Israeli Style Justice

Written by Desertpeace

Thursday, 24 July 2008 07:16

Take note of the italics in the following and DesertPeace, in red, following them.... (Ben Heine © Cartoons) Israeli shooter sent back to unit An Israeli soldier detained after being filmed opening fire at a bound and blindfolded Palestinian from close range has been released from custody. The soldier was sent back to his unit after lawyers argued he did not pose a danger to anyone, Israeli reports said. Obviously the lawyers do not consider Palestinians to be ‘anyone'. He was shown firing a rubber coated bullet at the detainee's foot as other soldiers stand around watching. The footage was taken by a Palestinian girl living nearby and released Israeli human rights campaigners. Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak condemned the incident saying it was "grave and wrong" and that the military would exact the full extent of the law. Full extent of the law apparently means being returned to active duty so he might kill a Palestinian next time rather than just wounding him. Human rights group B'Tselem released the footage on Sunday. The shooting happened two weeks earlier in Nilin in the West Bank, scene of frequent Palestinian anti-occupation demonstrations. Israeli press reports say the soldier told investigators that his commander had told him to shoot the Palestinian, who has been identified as Ashraf Abu Rahma. Why wasn't the commander ‘investigated' as well? The Israeli army issued a statement calling the incident "grave" and in "direct contradiction" of its values. yet nothing was done about it... Mr Abu Rahma was treated for a bruised toe by army medics and has not filed a complaint with the military. The military would deny receiving such a complaint even if it was filed. They would then proceed to deny it as they have done in other instances. B'Tselem has distributed dozens of cameras to West Bank Palestinians with the aim of recording human rights abuses by the Israeli army and Jewish settlers. Last month, it released footage showing an apparent assault by masked stick-wielding settlers against Palestinian farmers. See the original of this article incuding a video of the incident HERE A report of the incident written by my brilliant Associate, Khalid Amayreh, can be read HERE Desertpeace