and colonization of Palestinian lands, in this case, in Ni’ilin.
The nonviolent type.
Ashraf Abu Rahme shot by Israeli army while handcuffed and blindfolded
July 20th, 2008
In video footage released (see below) on the 20th July by B’Tselem, Ashraf Abu Rahme of Bil’in village, can be seen being handcuffed, blindfolded and then shot at close range by the Israeli army.
Ashraf was taking part in a solidarity demonstration attempting to break the siege of Ni’lin when he was detained by the army. While clearly handcuffed and unable to see, an Israeli soldier can be seen shooting Ashraf in the foot with a rubber-coated steel bullet from extremely close range, while another soldier holds him by the arm.
The footage was filmed by a resident of Ni’lin who showed it to international solidarity activists living in Ni’lin on the 19th July. The ISM activists were shocked by the footage and quickly passed it on to B’Tselem who have released it to the local, Israeli and international media. They came upon the video by chance, after paying a social visit to the home of the resident who shot the footage.
Click on the ugliness first hand. It only lasts one minute. It is not the exception. Incidents like this one happen everyday.
Thanks to the International Solidarity Movement for permission to publish today’s atrocity. What will happen tomorrow?
While it is doubtful that this film will ever reach the international or American press, at least we here on left wing blogs can understand what is really happening over there as Israel pursues its military occupation and war against Israeli and Palestinian peace activists.
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(Al Jazeera) July 20, 2008 – According to Michaela, Israeli military regulations stipulate that rubber coated steel bullets are not permitted to be fired within a 40m radius, and officials are advised to aim for the legs only.
However, B’Tselem reported in a press release that the rifle, which appeared to have been modified to fire rubber-coated metal bullets, was aimed at least 1.5m away from his foot.
The video shows a soldier aim and fire his weapon at a Palestinian man's legs“I think the incident wouldn’t have gained media attention had the video not been released and it forced him [Ehud Barak] to react. Otherwise, the incident would have been whitewashed and nobody would have known about it,” Michaela said.
BBC News Video Clip of Incident
● IDF Soldier Arrested for Unlawful Shooting Based on Video
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Oui,
we know these claims are all bullshit. Apparently, it is enough that Israel occupies the territories so long as it does not murder the occupants. Military occupation is apparently okay so long as you don’t shoot and kill the nonviolent activists. If you do, then an apology is required.
Orwell may be dead, but his ideas apparently live on.
Shooter is released.
So who is surprised. At one point during and after the second Intifada, Israeli soldiers were encouraged to take out children aged 12 or older, but of course if you can’t tell, shoot and ask questions later. Before the suicide bombings in 2001, 86 Palestinian children were killed, and among 27 of them evaluated by Weir from If Americans Knew, most were shot in the head. In the first three months of the renewed conflict, 159 Palestinian children lost an eye to rubber bullets from rifles obviously pointed at their heads. One can only imagine the true number of head shots, which would include those that did and did not take out an eye.