10 apr 2018
Let's face it. If being a 'central inciter' is grounds for capital punishment, Netanyahu and his cabinet would have to hold their weekly meetings on Death Row.
People who hate Israel will tell you that all you need to know about the country is embodied in a newly viral video clip. The clip shows an IDF sniper taking aim at and shooting a Palestinian - apparently unarmed, standing stock-still on the Gaza side of the border fence – to the raucous congratulations of the marksman's comrades.
I'm a person who loves Israel, and I'm telling you the same thing.
Here's a sample: Soon after the army realized to its horror that the clip had been posted to social media and was then shown on nationwide news broadcasts, the IDF spokesman's office tweeted the following:
"Regarding the short video showing the soldiers on the Gaza Strip border – this appears to be an incident which took place several months ago. The incident will be investigated and examined in a thorough manner."
Excuse me?
Either the army is saying that months have gone by and the incident has not been investigated, or it's saying that it was investigated but in a slipshod manner. Or the army is saying that the shooting never merited investigation at all, until it ignited social media and took embarrassing center stage on the evening news.
In practice – and anyone who's been in the army knows this – if no one is caught on film, the chance of a thoroughgoing investigation of a shooting of this sort is slim to none.
But let's go on. At the heart of the issue here, and, especially, in the high casualty figures among unarmed demonstrators in mass protests last week and the week before on the Gaza border, is not the soldiers themselves, nor even their commanding officers.
The crux of the matter is Israel's political leadership, the ones who set the tone, hand down the orders, decide on the rules of engagement, and who share – at the same time that they deny – responsibility along with Gaza's Hamas rulers, for the horrors that pass for daily life in the Strip.
These are the leaders – in particular Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister Avigdor Lieberman – who did everything in their power to undermine the army and its rules of engagement by glorifying and embracing army medic Elor Azaria, court martialed after he was filmed killing an incapacitated terrorist in Hebron two years ago.
These are the leaders who have turned aside the IDF's pleas to ease the plight of Gazans. These are the leaders who drag their feet on measures like spurring foreign governments, under supervision, to help rehabilitate Gaza's war-ravaged infrastructure, housing, electricity, and sewage, and allowing more Gazans to cross over to work in Israel.
This is the defense minister who - after IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot warned the cabinet in February that Gaza was on the verge of collapse and confrontation due to the worsening living conditions there – declared that "there's no humanitarian crisis" in the Strip, and that " as for rehabilitation, it can only be on one condition – demilitarization [of Gaza]."
And this is the same Defense Minister Lieberman who last week sneeringly cast doubt on whether veteran Palestinian press photographer Yaser Murtaja, shot and killed on Saturday while wearing a vest clearly marked "PRESS," was in fact a photographer at all.
In a statement later contradicted by the army, Lieberman accused Murtaja of having used a drone, saying “I don’t know who he is, a photographer, not a photographer – whoever operates drones above IDF soldiers needs to understand that he is endangering himself."
This is the same Netanyahu administration which - before knowing what actually happened – lined up this week to defend the soldiers who were seen on video whooping it up after shooting a Palestinian.
Conclusion: Gaza killings? Don't believe a word Israel tells you.
Much later, when army brass announced they had conducted a preliminary investigation, they said that the celebrating soldiers were unconnected to the sniper, that they should be disciplined, and that the marksman had acted according to long-established procedures of providing adequate warning to leave the area, having only then taken care to shoot the Gazan in the leg and not in the upper body or head.
“The sniper deserves a medal, the photographer (the soldier who recorded the clip) deserves a court martial,” Lieberman said. "The IDF is the most moral army in the world."
This is the same Netanyahu administration whose house newspaper, Yisrael Hayom, hints darkly, and with zero basis, of foreign and subversive Israeli influences on the Gaza demonstrations. Wrote columnist Amnon Lord on Monday:
"The question is: What are the Israeli Left, the New Israel Fund and Haaretz doing behind the Shiite barricades?"
This is the same Netanyahu administration which has been warned repeatedly and for years that the army lacks adequate non-lethal means for riot control and has insufficient barriers to marchers seeking to cross into Israel. This is the administration which preferred to invest its energies elsewhere.
This is the same Netanyahu administration who decided on the far-reaching opening-fire orders for the current demonstrations.
The orders for use of live ammunition included not only "physical harm to infrastructure on the security fence, and penetration into the territory of the state of Israel," but also identification of the potential target as a "central inciter" – armed or not.
Let's face it. If being a "central inciter" is grounds for capital punishment, Netanyahu and his cabinet would have to hold their weekly meetings on Death Row.
"At this point we know how to identify Palestinians by their faces," an officer in a Gaza Division field reconnaissance tower unit told Ynet this week.
"To know in advance which person is okay and is not coming to do harm like one who is carrying a flag or a sign; someone who is, in fact, a shepherd; where there is a group of children; and who is a terrorist."
Nonetheless, by using sophisticated technology to identify unarmed "central inciters" in demonstrations, Israel is compelling its soldiers to act not in self-defense but as assassins.
This is the same Netanyahu administration who, as the Gaza demonstrations continue, has worked desperately this month – this month of the Passover festival of freedom and the Yom Hashoa Holocaust Remembrance Day – to do everything it can to throw African asylum seekers out of the country and dump them someplace they are not wanted and may be endangered.
For all kinds of reasons he may not have intended, the former chief of the Shin Bet, Carmi Gillon, was right in suggesting that when the prime minister forces his way next week into speaking at the opening ceremony of Israel's 70th Independence Day, Israelis should shut off their television for the duration of the speech.
But that's next week. This week Netanyahu will be speaking everywhere he can about the lessons of the Holocaust.
Turn him off this week, too. You won't be missing a thing.
People who hate Israel will tell you that all you need to know about the country is embodied in a newly viral video clip. The clip shows an IDF sniper taking aim at and shooting a Palestinian - apparently unarmed, standing stock-still on the Gaza side of the border fence – to the raucous congratulations of the marksman's comrades.
I'm a person who loves Israel, and I'm telling you the same thing.
Here's a sample: Soon after the army realized to its horror that the clip had been posted to social media and was then shown on nationwide news broadcasts, the IDF spokesman's office tweeted the following:
"Regarding the short video showing the soldiers on the Gaza Strip border – this appears to be an incident which took place several months ago. The incident will be investigated and examined in a thorough manner."
Excuse me?
Either the army is saying that months have gone by and the incident has not been investigated, or it's saying that it was investigated but in a slipshod manner. Or the army is saying that the shooting never merited investigation at all, until it ignited social media and took embarrassing center stage on the evening news.
In practice – and anyone who's been in the army knows this – if no one is caught on film, the chance of a thoroughgoing investigation of a shooting of this sort is slim to none.
But let's go on. At the heart of the issue here, and, especially, in the high casualty figures among unarmed demonstrators in mass protests last week and the week before on the Gaza border, is not the soldiers themselves, nor even their commanding officers.
The crux of the matter is Israel's political leadership, the ones who set the tone, hand down the orders, decide on the rules of engagement, and who share – at the same time that they deny – responsibility along with Gaza's Hamas rulers, for the horrors that pass for daily life in the Strip.
These are the leaders – in particular Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister Avigdor Lieberman – who did everything in their power to undermine the army and its rules of engagement by glorifying and embracing army medic Elor Azaria, court martialed after he was filmed killing an incapacitated terrorist in Hebron two years ago.
These are the leaders who have turned aside the IDF's pleas to ease the plight of Gazans. These are the leaders who drag their feet on measures like spurring foreign governments, under supervision, to help rehabilitate Gaza's war-ravaged infrastructure, housing, electricity, and sewage, and allowing more Gazans to cross over to work in Israel.
This is the defense minister who - after IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot warned the cabinet in February that Gaza was on the verge of collapse and confrontation due to the worsening living conditions there – declared that "there's no humanitarian crisis" in the Strip, and that " as for rehabilitation, it can only be on one condition – demilitarization [of Gaza]."
And this is the same Defense Minister Lieberman who last week sneeringly cast doubt on whether veteran Palestinian press photographer Yaser Murtaja, shot and killed on Saturday while wearing a vest clearly marked "PRESS," was in fact a photographer at all.
In a statement later contradicted by the army, Lieberman accused Murtaja of having used a drone, saying “I don’t know who he is, a photographer, not a photographer – whoever operates drones above IDF soldiers needs to understand that he is endangering himself."
This is the same Netanyahu administration which - before knowing what actually happened – lined up this week to defend the soldiers who were seen on video whooping it up after shooting a Palestinian.
Conclusion: Gaza killings? Don't believe a word Israel tells you.
Much later, when army brass announced they had conducted a preliminary investigation, they said that the celebrating soldiers were unconnected to the sniper, that they should be disciplined, and that the marksman had acted according to long-established procedures of providing adequate warning to leave the area, having only then taken care to shoot the Gazan in the leg and not in the upper body or head.
“The sniper deserves a medal, the photographer (the soldier who recorded the clip) deserves a court martial,” Lieberman said. "The IDF is the most moral army in the world."
This is the same Netanyahu administration whose house newspaper, Yisrael Hayom, hints darkly, and with zero basis, of foreign and subversive Israeli influences on the Gaza demonstrations. Wrote columnist Amnon Lord on Monday:
"The question is: What are the Israeli Left, the New Israel Fund and Haaretz doing behind the Shiite barricades?"
This is the same Netanyahu administration which has been warned repeatedly and for years that the army lacks adequate non-lethal means for riot control and has insufficient barriers to marchers seeking to cross into Israel. This is the administration which preferred to invest its energies elsewhere.
This is the same Netanyahu administration who decided on the far-reaching opening-fire orders for the current demonstrations.
The orders for use of live ammunition included not only "physical harm to infrastructure on the security fence, and penetration into the territory of the state of Israel," but also identification of the potential target as a "central inciter" – armed or not.
Let's face it. If being a "central inciter" is grounds for capital punishment, Netanyahu and his cabinet would have to hold their weekly meetings on Death Row.
"At this point we know how to identify Palestinians by their faces," an officer in a Gaza Division field reconnaissance tower unit told Ynet this week.
"To know in advance which person is okay and is not coming to do harm like one who is carrying a flag or a sign; someone who is, in fact, a shepherd; where there is a group of children; and who is a terrorist."
Nonetheless, by using sophisticated technology to identify unarmed "central inciters" in demonstrations, Israel is compelling its soldiers to act not in self-defense but as assassins.
This is the same Netanyahu administration who, as the Gaza demonstrations continue, has worked desperately this month – this month of the Passover festival of freedom and the Yom Hashoa Holocaust Remembrance Day – to do everything it can to throw African asylum seekers out of the country and dump them someplace they are not wanted and may be endangered.
For all kinds of reasons he may not have intended, the former chief of the Shin Bet, Carmi Gillon, was right in suggesting that when the prime minister forces his way next week into speaking at the opening ceremony of Israel's 70th Independence Day, Israelis should shut off their television for the duration of the speech.
But that's next week. This week Netanyahu will be speaking everywhere he can about the lessons of the Holocaust.
Turn him off this week, too. You won't be missing a thing.
Cameraman who filmed shooting of Palestinian near border questioned, will most likely face punishment, with other soldiers involved also providing their account; footage showed only 'small portion of protracted riot', multiple measures deployed before firing, IDF says; Bennett: 'Prefer whopping soldier to grieving father'; Defense Minister Lieberman: 'IDF is world's most moral army.'
Offering a more detailed account Tuesday of its inquiry into a video of a sniper shooting a Palestinian while soldiers cheered on in the background, the IDF said that the incident "took place in the afternoon hours of Friday, December 22, 2017, during violent riots in the vicinity of Kissufim.
"The video showed only a small portion of (the forces') handling of a protracted violent riot, which included stone throwing and attempts to sabotage the fence, and which lasted some two hours."
The army's statement continued, "Multiple measures were taken to disperse rioters throughout, including using public address to order them to stop, deploying crowd control measures and firing into the air.
"Once these steps proved inefficient, a single bullet was fired at one of the suspects of organizing and spearheading the protest while he was meters away from the fence. As a result, he was struck in the leg and subsequently wounded.
"The video was not filmed from the exact position from which the fire emanated, and was shot by a soldier who is not an organic part of the force that fired. After completion of the full operational inquiry by the relevant chain of command, its findings will be submitted, as is the norm, for inspection by the Military Advocate General.
"Regarding the unauthorized filming of an operations, the dissemination of said materials and expressions contained therein, it should be noted these actions and statements are not congruent with the spirit and degree of restraint expected of IDF soldiers."
Soldiers involved with the video, in which some servicemen were heard enthusiastically lauding the sniper whose shot took down a Palestinian several months ago in the Gaza Strip, have been questioned by their commanders since the video was made public Monday and have provided an initial account.
Bayit Yehudi Chairman Naftali Bennett commented in a Ynet studio interview Tuesday on the footage, saying, "I prefer a whooping soldier to a grieving father."
The Bayit Yehudi chief said regarding the video, most likely taken three months ago, that, "First of all, I'm throwing my support behind the IDF's soldiers. I will not be dragged into a festival of denunciations when people don't know what went on, when it happened and what the circumstances were."
"Since when do we judge soldiers by the elegance of their speech? I prefer a whooping soldier to a grieving father," he stated.
The minister continued, "You can hear jubilant calls of 'Yes' in the air force's headquarters after a successful mission, even if enemy soldiers were killed. Because they succeeded in their mission.
"We send IDF soldiers to defend our borders from the thousands of terrorists who want to come in and slaughter us, and we mustn't get lost in the bigger picture. Right now, I'm placing my trust with commanders. They will carry out an inquiry, and I won't have that soldier judged in the media's court."
Responding to being asked whether the video could nonetheless still damage Israel, Bennett said, "It needs to be examined and understood. I still have not gotten a sense of who the figure was and what he was trying to do. Whether he held an explosive charge or not.
"I'm not judging soldiers for their table manners, but want them to safeguard us, and would prefer offensive-minded soldiers preventing terrorists from entering Israel over soldiers too scared to act for fear of being trialed in court."
Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan said during a Ynet studio interview Tuesday, "On a general level, I believe in IDF soldiers' purity of arms and ethics, and my policy is therefore to always afford them support, certainly to soldiers on the field."
"I think we have forgotten that the situation is one in which that if someone crosses the fence, with a run of a minute or two they'll already be in the Israeli communities around Gaza. I refuse to be taken aback by partial footage. If you're insisting on drawing conclusions, by the way, this shooting seems to have been highly focused," Erdan said.
On the expressions of jubilation heard in the video, Erdan said, "I think this discourse is hypocritical. I don't think you can judge soldiers who are risking their lives and are under a great deal of stress, several meters away from Hamas terrorists, and it's really not serious to judge these responses when we're sitting in some room watching partial videos."
"If people are truly appalled, they should direct their energies towards being appalled by what's been going on in Syria and exert pressure on the United States and Western states to act militarily and raise this issue publicly," the minister advised.
'Palestinians stayed in forbidden area'
An officer who served in one of the Gaza Division's field units over the past year and has attained knowledge of the complex operational realities engendered by border protests told Ynet, "The entire picture is still unclear, and the conduct of the soldier shooting the video and the response from his comrade should be separated from the conduct of the unit itself."
"Before shooting at the feet of a main instigator (of riots), he must be warned by either PA announcement or by firing into the air. That may have been done but was not shown in the video," he added.
"A central instigator," he continued, "does not necessarily have to be armed or trying to cut or climb over the fence. A central instigator is the riot's driving force, leading the other protesters towards the fence and not heeding our forces' warnings."
"Even in the 90 second video, you can see the post's commander exercised judgment on the field and gave a reasonable authorization to fire. It can also be seen that the force aimed at the lower portion of the Palestinian's foot—since directions are to shoot at the ankle rather than the knee to prevent a fatal outcome. Palestinians have undoubtedly been within the zone of the perimeter, the strip of land where they are not allowed to be in," he explained.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman echoed the officer's comments Tuesday, saying, "The sniper deserves promotion, whereas the cameraman deservers demotion. There has to be a clear equation. IDF is the world's most moral army, but when you're on the frontlines and under considerable stress, sometimes aggressions are let loose. That's understandable. At the end of the day, the army, snipers and soldiers—they're the best of us, and the IDF is the most moral army."
An initial inquiry into the matter by the IDF Tuesday morning showed the force—which ambushed a group of Palestinians protesters—stayed relatively far from the border fence, at a distance of several dozen meters, but still well within effective range for a precise hit.
Other forces were active in the vicinity as well, however, and it remains possible the Palestinian was hit by fire from one of the other soldiers.
The soldier who filmed the incident—thereby sparking the controversy in the first place—was questioned by his commanders as well and army officials' estimates said he will be punished at least for breaking strict orders to never film during operational activity.
To achieve that end, the army has forbidden soldiers operating on the Gaza frontier over the past few weeks to bring their cellular phones with them when they carry out operations against rioters.
The IDF has yet to announce whether a Criminal Investigation Division (CID) inquiry into the matter will be launched. The General Staff's inquiry apparatus, which began operating his week, is expected to prevent—at least for the time being—the opening of any CID investigations regarding the incidents taking place opposite the Gaza border recently.
Only after the General Staff's review is completed and on the basis of its findings will it be determined whether any criminal action is warranted.
IDF: Incident to be questioned thoroughly
Since the aforementioned incident took place before Hamas's "March of Return" campaign, and may be excluded from the General Staff's review and be examined more rapidly by CID.
The army's rules of engagement are determined by the Operations Directorate, but may be made harsher depending on the specific sector in which forces operate, or tailored to the specifications of current intelligence warnings or developing threats.
The video, which was filmed through the lenses of a rifle's sights or binoculars, shows several Palestinians close to the border fence.
A commander is heard instructing the sniper, telling him "When he comes out, you get him. Do you have a bullet in the barrel? Are you on him?" After the sniper responds in the affirmative, the commander tells him "Go."
The sniper tells the commander that he cannot shoot, because the barbed-wire near the fence was in the way.
Several moments later, the commander speaks again, this time telling the sniper to hold fire after he spots a child.
Later two snipers are heard discussing who was on which Palestinian, following which a single shot is heard and one Palestinian is seen falling to the ground, with dozens of others immediately converging on him.
"Wow, what a video! YES! Son of a b****," one of the soldiers is heard exclaiming. Another is heard commenting that "Someone was hit in the head."
An initial analysis of the footage a soldier not firing but present nearby was filming using a telescopic lens.
The IDF said the clip might have been filmed months ago.
In an initial tweeted statement, the IDF said, "With regard to the video of the soldiers at the Gaza Strip border – it was probably an event that occurred a number of months ago. The event will be investigated and examined thoroughly."
Offering a more detailed account Tuesday of its inquiry into a video of a sniper shooting a Palestinian while soldiers cheered on in the background, the IDF said that the incident "took place in the afternoon hours of Friday, December 22, 2017, during violent riots in the vicinity of Kissufim.
"The video showed only a small portion of (the forces') handling of a protracted violent riot, which included stone throwing and attempts to sabotage the fence, and which lasted some two hours."
The army's statement continued, "Multiple measures were taken to disperse rioters throughout, including using public address to order them to stop, deploying crowd control measures and firing into the air.
"Once these steps proved inefficient, a single bullet was fired at one of the suspects of organizing and spearheading the protest while he was meters away from the fence. As a result, he was struck in the leg and subsequently wounded.
"The video was not filmed from the exact position from which the fire emanated, and was shot by a soldier who is not an organic part of the force that fired. After completion of the full operational inquiry by the relevant chain of command, its findings will be submitted, as is the norm, for inspection by the Military Advocate General.
"Regarding the unauthorized filming of an operations, the dissemination of said materials and expressions contained therein, it should be noted these actions and statements are not congruent with the spirit and degree of restraint expected of IDF soldiers."
Soldiers involved with the video, in which some servicemen were heard enthusiastically lauding the sniper whose shot took down a Palestinian several months ago in the Gaza Strip, have been questioned by their commanders since the video was made public Monday and have provided an initial account.
Bayit Yehudi Chairman Naftali Bennett commented in a Ynet studio interview Tuesday on the footage, saying, "I prefer a whooping soldier to a grieving father."
The Bayit Yehudi chief said regarding the video, most likely taken three months ago, that, "First of all, I'm throwing my support behind the IDF's soldiers. I will not be dragged into a festival of denunciations when people don't know what went on, when it happened and what the circumstances were."
"Since when do we judge soldiers by the elegance of their speech? I prefer a whooping soldier to a grieving father," he stated.
The minister continued, "You can hear jubilant calls of 'Yes' in the air force's headquarters after a successful mission, even if enemy soldiers were killed. Because they succeeded in their mission.
"We send IDF soldiers to defend our borders from the thousands of terrorists who want to come in and slaughter us, and we mustn't get lost in the bigger picture. Right now, I'm placing my trust with commanders. They will carry out an inquiry, and I won't have that soldier judged in the media's court."
Responding to being asked whether the video could nonetheless still damage Israel, Bennett said, "It needs to be examined and understood. I still have not gotten a sense of who the figure was and what he was trying to do. Whether he held an explosive charge or not.
"I'm not judging soldiers for their table manners, but want them to safeguard us, and would prefer offensive-minded soldiers preventing terrorists from entering Israel over soldiers too scared to act for fear of being trialed in court."
Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan said during a Ynet studio interview Tuesday, "On a general level, I believe in IDF soldiers' purity of arms and ethics, and my policy is therefore to always afford them support, certainly to soldiers on the field."
"I think we have forgotten that the situation is one in which that if someone crosses the fence, with a run of a minute or two they'll already be in the Israeli communities around Gaza. I refuse to be taken aback by partial footage. If you're insisting on drawing conclusions, by the way, this shooting seems to have been highly focused," Erdan said.
On the expressions of jubilation heard in the video, Erdan said, "I think this discourse is hypocritical. I don't think you can judge soldiers who are risking their lives and are under a great deal of stress, several meters away from Hamas terrorists, and it's really not serious to judge these responses when we're sitting in some room watching partial videos."
"If people are truly appalled, they should direct their energies towards being appalled by what's been going on in Syria and exert pressure on the United States and Western states to act militarily and raise this issue publicly," the minister advised.
'Palestinians stayed in forbidden area'
An officer who served in one of the Gaza Division's field units over the past year and has attained knowledge of the complex operational realities engendered by border protests told Ynet, "The entire picture is still unclear, and the conduct of the soldier shooting the video and the response from his comrade should be separated from the conduct of the unit itself."
"Before shooting at the feet of a main instigator (of riots), he must be warned by either PA announcement or by firing into the air. That may have been done but was not shown in the video," he added.
"A central instigator," he continued, "does not necessarily have to be armed or trying to cut or climb over the fence. A central instigator is the riot's driving force, leading the other protesters towards the fence and not heeding our forces' warnings."
"Even in the 90 second video, you can see the post's commander exercised judgment on the field and gave a reasonable authorization to fire. It can also be seen that the force aimed at the lower portion of the Palestinian's foot—since directions are to shoot at the ankle rather than the knee to prevent a fatal outcome. Palestinians have undoubtedly been within the zone of the perimeter, the strip of land where they are not allowed to be in," he explained.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman echoed the officer's comments Tuesday, saying, "The sniper deserves promotion, whereas the cameraman deservers demotion. There has to be a clear equation. IDF is the world's most moral army, but when you're on the frontlines and under considerable stress, sometimes aggressions are let loose. That's understandable. At the end of the day, the army, snipers and soldiers—they're the best of us, and the IDF is the most moral army."
An initial inquiry into the matter by the IDF Tuesday morning showed the force—which ambushed a group of Palestinians protesters—stayed relatively far from the border fence, at a distance of several dozen meters, but still well within effective range for a precise hit.
Other forces were active in the vicinity as well, however, and it remains possible the Palestinian was hit by fire from one of the other soldiers.
The soldier who filmed the incident—thereby sparking the controversy in the first place—was questioned by his commanders as well and army officials' estimates said he will be punished at least for breaking strict orders to never film during operational activity.
To achieve that end, the army has forbidden soldiers operating on the Gaza frontier over the past few weeks to bring their cellular phones with them when they carry out operations against rioters.
The IDF has yet to announce whether a Criminal Investigation Division (CID) inquiry into the matter will be launched. The General Staff's inquiry apparatus, which began operating his week, is expected to prevent—at least for the time being—the opening of any CID investigations regarding the incidents taking place opposite the Gaza border recently.
Only after the General Staff's review is completed and on the basis of its findings will it be determined whether any criminal action is warranted.
IDF: Incident to be questioned thoroughly
Since the aforementioned incident took place before Hamas's "March of Return" campaign, and may be excluded from the General Staff's review and be examined more rapidly by CID.
The army's rules of engagement are determined by the Operations Directorate, but may be made harsher depending on the specific sector in which forces operate, or tailored to the specifications of current intelligence warnings or developing threats.
The video, which was filmed through the lenses of a rifle's sights or binoculars, shows several Palestinians close to the border fence.
A commander is heard instructing the sniper, telling him "When he comes out, you get him. Do you have a bullet in the barrel? Are you on him?" After the sniper responds in the affirmative, the commander tells him "Go."
The sniper tells the commander that he cannot shoot, because the barbed-wire near the fence was in the way.
Several moments later, the commander speaks again, this time telling the sniper to hold fire after he spots a child.
Later two snipers are heard discussing who was on which Palestinian, following which a single shot is heard and one Palestinian is seen falling to the ground, with dozens of others immediately converging on him.
"Wow, what a video! YES! Son of a b****," one of the soldiers is heard exclaiming. Another is heard commenting that "Someone was hit in the head."
An initial analysis of the footage a soldier not firing but present nearby was filming using a telescopic lens.
The IDF said the clip might have been filmed months ago.
In an initial tweeted statement, the IDF said, "With regard to the video of the soldiers at the Gaza Strip border – it was probably an event that occurred a number of months ago. The event will be investigated and examined thoroughly."
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Several Israeli ministers and Knesset Members praised an Israeli sniper who cheered after shooting an unarmed Palestinian boy near Gaza’s borders.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the soldier “deserves an appreciation certificate” for doing his job properly. Education Minister Naftali Bennett came “Anyone who was ever on the battlefield knows that to sit in Tel Aviv or studios and judge IDF soldiers according to their comments, when they are busy defending our borders, is not something serious.” Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said: “It would have been better if the |
[soldiers’] happy reactions were not circulated, but to judge them and conclude something there was wrong, is crazy.”
Ofir Akunis, the science, technology and space minister, said: “He[the boy] is not an innocent civilian who is coming to seek peace. I am sure of that.”
MK Oren Hazan twittted: “What is all the fuss about? It was noted in advance: anyone who approaches the fence, armed or not, is gonna get it. As it should be!”
He reiterated that he was proud of the soldiers defending Israel this way, and that he hopes the video sends “a clearer message to the other side.
”
Arab MK Jamal Zahalka of the Joint List said: “Israeli snipers killed unarmed Palestinian protesters in cold blood who were participating in a non-violent protest. It is no wonder soldiers act this way when ministers, MKs, the media and the public opinion join the celebration and cheer for the mass killing of Palestinians.”
IDF probing video showing soldier cheering as sniper hits Palestinian
Video making the rounds on WhatsApp purports to show IDF sniper shoots a Palestinian near the Gaza border fence, while another exclaims 'YES! Son of a b****'; IDF has yet to confirm footage's authenticity.
A video making the rounds on WhatsApp on Monday evening purports to show an IDF sniper shooting a Palestinian who came near the Gaza border fence.
It is unclear where on the Gaza border or when the video was filmed, and the IDF has yet to confirm its authenticity.
The video, which was filmed through the lenses of a rifle's sights or binoculars, shows several Palestinians close to the border fence.
A commander is heard instructing the sniper, telling him "When he comes out, you get him. Do you have a bullet in the barrel? Are you on him?" After the sniper responds in the affirmative, the commander tells him "Go."
The sniper tells the commander that he cannot shoot, because the barbed-wire near the fence was in the way.
Several moments later, the commander speaks again, this time telling the sniper to hold fire after he spots a child.
Later two snipers are heard discussing who was on which Palestinian, following which a single shot is heard and one Palestinian is seen falling to the ground, with dozens of others immediately converging on him.
"Wow, what a video! YES! Son of a b****," one of the soldiers is heard exclaiming. Another is heard commenting that "Someone was hit in the head."
At first glance, it appears the video was filmed by a soldier who wasn't shooting, but was alongside the snipers who were.
One soldier is heard whispering the cameraman "Film it, film it," with the filming soldier commenting "what a legendary video."
The video's release comes after more than a week of daily protests by Palestinians at the Gaza-Israel border in which 30 Gazans have been shot dead.
The IDF said the clip might have been filmed months ago.
In a tweeted statement, the IDF said: "With regard to the video of the soldiers at the Gaza Strip border - it was probably an event that occurred a number of months ago. The event will be investigated and examined thoroughly."
Ayman Odeh, the head of the Joint List of Arab parties, said it was "a clip that terrifies the soul, rejoicing over the taking of a life and what appears to be the execution of someone who endangered no one". He called for the shooter to be put on trial.
Israel has been warning Gazans for weeks not to approach the border fence. The IDF has stationed sharpshooters to enforce a no-go zone near the border fence and stop Palestinian attempts to breach the border during a Hamas-organized protest that has been called "The Great March of Return."
The protesters are reviving a long-standing demand for the right of return of Palestinian refugees to towns and villages from which their families fled, or were driven out, when the state of Israel was created.
Protest camps have sprung up a few hundred metres inside the fence. But large groups of youths have ventured considerably nearer, burning tires and hurling stones.
Haniyeh vows to 'return to Palestine'
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh renewed a pledge Monday that the marches would pave the way for a return of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to what is now Israel.
"We will return to Palestine, our villages and Jerusalem," Haniyeh said in a fiery speech at one of five protest camps set up along the border.
He stopped short of threatening a mass breach of the border, though another Hamas leader has done so in recent speeches.
The IDF has accused Hamas of using the protests as a cover for carrying out attacks and bringing infiltrators into Israel. It has said some of those at the border tried to damage the fence, planted explosives or hurled firebombs.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Sderot, an Israeli community near Gaza, and said Israel's top priority is its security.
"We have one clear and simple rule and we seek to express it constantly: If someone tries to attack you -- rise up and attack him," Netanyahu said. "We will not allow, here on the Gaza border, them to hurt us. We will hurt them."
Hamas: Praising Israeli murderers sign of unabated terrorism
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum slammed on Tuesday Israel’s war minister Avigdor Lieberman for praising the Israeli sniper who fatally shot a disarmed Palestinian protester near Gaza borders.
Barhoum said commending the Israeli sniper who shot an unarmed Palestinian boy near Gaza border fence amounts to an official legitimization of murder and recognition of the crimes committed against civilians.
Barhoum added that such moves reflect the unabated terror inflicted on the Palestinian people.
He called for holding the occupation government and its leaders accountable for their crimes and for taking deterrent penalties so as to bring such crimes to an end.
A clip posted online shows an Israeli soldier as bragging about shooting a disarmed Palestinian protester near Gaza’s border fence, in a move that has drawn a round of applause from Israel’s war minister.
Ofir Akunis, the science, technology and space minister, said: “He[the boy] is not an innocent civilian who is coming to seek peace. I am sure of that.”
MK Oren Hazan twittted: “What is all the fuss about? It was noted in advance: anyone who approaches the fence, armed or not, is gonna get it. As it should be!”
He reiterated that he was proud of the soldiers defending Israel this way, and that he hopes the video sends “a clearer message to the other side.
”
Arab MK Jamal Zahalka of the Joint List said: “Israeli snipers killed unarmed Palestinian protesters in cold blood who were participating in a non-violent protest. It is no wonder soldiers act this way when ministers, MKs, the media and the public opinion join the celebration and cheer for the mass killing of Palestinians.”
IDF probing video showing soldier cheering as sniper hits Palestinian
Video making the rounds on WhatsApp purports to show IDF sniper shoots a Palestinian near the Gaza border fence, while another exclaims 'YES! Son of a b****'; IDF has yet to confirm footage's authenticity.
A video making the rounds on WhatsApp on Monday evening purports to show an IDF sniper shooting a Palestinian who came near the Gaza border fence.
It is unclear where on the Gaza border or when the video was filmed, and the IDF has yet to confirm its authenticity.
The video, which was filmed through the lenses of a rifle's sights or binoculars, shows several Palestinians close to the border fence.
A commander is heard instructing the sniper, telling him "When he comes out, you get him. Do you have a bullet in the barrel? Are you on him?" After the sniper responds in the affirmative, the commander tells him "Go."
The sniper tells the commander that he cannot shoot, because the barbed-wire near the fence was in the way.
Several moments later, the commander speaks again, this time telling the sniper to hold fire after he spots a child.
Later two snipers are heard discussing who was on which Palestinian, following which a single shot is heard and one Palestinian is seen falling to the ground, with dozens of others immediately converging on him.
"Wow, what a video! YES! Son of a b****," one of the soldiers is heard exclaiming. Another is heard commenting that "Someone was hit in the head."
At first glance, it appears the video was filmed by a soldier who wasn't shooting, but was alongside the snipers who were.
One soldier is heard whispering the cameraman "Film it, film it," with the filming soldier commenting "what a legendary video."
The video's release comes after more than a week of daily protests by Palestinians at the Gaza-Israel border in which 30 Gazans have been shot dead.
The IDF said the clip might have been filmed months ago.
In a tweeted statement, the IDF said: "With regard to the video of the soldiers at the Gaza Strip border - it was probably an event that occurred a number of months ago. The event will be investigated and examined thoroughly."
Ayman Odeh, the head of the Joint List of Arab parties, said it was "a clip that terrifies the soul, rejoicing over the taking of a life and what appears to be the execution of someone who endangered no one". He called for the shooter to be put on trial.
Israel has been warning Gazans for weeks not to approach the border fence. The IDF has stationed sharpshooters to enforce a no-go zone near the border fence and stop Palestinian attempts to breach the border during a Hamas-organized protest that has been called "The Great March of Return."
The protesters are reviving a long-standing demand for the right of return of Palestinian refugees to towns and villages from which their families fled, or were driven out, when the state of Israel was created.
Protest camps have sprung up a few hundred metres inside the fence. But large groups of youths have ventured considerably nearer, burning tires and hurling stones.
Haniyeh vows to 'return to Palestine'
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh renewed a pledge Monday that the marches would pave the way for a return of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to what is now Israel.
"We will return to Palestine, our villages and Jerusalem," Haniyeh said in a fiery speech at one of five protest camps set up along the border.
He stopped short of threatening a mass breach of the border, though another Hamas leader has done so in recent speeches.
The IDF has accused Hamas of using the protests as a cover for carrying out attacks and bringing infiltrators into Israel. It has said some of those at the border tried to damage the fence, planted explosives or hurled firebombs.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Sderot, an Israeli community near Gaza, and said Israel's top priority is its security.
"We have one clear and simple rule and we seek to express it constantly: If someone tries to attack you -- rise up and attack him," Netanyahu said. "We will not allow, here on the Gaza border, them to hurt us. We will hurt them."
Hamas: Praising Israeli murderers sign of unabated terrorism
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum slammed on Tuesday Israel’s war minister Avigdor Lieberman for praising the Israeli sniper who fatally shot a disarmed Palestinian protester near Gaza borders.
Barhoum said commending the Israeli sniper who shot an unarmed Palestinian boy near Gaza border fence amounts to an official legitimization of murder and recognition of the crimes committed against civilians.
Barhoum added that such moves reflect the unabated terror inflicted on the Palestinian people.
He called for holding the occupation government and its leaders accountable for their crimes and for taking deterrent penalties so as to bring such crimes to an end.
A clip posted online shows an Israeli soldier as bragging about shooting a disarmed Palestinian protester near Gaza’s border fence, in a move that has drawn a round of applause from Israel’s war minister.
United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Liz Throssell released a statement, over the weekend, condemning the “deplorable killing” of Palestinian protesters in Gaza.
The statement was released on Friday, hours before nine Palestinians were killed along the border — including a journalist and two minors — bringing the death toll to 29 since “The Great March of Return” began on March 30.
“Given the deplorable killing of 16 people and the injuring of reportedly more than 1,000 others during protests in Gaza, mostly on 30 March, we are gravely concerned that further violence could occur during demonstrations today and in the coming weeks,” Throssell said.
“Given the large number of injuries and deaths, the ominous statements made by Israeli authorities in the days leading up to the protest, as well as indications that the individuals killed or wounded were unarmed or did not pose a serious threat to well-protected security forces – and in some cases were actually running away from the fence – there are strong indications that security forces used excessive force.”
The statement went on to note, according to Ma’an News Agency, that Israeli forces are required by international human rights law “to respect the rights to peaceful assembly and expression and to use, to the extent possible, non-violent means to discharge their duties.”
“In accordance with international human rights law, firearms may be used only in cases of extreme necessity, as a last resort, and in response to an imminent threat of death or risk of serious injury.”
Throssell highlighted that even if protesters “attempt to approach or cross the green-line fence,” it “does not amount to a threat to life or serious injury that would justify the use of live ammunition.”
“We remind Israel of its obligations to ensure that excessive force is not employed against protestors and that in the context of a military occupation, as is the case in Gaza, the unjustified and unlawful recourse to firearms by law enforcement resulting in death may amount to a wilful killing, a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention,” Throssell said.
“We echo the call by the UN Secretary-General for an independent and transparent investigation into these incidents, with a view to holding accountable those responsible.”
Following the deadly first day of protests in Gaza last week, the UN and European Union (EU) called for an investigation into the Israeli army’s violent suppression of protests.
Israel’s Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman rejected the calls, instead saying “from the standpoint of the [Israeli Defence Force] soldiers, they did what had to be done.”
Lieberman added that he thinks “all of our troops deserve a commendation.”
Israel has repeatedly perpetuated the narrative that the massive demonstrations — which were organized by grassroots organizations and local activists as a nonviolent protest — were organized by the Hamas movement, and that the protests were being used as to “camouflage terror.”
The UN call for the investigation into the killings came after the US blocked a UN Security Council (UNSC) statement condemning Israel’s use of force against civilian protesters at the Gaza border, which rights groups have deemed criminal and illegal.
Israeli forces have long been criticized for their use of excessive force against Palestinians, and what rights groups have termed their policy of “extrajudicial execution” in instances where Palestinians who did not pose a direct threat to the lives of soldiers could have been detained or subdued in a non-lethal manner.
The statement was released on Friday, hours before nine Palestinians were killed along the border — including a journalist and two minors — bringing the death toll to 29 since “The Great March of Return” began on March 30.
“Given the deplorable killing of 16 people and the injuring of reportedly more than 1,000 others during protests in Gaza, mostly on 30 March, we are gravely concerned that further violence could occur during demonstrations today and in the coming weeks,” Throssell said.
“Given the large number of injuries and deaths, the ominous statements made by Israeli authorities in the days leading up to the protest, as well as indications that the individuals killed or wounded were unarmed or did not pose a serious threat to well-protected security forces – and in some cases were actually running away from the fence – there are strong indications that security forces used excessive force.”
The statement went on to note, according to Ma’an News Agency, that Israeli forces are required by international human rights law “to respect the rights to peaceful assembly and expression and to use, to the extent possible, non-violent means to discharge their duties.”
“In accordance with international human rights law, firearms may be used only in cases of extreme necessity, as a last resort, and in response to an imminent threat of death or risk of serious injury.”
Throssell highlighted that even if protesters “attempt to approach or cross the green-line fence,” it “does not amount to a threat to life or serious injury that would justify the use of live ammunition.”
“We remind Israel of its obligations to ensure that excessive force is not employed against protestors and that in the context of a military occupation, as is the case in Gaza, the unjustified and unlawful recourse to firearms by law enforcement resulting in death may amount to a wilful killing, a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention,” Throssell said.
“We echo the call by the UN Secretary-General for an independent and transparent investigation into these incidents, with a view to holding accountable those responsible.”
Following the deadly first day of protests in Gaza last week, the UN and European Union (EU) called for an investigation into the Israeli army’s violent suppression of protests.
Israel’s Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman rejected the calls, instead saying “from the standpoint of the [Israeli Defence Force] soldiers, they did what had to be done.”
Lieberman added that he thinks “all of our troops deserve a commendation.”
Israel has repeatedly perpetuated the narrative that the massive demonstrations — which were organized by grassroots organizations and local activists as a nonviolent protest — were organized by the Hamas movement, and that the protests were being used as to “camouflage terror.”
The UN call for the investigation into the killings came after the US blocked a UN Security Council (UNSC) statement condemning Israel’s use of force against civilian protesters at the Gaza border, which rights groups have deemed criminal and illegal.
Israeli forces have long been criticized for their use of excessive force against Palestinians, and what rights groups have termed their policy of “extrajudicial execution” in instances where Palestinians who did not pose a direct threat to the lives of soldiers could have been detained or subdued in a non-lethal manner.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nikolay Mladenov on Monday arrived in the Gaza Strip through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing amid talks about international moves to curb the Great March of Return.
Palestinian political analyst Saleh al-Na'ami said, in his commentary on the visit, "Mladenov does not come to Gaza unless he has proposals intended to save Israel from the dead-end it has reached because of the March of Return."
"We have no information about this visit," al-Na'ami said in an interview with Quds Press, "But we are aware of what is happening around."
Al-Na'ami pointed out that the Great March of Return has made a major shift in the conflict, explaining that both Israel and the US fear that the protests may extend to the West Bank and affect the transfer of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
He believes that the Great March of Return has embarrassed Israel on the political, security and military levels. That's why Israel is making every possible effort to stop Gaza demonstrations.
The Palestinian official called for establishing a leadership that represents the Great March of Return and formulating a set of political objectives of the movement to protect it from any external pressures.
He added that breaking Gaza siege and foiling the deal of the century which is aimed at liquidating the central Palestinian issues, most importantly the right of return, should be on top of the Return March's goals.
Palestinian political analyst Saleh al-Na'ami said, in his commentary on the visit, "Mladenov does not come to Gaza unless he has proposals intended to save Israel from the dead-end it has reached because of the March of Return."
"We have no information about this visit," al-Na'ami said in an interview with Quds Press, "But we are aware of what is happening around."
Al-Na'ami pointed out that the Great March of Return has made a major shift in the conflict, explaining that both Israel and the US fear that the protests may extend to the West Bank and affect the transfer of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
He believes that the Great March of Return has embarrassed Israel on the political, security and military levels. That's why Israel is making every possible effort to stop Gaza demonstrations.
The Palestinian official called for establishing a leadership that represents the Great March of Return and formulating a set of political objectives of the movement to protect it from any external pressures.
He added that breaking Gaza siege and foiling the deal of the century which is aimed at liquidating the central Palestinian issues, most importantly the right of return, should be on top of the Return March's goals.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has expressed its outrage at the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by the Israeli army as they protest for their rights on their land.
“The deadly force used by the Israeli military against the people of Gaza is a gross violation of their protection under humanitarian and human rights law, and those responsible must be held accountable for their actions,” a statement released on Monday by the council said.
Among the people killed in the demonstrations was 30-year-old Yasser Murtaja, a journalist who was filming on site last Friday. Murtaja had agreed to document for NRC the bitter prolonged struggle faced by Palestinian refugees in Gaza. The work was planned to start the day after he was killed, according to the statement.
"I talked to Yasser on Wednesday evening by phone, after he came back from the access restricted zone in Gaza where Palestinians were demonstrating," said NRC media adviser in the Middle East, Karl Schembri.
"We talked about the stories we wanted to cover - families affected by violence, as well as children again exposed to trauma and their ensuing nightmares. Two days later, he was killed by an Israeli sniper while peacefully observing the demonstrations. He was killed doing his job, recording his people's right to protest for their human rights."
NRC secretary-general Jan Egeland said: "Yasser Murtaja was a civilian and a journalist who was wearing clear press identification while he was filming the demonstrations at the Gaza fence with Israel. He was there because he wanted to document civilians exercising their right to peacefully protest.”
“The stories that NRC and Murtaja were supposed to work on focus on the impact of the persistent violence experienced by children in Gaza on their mental health and wellbeing. In Gaza, around 300,000 children are already assessed to be in need of critical psychosocial intervention due to the distress caused by more than a decade of blockade and conflict,” NRC stated further.
“One of the cases documented by NRC is that of 14-year-old Reham, who was attending the Return March in Gaza with her mother, father, sister and two brothers on 29 March, and on 30 March her father was shot in the leg. Reham’s father may now need to have his leg amputated. Since then, Reham suffers from nightmares and is having difficulty in school.”
NRC said it “works to address these psychosocial needs in Gaza through its Better Learning Program, which provides support to students, teachers and caregivers.”
“The ongoing and unjustifiable border closure and extreme economic deprivation of civilians in Gaza amounts to nothing short of collective punishment. And now the indiscriminate shooting at peaceful protesters on their land – while running away, while waving flags, while praying, while reporting, while giving first aid and while working on their land – is abominable. This cannot be allowed to continue, and those responsible must be held to account,” Egeland said.
Palestinians in Gaza have embarked on a six-week peaceful protest, called “the Great March of Return,” which will culminate on “Nakba” Day (catastrophe in Arabic) on 15 May. This day commemorates the events of 1948 when, following the creation of the state of Israel, more than 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled from their homes, to which they have since been unable to return.
Despite the non-violent nature of the protest, the Israeli military shot and killed 16 protesters in Gaza on 30 March and injured over 1,400. Abdul-Razaq al-Gherbawi, a Gaza resident and NRC employee, said: "Not only we are denied our rights, but also we are killed for asking for them.”
Among those killed was 26-year-old farmer Omar Abu Samour. Omar’s wife says their two-year-old daughter keeps asking about where he is as she cannot understand that he is gone. Omar’s mother insists that he was not taking part in the demonstration, but was simply farming his land in the morning, around 700 meters from the border fence.
“The deadly force used by the Israeli military against the people of Gaza is a gross violation of their protection under humanitarian and human rights law, and those responsible must be held accountable for their actions,” a statement released on Monday by the council said.
Among the people killed in the demonstrations was 30-year-old Yasser Murtaja, a journalist who was filming on site last Friday. Murtaja had agreed to document for NRC the bitter prolonged struggle faced by Palestinian refugees in Gaza. The work was planned to start the day after he was killed, according to the statement.
"I talked to Yasser on Wednesday evening by phone, after he came back from the access restricted zone in Gaza where Palestinians were demonstrating," said NRC media adviser in the Middle East, Karl Schembri.
"We talked about the stories we wanted to cover - families affected by violence, as well as children again exposed to trauma and their ensuing nightmares. Two days later, he was killed by an Israeli sniper while peacefully observing the demonstrations. He was killed doing his job, recording his people's right to protest for their human rights."
NRC secretary-general Jan Egeland said: "Yasser Murtaja was a civilian and a journalist who was wearing clear press identification while he was filming the demonstrations at the Gaza fence with Israel. He was there because he wanted to document civilians exercising their right to peacefully protest.”
“The stories that NRC and Murtaja were supposed to work on focus on the impact of the persistent violence experienced by children in Gaza on their mental health and wellbeing. In Gaza, around 300,000 children are already assessed to be in need of critical psychosocial intervention due to the distress caused by more than a decade of blockade and conflict,” NRC stated further.
“One of the cases documented by NRC is that of 14-year-old Reham, who was attending the Return March in Gaza with her mother, father, sister and two brothers on 29 March, and on 30 March her father was shot in the leg. Reham’s father may now need to have his leg amputated. Since then, Reham suffers from nightmares and is having difficulty in school.”
NRC said it “works to address these psychosocial needs in Gaza through its Better Learning Program, which provides support to students, teachers and caregivers.”
“The ongoing and unjustifiable border closure and extreme economic deprivation of civilians in Gaza amounts to nothing short of collective punishment. And now the indiscriminate shooting at peaceful protesters on their land – while running away, while waving flags, while praying, while reporting, while giving first aid and while working on their land – is abominable. This cannot be allowed to continue, and those responsible must be held to account,” Egeland said.
Palestinians in Gaza have embarked on a six-week peaceful protest, called “the Great March of Return,” which will culminate on “Nakba” Day (catastrophe in Arabic) on 15 May. This day commemorates the events of 1948 when, following the creation of the state of Israel, more than 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled from their homes, to which they have since been unable to return.
Despite the non-violent nature of the protest, the Israeli military shot and killed 16 protesters in Gaza on 30 March and injured over 1,400. Abdul-Razaq al-Gherbawi, a Gaza resident and NRC employee, said: "Not only we are denied our rights, but also we are killed for asking for them.”
Among those killed was 26-year-old farmer Omar Abu Samour. Omar’s wife says their two-year-old daughter keeps asking about where he is as she cannot understand that he is gone. Omar’s mother insists that he was not taking part in the demonstration, but was simply farming his land in the morning, around 700 meters from the border fence.
Russia's foreign ministry on Monday said that the Israeli army's use of force against Palestinians during protests inside the Gaza Strip was unacceptable.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized what it called Israel's "indiscriminate use of force against the civilian population." Video
According to the ministry’s information and press Department, as a result of the Israeli army’s use of firearms to suppress Palestinian protests on April 6-7, “10 Palestinians” were killed, including one journalist and two teenagers, and over a thousand were poisoned with tear gas or injured. Video Video Thus, the total number of slain Palestinians in the past two weeks of mass protests has reached 30 people.
"On the morning of April 9, an Israeli aircraft caused several missile strikes on facilities in Gaza. Considering that the indiscriminate use of force against the civilian population is absolutely unacceptable, we once again call upon the Palestinians and Israelis to refrain from steps that will provoke further growth of dangerous tension, “the ministry said.
Moscow is convinced that under the current circumstances, not only urgent measures for stabilizing and de-escalating the situation are needed more than ever, but also concrete political efforts aimed at achieving a lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis on an internationally known legal basis, according to the ministry.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized what it called Israel's "indiscriminate use of force against the civilian population." Video
According to the ministry’s information and press Department, as a result of the Israeli army’s use of firearms to suppress Palestinian protests on April 6-7, “10 Palestinians” were killed, including one journalist and two teenagers, and over a thousand were poisoned with tear gas or injured. Video Video Thus, the total number of slain Palestinians in the past two weeks of mass protests has reached 30 people.
"On the morning of April 9, an Israeli aircraft caused several missile strikes on facilities in Gaza. Considering that the indiscriminate use of force against the civilian population is absolutely unacceptable, we once again call upon the Palestinians and Israelis to refrain from steps that will provoke further growth of dangerous tension, “the ministry said.
Moscow is convinced that under the current circumstances, not only urgent measures for stabilizing and de-escalating the situation are needed more than ever, but also concrete political efforts aimed at achieving a lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis on an internationally known legal basis, according to the ministry.
Two seriously wounded Palestinians who were shot by Israeli forces on March 30th at the Land Day protests are in imminent danger of losing their legs, and have requested transfer to a specialty hospital in Ramallah. But Israeli authorities have denied their applications for permits to travel.
According to the Wafa News Agency, Shifa hospital does not have the required medical tools to save their legs, it referred both men to Al Istishari Arab Hospital in Ramallah on April 1 and submitted a request to the Israeli military authorities, who control Palestinians’ movement, to allow the two patients to exit Gaza.
A transfer application to Ramallah was submitted to the Israeli military’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) that same day.
However, COGAT did not respond, and two human rights organizations, Adalah and Al Mezan sent an urgent letter on April 4 requesting authorization for their immediate passage from Gaza to Ramallah. On April 5, Adalah was informed that COGAT refused the patients’ requests.
The two men—Yousef Karnaz, 20, and Mohammad Al-‘Ajouri, 17, both from Gaza, were wounded when Israeli troops fired on them during the March 30 Land Day protests at the Gaza border with Israel.
Adalah (The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel), along with the Gaza-based Al Mezan Center for Human Rights filed a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court on Sunday demanding that Israel allow the two seriously wounded young men leave the Gaza Strip.
According to Wafa, Adalah Attorney Sawsan Zaher wrote in the Supreme Court petition that “there is no substantive justification for rejecting the request of the two petitioners, who are both confined to the ICU in critical condition. The rejection of their request is an expression of indifference to the amputation of their legs.”
Adalah and Al Mezan stressed that because Israel controls the Gaza border crossings, it is responsible for allowing wounded patients to leave Gaza for transfer to the Ramallah hospital.
Continued Israeli refusal to allow Karnaz and Al-‘Ajouri access to urgent medical care constitutes a violation of their right to life and health and is a violation of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and Israeli constitutional law anchored in Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, said Adalah.
Hospitals in Gaza are struggling to deal with upwards of 1,990 wounded by Israeli snipers, live ammunition, tear gas from drones, among other kinds of excessive force. Doctors report they are running out of medicine and supplies to treat patients.
Palestinian protesters continue the encampment and protest at the border fence – despite Israeli orders to ‘shoot to kill’ anyone who comes within 300 meters of the border fence. Video
They are protesting the Israeli military occupation of their land, which includes control of land, air and sea, prevents Palestinians from leaving Gaza and prevents essential goods from entering the tiny, overcrowded coastal enclave. The ongoing siege of Gaza began in 2007, after the Hamas party won the democratic legislative elections in the Palestinian Territories and Israeli authorities decided they did not like the results.
Even before the Land Day protests began, Israel had been denying a record number of Palestinians applying for medical treatment outside Gaza.
According to a February 2018 report by Human Rights Watch, Israeli authorities approved permits for medical appointments for only 54 percent of those who applied in 2017, the lowest rate since the World Health Organization (WHO) began collecting figures in 2008. WHO reported that 54 Palestinians, 46 of whom had cancer, died in 2017 following denial or delay of their permits.
According to the Wafa News Agency, Shifa hospital does not have the required medical tools to save their legs, it referred both men to Al Istishari Arab Hospital in Ramallah on April 1 and submitted a request to the Israeli military authorities, who control Palestinians’ movement, to allow the two patients to exit Gaza.
A transfer application to Ramallah was submitted to the Israeli military’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) that same day.
However, COGAT did not respond, and two human rights organizations, Adalah and Al Mezan sent an urgent letter on April 4 requesting authorization for their immediate passage from Gaza to Ramallah. On April 5, Adalah was informed that COGAT refused the patients’ requests.
The two men—Yousef Karnaz, 20, and Mohammad Al-‘Ajouri, 17, both from Gaza, were wounded when Israeli troops fired on them during the March 30 Land Day protests at the Gaza border with Israel.
Adalah (The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel), along with the Gaza-based Al Mezan Center for Human Rights filed a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court on Sunday demanding that Israel allow the two seriously wounded young men leave the Gaza Strip.
According to Wafa, Adalah Attorney Sawsan Zaher wrote in the Supreme Court petition that “there is no substantive justification for rejecting the request of the two petitioners, who are both confined to the ICU in critical condition. The rejection of their request is an expression of indifference to the amputation of their legs.”
Adalah and Al Mezan stressed that because Israel controls the Gaza border crossings, it is responsible for allowing wounded patients to leave Gaza for transfer to the Ramallah hospital.
Continued Israeli refusal to allow Karnaz and Al-‘Ajouri access to urgent medical care constitutes a violation of their right to life and health and is a violation of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and Israeli constitutional law anchored in Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, said Adalah.
Hospitals in Gaza are struggling to deal with upwards of 1,990 wounded by Israeli snipers, live ammunition, tear gas from drones, among other kinds of excessive force. Doctors report they are running out of medicine and supplies to treat patients.
Palestinian protesters continue the encampment and protest at the border fence – despite Israeli orders to ‘shoot to kill’ anyone who comes within 300 meters of the border fence. Video
They are protesting the Israeli military occupation of their land, which includes control of land, air and sea, prevents Palestinians from leaving Gaza and prevents essential goods from entering the tiny, overcrowded coastal enclave. The ongoing siege of Gaza began in 2007, after the Hamas party won the democratic legislative elections in the Palestinian Territories and Israeli authorities decided they did not like the results.
Even before the Land Day protests began, Israel had been denying a record number of Palestinians applying for medical treatment outside Gaza.
According to a February 2018 report by Human Rights Watch, Israeli authorities approved permits for medical appointments for only 54 percent of those who applied in 2017, the lowest rate since the World Health Organization (WHO) began collecting figures in 2008. WHO reported that 54 Palestinians, 46 of whom had cancer, died in 2017 following denial or delay of their permits.
9 apr 2018
A medic was shot and injured on Monday evening as Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) opened their gunfire east of Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
IOF soldiers fired live ammunition and teargas bombs at peaceful demonstrators and journalist stationed at al-Awda refugee camp.
The medic Imad al-Buhaisi suffered a live bullet injury during the attack.
On March 30, thousands of Palestinians had marched to the Gaza border at the start of a six-week protest, dubbed the Great March of Return marking the 42nd anniversary of Land Day.
Since then, 32 Palestinians were killed and more than 2,800 others were also wounded on Gaza borders, resulting in calls for an independent inquiry by the European Union and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
IOF soldiers fired live ammunition and teargas bombs at peaceful demonstrators and journalist stationed at al-Awda refugee camp.
The medic Imad al-Buhaisi suffered a live bullet injury during the attack.
On March 30, thousands of Palestinians had marched to the Gaza border at the start of a six-week protest, dubbed the Great March of Return marking the 42nd anniversary of Land Day.
Since then, 32 Palestinians were killed and more than 2,800 others were also wounded on Gaza borders, resulting in calls for an independent inquiry by the European Union and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) raised concerns Sunday that Israel may have committed war crimes during a current flare-up of violence in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, Fatou Bensouda’s office expressed “grave concern” over the shootings of Palestinians by Israeli troops during mass protests along Gaza’s border with Israel.
Her office said that Israel’s “violence against civilians — in a situation such as one prevailing in Gaza” may constitute war crimes.
Bensouda is already in the midst of a “preliminary examination” of possible war crimes launched in the wake of a 2014 offensive by the Israeli occupation forces on the besieged costal enclave of Gaza.
“While a preliminary examination is not an investigation, any new alleged crime committed in the context of the situation in Palestine may be subjected to my office’s scrutiny,” she said. “This applies to the events of the past weeks and to any future incident.”
At least 32 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire as they took part in mass-protests along Gaza’s borders.
Witness accounts and amateur videos have shown the demonstrators appeared to be unarmed or far from the fence when they were shot. The European Union and United Nations have called for an independent investigation into the killings.
In a statement, Fatou Bensouda’s office expressed “grave concern” over the shootings of Palestinians by Israeli troops during mass protests along Gaza’s border with Israel.
Her office said that Israel’s “violence against civilians — in a situation such as one prevailing in Gaza” may constitute war crimes.
Bensouda is already in the midst of a “preliminary examination” of possible war crimes launched in the wake of a 2014 offensive by the Israeli occupation forces on the besieged costal enclave of Gaza.
“While a preliminary examination is not an investigation, any new alleged crime committed in the context of the situation in Palestine may be subjected to my office’s scrutiny,” she said. “This applies to the events of the past weeks and to any future incident.”
At least 32 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire as they took part in mass-protests along Gaza’s borders.
Witness accounts and amateur videos have shown the demonstrators appeared to be unarmed or far from the fence when they were shot. The European Union and United Nations have called for an independent investigation into the killings.
An urgent letter was sent by the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor on Sunday to Mr. David Kay, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, on Israel’s targeting of journalists at the Gaza borders.
Euro-Med Monitor called in the letter for an urgent international investigation into the killing of 30-year-old Yasser Murtaja, a Palestinian journalist and father of a child, while covering last Friday's demonstrations at the Gaza border. Murtaja was shot even though he was wearing a press vest. Video
Four UN experts, including the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, issued an urgent statement regarding the protests in Gaza, stressing that “International law sets strict prohibitions on the use of force by law enforcement officials.”
Although the organizers stressed that the protests are non-violent, Israeli snipers killed 17 demonstrators “who posed no immediate threat to the soldiers and injured about 1,340 others on March 30, 2018,” the letter said.
“To blur Israeli snipers vision, protesters have resorted last Friday, April 6, 2018, to burning tires at the borders, yet this did not protect them from Israeli snipers’ fire, with eight more shot dead, and about 700 injured, including journalist Yasser Murtaja,” the letter added.
The letter further called for necessary action and for raising the issue with the Israeli government to end the latter’s violations against Palestinians in Gaza, to immediately lift the siege, and to allow Palestinians to express their opinion without threat, killing or intimidation.
The letter also expressed hope for prompt action by contacting the Israeli authorities so that they make sure civilians are not harmed while practicing their right to peaceful protest and assembly.
In the same context, the UN experts reiterated the UN Secretary General’s call for “an investigation into Israel’s response. The experts expressed deep concern at reports that Israel’s Minister of Defense stated that there will not be any inquiry into Israel’s actions.”
The experts also said that “there is no available evidence to suggest that the lives of heavily armed security forces were threatened,” and stressed that “Israel has ignored repeated demands by the international community to credibly investigate and prosecute substantial allegations of wrongful killings by its forces.”
The UN experts also said that some of “the dead and wounded were shot in “their upper bodies while at considerable distances from the Israeli forces.”
They also expressed concern at the “apparent disregard for the lives of Palestinian protesters,” noting that “willful killing or serious injury of the protected population amounts to grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
At the end of their statement, the experts reminded the government of Israel that “peaceful protest is a legitimate exercise of the rights of freedom of expression, assembly, and association,” warning that Israel, “as the occupying power, is obligated to protect and to respect the human rights of the Palestinians living in occupied Gaza.”
Earlier, Euro-Med Monitor sent letters to a number of international officials calling on them to work to ensure the safety of Palestinian protesters on the borders of the Gaza Strip and to discuss with the concerned countries ways to overcome the crisis while preserving the right of Palestinians in Gaza to peacefully protest the crippling blockade and the closure of crossings by Israel and Egypt to and out the coastal enclave.
Euro-Med Monitor called in the letter for an urgent international investigation into the killing of 30-year-old Yasser Murtaja, a Palestinian journalist and father of a child, while covering last Friday's demonstrations at the Gaza border. Murtaja was shot even though he was wearing a press vest. Video
Four UN experts, including the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, issued an urgent statement regarding the protests in Gaza, stressing that “International law sets strict prohibitions on the use of force by law enforcement officials.”
Although the organizers stressed that the protests are non-violent, Israeli snipers killed 17 demonstrators “who posed no immediate threat to the soldiers and injured about 1,340 others on March 30, 2018,” the letter said.
“To blur Israeli snipers vision, protesters have resorted last Friday, April 6, 2018, to burning tires at the borders, yet this did not protect them from Israeli snipers’ fire, with eight more shot dead, and about 700 injured, including journalist Yasser Murtaja,” the letter added.
The letter further called for necessary action and for raising the issue with the Israeli government to end the latter’s violations against Palestinians in Gaza, to immediately lift the siege, and to allow Palestinians to express their opinion without threat, killing or intimidation.
The letter also expressed hope for prompt action by contacting the Israeli authorities so that they make sure civilians are not harmed while practicing their right to peaceful protest and assembly.
In the same context, the UN experts reiterated the UN Secretary General’s call for “an investigation into Israel’s response. The experts expressed deep concern at reports that Israel’s Minister of Defense stated that there will not be any inquiry into Israel’s actions.”
The experts also said that “there is no available evidence to suggest that the lives of heavily armed security forces were threatened,” and stressed that “Israel has ignored repeated demands by the international community to credibly investigate and prosecute substantial allegations of wrongful killings by its forces.”
The UN experts also said that some of “the dead and wounded were shot in “their upper bodies while at considerable distances from the Israeli forces.”
They also expressed concern at the “apparent disregard for the lives of Palestinian protesters,” noting that “willful killing or serious injury of the protected population amounts to grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
At the end of their statement, the experts reminded the government of Israel that “peaceful protest is a legitimate exercise of the rights of freedom of expression, assembly, and association,” warning that Israel, “as the occupying power, is obligated to protect and to respect the human rights of the Palestinians living in occupied Gaza.”
Earlier, Euro-Med Monitor sent letters to a number of international officials calling on them to work to ensure the safety of Palestinian protesters on the borders of the Gaza Strip and to discuss with the concerned countries ways to overcome the crisis while preserving the right of Palestinians in Gaza to peacefully protest the crippling blockade and the closure of crossings by Israel and Egypt to and out the coastal enclave.
Marwan Qdeih, 45
Palestinian medical sources have reported, on Monday morning, that a man who was shot by Israeli army fire on March 30th, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, has succumbed to his wounds.
Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza, identified the Palestinian as Marwan Odah Qdeih, 45, from Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
He added that his death brings the number of Palestinians who were killed by the Israeli military since the “Great Return March” on March 30th, to thirty Palestinians, (excluding a farmer who was killed on his land that morning), while at least 2860 have been injured, including dozens who suffered serious wounds.
On the same day of his serious injury, the first day of massive nonviolent protests marking the Palestinian Land Day, the soldiers killed 16 Palestinians, including a farmer who was killed on his land during morning hours, hours before the protests took place.
On Friday, April 6, one of Marwan’s relatives, identified as Osama Khamis Qdeih, 38, was among seven Palestinians, including one child, who were killed by Israeli forces during protests at the Gaza-Israel border.
In related news, Dr. al-Qedra said the soldiers injured, Sunday, four Palestinian protesters east of Jabalia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and six others east of Gaza city.
On Sunday evening, Israeli soldiers shelled a Palestinian agricultural land in the Juhr Ad-Deek area, southeast of Gaza city.
Palestinian Killed By Israeli Army Fire On March 30, 2018
Mosab Zohair Salloul, 25
Sari Waleed Abu Odah , 28
Abdul-Qader al-Hawajri, 42
Jihad Zoheir Abu Jamous, 30
Bader Faeq as-Sabagh, 22
Naji Abdullah Abu Hjeir, 25
Ahmad Ibrahim Odah, 19
Jihad Ahmad Freina, 34
Hamdan Ismael Abu Amsha, 26
Mahmoud Sa’adi Rohmi, 33
Abdul-Fattah Abdul-Nabi, 18
Ibrahim Abu Sha’ar, 22
Mohammad Naim Abu Amro, 27
Amin Mansour Abu Moammar, 22
Mohammad Kamel Najjar, 25
Wahid Nasrallah Abu Sammour, 27
12 injured east of Gaza, Palestinian succumbs to his wounds
A Palestinian citizen died at dawn Monday of wounds he sustained after being shot by the Israeli occupation forces on the first Friday of the Great March of Return.
Spokesman for Gaza's Ministry of Health Ashraf al-Qedra said that Marwan Qdeih, 45, suffered from a serious injury after he was shot on 30th March when the Israeli army used lethal force to quell the Great March of Return east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
In a related context, medical sources told the PIC reporter that 12 Palestinians were injured by Israeli gunfire on Sunday while taking part in the Return protests.
With Qdeih's death, the number of Palestinians killed since the launch of the Great March of Return has increased to 32, while over 2,850 have been injured.
The Great March of Return is a major popular event where Palestinians protest peacefully along Gaza's eastern border with the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories to call for enforcing the UN resolutions related to the Palestinian refugees issue, especially Resolution 194 which provides for return or compensation.
Palestinian medical sources have reported, on Monday morning, that a man who was shot by Israeli army fire on March 30th, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, has succumbed to his wounds.
Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesperson of the Health Ministry in Gaza, identified the Palestinian as Marwan Odah Qdeih, 45, from Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
He added that his death brings the number of Palestinians who were killed by the Israeli military since the “Great Return March” on March 30th, to thirty Palestinians, (excluding a farmer who was killed on his land that morning), while at least 2860 have been injured, including dozens who suffered serious wounds.
On the same day of his serious injury, the first day of massive nonviolent protests marking the Palestinian Land Day, the soldiers killed 16 Palestinians, including a farmer who was killed on his land during morning hours, hours before the protests took place.
On Friday, April 6, one of Marwan’s relatives, identified as Osama Khamis Qdeih, 38, was among seven Palestinians, including one child, who were killed by Israeli forces during protests at the Gaza-Israel border.
In related news, Dr. al-Qedra said the soldiers injured, Sunday, four Palestinian protesters east of Jabalia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and six others east of Gaza city.
On Sunday evening, Israeli soldiers shelled a Palestinian agricultural land in the Juhr Ad-Deek area, southeast of Gaza city.
Palestinian Killed By Israeli Army Fire On March 30, 2018
Mosab Zohair Salloul, 25
Sari Waleed Abu Odah , 28
Abdul-Qader al-Hawajri, 42
Jihad Zoheir Abu Jamous, 30
Bader Faeq as-Sabagh, 22
Naji Abdullah Abu Hjeir, 25
Ahmad Ibrahim Odah, 19
Jihad Ahmad Freina, 34
Hamdan Ismael Abu Amsha, 26
Mahmoud Sa’adi Rohmi, 33
Abdul-Fattah Abdul-Nabi, 18
Ibrahim Abu Sha’ar, 22
Mohammad Naim Abu Amro, 27
Amin Mansour Abu Moammar, 22
Mohammad Kamel Najjar, 25
Wahid Nasrallah Abu Sammour, 27
12 injured east of Gaza, Palestinian succumbs to his wounds
A Palestinian citizen died at dawn Monday of wounds he sustained after being shot by the Israeli occupation forces on the first Friday of the Great March of Return.
Spokesman for Gaza's Ministry of Health Ashraf al-Qedra said that Marwan Qdeih, 45, suffered from a serious injury after he was shot on 30th March when the Israeli army used lethal force to quell the Great March of Return east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
In a related context, medical sources told the PIC reporter that 12 Palestinians were injured by Israeli gunfire on Sunday while taking part in the Return protests.
With Qdeih's death, the number of Palestinians killed since the launch of the Great March of Return has increased to 32, while over 2,850 have been injured.
The Great March of Return is a major popular event where Palestinians protest peacefully along Gaza's eastern border with the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories to call for enforcing the UN resolutions related to the Palestinian refugees issue, especially Resolution 194 which provides for return or compensation.
Israeli warplanes at dawn Monday launched two strikes on resistance posts in the northern Gaza Strip.
The PIC reporter said that two missiles were fired at a resistance site in Beit Lahia, while a third was fired at another site east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.
Panic prevailed among the Palestinian citizens living in the targeted areas and some houses were partially damaged, he added.
Israeli warplanes every now and then launch air raids on different sites in the Gaza Strip blatantly breaching the Egypt-brokered truce signed between Israel and the Palestinian resistance in 2014.
* 8 apr 2018: Haaretz: Israel may strike Hamas targets to stop border protests
The PIC reporter said that two missiles were fired at a resistance site in Beit Lahia, while a third was fired at another site east of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.
Panic prevailed among the Palestinian citizens living in the targeted areas and some houses were partially damaged, he added.
Israeli warplanes every now and then launch air raids on different sites in the Gaza Strip blatantly breaching the Egypt-brokered truce signed between Israel and the Palestinian resistance in 2014.
* 8 apr 2018: Haaretz: Israel may strike Hamas targets to stop border protests
