Doctors Without Borders teams in Gaza report “devastating injuries of an unusual severity” and likely “serious, long-term physical disabilities” for most victims. According to Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s new bullets are “the deadliest” ever; they explode inside the victim’s body, “frequently resulting in death.”
Palestinian journalist Yousef Alhelou’s vivid description of the situation at the Gaza-Israel border brings us up close, where we can see the images and understand the motivations on both sides.
Killing of Palestinians is not new. It has been going on for decades, unabated, uncriticized, and bankrolled by the US. The Leahy Laws enable us to withhold aid to countries that commit human such rights abuses, but in spite of overwhelming proof of abuse by Israel, our politicians refuse to cut off military support.
Reuters, the Associated Press, the New York Times can’t seem to say “Palestinians protest nonviolently; Israeli soldiers kill them.” Headlines from the region consistently misrepresent the situation as two equal sides – or worse, as Palestinian aggressors inciting Israel to return fire. Words matter.
JTA reports that a bill about to be introduced in Congress “will fund Holocaust education in schools.” We wonder if this will fund education about all the holocausts, both past and present, that the world has seen… including the current violence against Palestinians in Gaza…. [UPDATE – bill has been introduced]
How western media cover Gaza: Show a close up of Palestinians’ raised fists and open mouths and angry faces and raised flags – they are threatening, aren’t they?: violent, dangerous, and menacing. Make sure the frame of your camera is quite tight. Don’t ever open the frame to show 100 Israeli sharpshooters nearby firing live ammunition at thousands of defenseless and unarmed civilians protesting the systemic theft of their homeland…
Imagine if Russian or Syrian troops had shot dead almost 30 civilians, and injured thousands, during peaceful protests. Mainstream media headlines and airwaves would be filled with condemnations from senior UK and US politicians and prominent commentators. But not so when it is Israel doing the killing, and the BBC & Guardian provide Israel spin…
World Health Organization reports on casualties in the second weekend of the Great March of Return, in which 8 Palestinians were killed and over 1,300 were injured by Israeli forces. WHO is in desperate need of cash donations, medical supplies, and blood.
Video taken by Israeli soldiers of shooting a Palestinian who is just standing still, then the soldiers laugh about it… Transcript translated into English.
Stealthy and deadly, “Musta’ribeen” are Israeli undercover agents who disguise themselves as Arabs and carry out missions in the heart of Palestinian societies. They have been a threat to Palestinians since before the Jewish State was created. Today they pose a particular challenge as they infiltrate protests and coordinate actions with the Israeli army…