Facebook continues to violate Palestinian free speech, this time by shutting down – without warning – Safa Palestinian Press Agency, a major news outlet. This in spite of the great amount of anti-Palestinian incitement on Israeli Facebook accounts, including that of justice minister Ayelet Shaked. This bowing to Israeli pressure does not bode well for other social media (or for Palestinian free speech).
Writer Paul de Rooij has been tracking Amnesty International’s reporting methods, and indicates that AI’s track record is not objective but at times pro-war, anti-Syrian government, and soft on Israel…
As is the case every week in the oPt, Israel has been busily using violence to break up peaceful protests, invading villages and arresting Palestinians (including women and children), disrupting freedom of movement, shooting at fishing boats, and demolishing homes. In other words, it was business as usual.
Jake Tapper’s piece on Israeli psychologists working with children after HS shooting in Parkland FL highlights Israel’s “vast experience with terrorism and war.” As usual, Israel is the innocent victim of Palestinian terrorism.
Palestinians survive such whitewashing by developing a unique coping mechanism, “Sumud.”
The Taylor Force Act will probably become law by the end of the week. Two tragedies will be perpetuated: Palestinians will continue to be seen as terrorists, unworthy of food and shelter; and Israel will continue unabated in spending American money to kill and imprison them.
Elor Azaria took the life of a man who was no threat and received a lenient sentence. His sentence has been reduced to 9 months, though he shows no remorse. (Contrast Ahed Tamimi, who slapped an IDF soldier in full armor, and has just reached a plea bargain that will give her a total prison time of 10 months.)
The village of Hizma is under blockade due to alleged stone-throwing at cars with Israeli license plates. This has impacted services, especially to children, the elderly, and the disabled, and undermined the economy of the village. It may amount to collective punishment, which is illegal according to international law.
Addameer Prisoner Support reports that over 1,300 Palestinians were arrested in the first two months of 2018; 274 of these were children, bringing the total number of Palestinians in Israeli jails to 6,500; 350 of these were children. Among the most pressing issues in the Israeli prison system are torture and strip searches.
Israel’s army has reached a level at which it can do no wrong. The “most moral army in the world,” worshiped and exceptional, is in a place in which anti-Arab racism is so normal that it has become invisible (at least to itself), and this has put the IDF in a very precarious position indeed.
Palestinian officials say Amir Omar Shahada, 19, was shot in the chest and later succumbed to his wounds in a West Bank hospital.
Palestinians say Muhammed Zain al-Jabri, 24, was severely handicapped. Israeli army: He was holding firebomb, soldiers responded to immediate threat.