In a development that reeks of opportunism, Israel arrested a Border Police officer who fired live ammunition at young, unarmed Palestinians protesting on Nakba Day at Beitounya, killing two of them (another post here). The video above from a surveillance camera of a Palestinian shop owner shows the killings, which happened in May 2014, clearly. Defense Minister Bogie Yaalon claimed at the time that the video was staged and that he “knew how the system worked.” To which I would reply: we know how the Israeli system works too. I’m guessing the police have now decided the video wasn’t staged at all and that Yaalon was wrong. Which means he didn’t know “the system” as well as he thought he did.
Today, the Border Police publicly revealed a small portion of a secret report on the incident. Contrary to what the IDF reported at the time, the victims were killed by live amunition, not rubber bullets as was initially claimed. The rest of the report may not be published by Israeli media as its under military censorship. I’m not certain how revealing the full details of the murder of two Palestinians by the Border Police will undermine state security. But that’s a matter only the Good Lord and the censor can understand. We mere mortals have to suffice with the crumbs the censor will offer us.
The story about the police report was typical for Israel. The reporter calls his story ” a dramatic development,” when the report is telling us something any sane person already knew six months ago. Two young victims aren’t killed by rubber bullets. Clearly, they’re killed by live ammunition. The fact that the rest of the report is under wraps is also typical. Everything you really want to know is sealed shut in order to protect the Israeli Stasi. You’ll recall a judge’s secret report on the suicide of Ben Zygier had over half its content sealed under censorship. To this day, we don’t know what she wrote because it would cause huge embarrassment to the prison authorities who negligently allowed him to kill himsef, and to the Mossad which recruited, then arrested and imprisoned him.
Censorship is the fruit of the poisonous tree of the national security state.
I often rail here about the culture of impunity that reigns when it comes to security force’s murder of Palestinians. There is almost never accountability or culpability. It’s interesting that in the midst of a new Intifada claiming the lives of both Jews and Palestinians, that all of a sudden Israel has found a culprit to blame for killing Palestinians. Of course, it’s a good thing Israel has arrested someone for the earlier murders. One hopes the police who murdered Khairuddin Hamdan will be similarly arrested (though please don’t hold your breath).
This arrest should have been made months ago. I expect other arrest will soon follow.
” Censorship is the fruit of the poisonous tree of the national security state.”
I think you’ve mixed your metaphors. The ‘fruit of the poisonous tree’ is a legal metaphor pertaining to illegal evidence.
BTW. I don’t shill for anybody. I search for the truth and no more.
Don’t worry, Richard, I’m sure that the Israeli Police were ordered to arrest the one and only Border Police officer who DIDN’T fire live ammo on that day.
That way they can be certain he will be acquitted of the charge….
@Richard – ” It’s interesting … that all of a sudden Israel has found a culprit to blame for killing Palestinians.”
Haaretz writes that only a month ago (or 4 months after the incident) the Palestinians were willing to provide Israeli police with the bullet. (http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/followup/.premium-1.2483582). I hope that satisfy your curiosity.
@ Ariel: So it’s your claim that the police could only prove the Border Police murdered the boys in cold blood by having the single bullet that the father had? And there were no other pieces of evidence available to them? What, are they totally incompetent? They don’t know how to investigate a crime?
If the family hesitated in offering evidence it’s because they had to preserve it for a European Court of Human Rights case, in case Israel refused to prosecute. I’m virtually certain that the family would only give up the evidence if they were given full assurance of an arrest. And that the state refused that assurance till a month ago.
Waouw, the Israelis tell us the two youngsters were killed by live ammunition, but we’ve known that for months. There’s a video on youtube showing Nadim’s father with the bullet he found in his son’s backpack among his schoolbooks full of blood. and the autopsy in the presence of foreign doctors (Portuguese, Danish, Americans and two Israeli doctors) reveals live fire was used.
– http://972mag.com/beitunia-killings-autospy-reveals-palestinian-teen-shot-by-live-fire/91968/
Too bad the Palestinians were not willing to give Israeli police the bullet in order to advance the investigation. http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/followup/.premium-1.2483820
@Ariel: As another commenter pointed out, the family did return the bullet. But an investigation that depends on only 1 piece of evidence is an incompetent investigation. I suppose given that it’s the Israeli police, that goes without saying. Incompetence comes with the territory.
In fact that other commenter was Ariel himself.
I understand Nadim’s father was reluctant to give the bullet to the Israelis, it might disappear by ‘accident’, just as the Israeli police destroyed ‘by accident’ hours of registered interrogation (and confessions) by one of the main suspects in the agression of a young Palestinian in Zion Square in August 2012.
Let’s see that we got this straight now.
-Israeli Police shoot in pursuit of armed man (as in the knife attack Nov 8)==> Israel guilty of murder [you’ve never —heard of police calling to armed man, “drop the weapon or I’ll shoot”?]
-Israeli police don’t investigate a shooting==> Israel guilty of cover-up
-Israeli police investigate shooting==>Israel guilty of cover-up
-Israeli police ARREST policeman in a shooting episode after an investigation==>Israel guilty of cover-up and censorship
-Palestinian stabs to death or runs over Israeli civilian standing a a bus stop==> a natural reaction, chickens coming to roost, a normal reaction to the Israeli Nazi regime.
We got it now. I think we see a pattern. We understand now.
I’ve never seen such tendentious, hypocritical reporting and intellectual dishonesty as in your blog. What a disgrace!
“Promoting Israeli democracy”? That’s your stated purpose? By USSR style reporting? What a joke!
“Exposing the security state”? What universe do you live in?
@Jeff
The Nakba Day shootings happened in May, and only in November is there an arrest. The shooting was video taped for Chrissakes. The delay only gives the extremists fodder, and who needs that?
What is shocking is that the IDF keeps killing Palestinians ( young and old ) with impunity, detains children who face MILITARY courts and the international community barely notices it or if some in the International community do, their voices are not allowed to be heard.
Rupa: Let’s imagine for the moment that the unrest and killing stopped.
Would you then be satisfied, or, as a Muslim, are you still affronted and aggrieved that the Jews, and not Muslims, control Israel/Palestine? If you are a Muslim, are you not insulted and humiliated by Jews who have power?
Are the few deaths in Palestine/Israel what really bothers you? Are the tens of thousands of Muslims being slaughtered by other Muslim throughout the Middle East NOT shocking to you?
Answer honestly.
@ jeff: I find it offensive & typically hasbarist for you to assume that someone with a foreign sounding name who supports human rights is a “Muslim.” I expect an apology to Rupa, who is NOT Muslim. And I expect you to stop making obnoxious assumptions such as this which reveal your own prejudices.
I warn you that I find this comment offensive, Islamophobic and you WILL be moderated if you pull this crap again.
Hey Jeff. Your own bias and bigotry are showing in your line of questions.
According to your position (as I understand it), Muslim (and Christian) Palestinians should be so grateful that Isreali Jews are no longer slaughtering them in huge numbers, that they should reasonably be expected to allow the rest of the oppression (inside Israel) and occupation to continue.
If you remove your blinders, just for a few seconds, you will realize that the “affront, humiliation and insults” felt by Muslims (and Christians) in Israel and the OT, are NOT because Jews run the country, but because Jews continue to humliate, insult, dispossess and kill, Arabs at will and with impunity.
Finally, yes, the tens of thousands of deaths of Muslims BY Muslims are indeed shocking, as are the two MILLION deaths of Muslims (since 1991) at the hands of the US, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Liya and God only knows, where else, are also shocking. However, your bringing them up is a diversion and distraction of the main point of the discussion. Besides, don’t you think it is rather silly (and lame) to bring up worse behavior in order to show that your own behavior is not all that bad?
To use your own terms: Answer honestly.
@Jeff
Sorry but you are assuming too much for me to respond…….. or should I say, you are being presumptuous by stating I am a Muslim……
Rupa: no matter. I refer to a core question.
There are many people, including many commenters here, who are angered and offended at uppety, empowered Jews who aggressively defend, by force, a Jewish regime, the one and only.
Yet, these same people seem to have no such moral outrage when similar actions happen, often far worse and more brutal, elsewhere in the world. Similarly, the Palestinians are given a free pass for whatever they do.
This is not legitimate criticism of Israel.
We have a name for this phenomenon: antisemitism, or bigotry. Pick your poison.
@ Jeff: Shreying anti Semitism unjustifiably is offensive.
That’s it. You’re now officially moderated. I will approve comments that adhere to the rules. Those which don’t will not only not be published, but may lead to losing your comment privileges.
“Free pass” eh?
What would you call the glorification given to the Jewish “Freedom Fighters” such a Begin, Sharon and perhaps a million other Jews who were also “far worse and brutal”?
Genocidal, bigotted, murderous. “Pick YOUR poison”.
[comment deleted: this sort of bullshit comment will get you banned here. Try it again & see if it doesn’t happen.]
[comment deleted: Everyone knows that the word “Muslim” is pejorative for people like you & you used the term in describing Rupa in a pejorative context. Though Rupa is far too polite a person to complain, I’m certain he was offended if not by the term, then by the way you wielded it against him.
I told you to apologize & YOu’ve refused. As a result, you will not have another comment published here till you do. If you wish to apologize to him privately I will give you his e mail (if he permits) if you write to me.]
I certainly won’t be lectured on politeness by you who regularly insult those with opposing views in the comments, and Israelis in general in your blog. But I’ll make you a deal. I’ll apologize to Mr. Shah, if you apologize to us Israelis who you have regularly insulted as liars, racists, Islamophobes, hasbarists, murderers, perpetrators of pogroms, idiots and whatever other pejorative terms you like to use.
If not, I’ll consider myself to be banned.
In fact, I think its an honor to be banned by you. I think I’ll brag about it on Facebook.
So you can continue to rant pointlessly about how horrible Israel is, while pretending to be a champion of peace, democracy and human rights.
I don’t do bargains with the Zio-devil.
I’m happy to oblige.