Palestinian man killed by tear-gas canister in Bil'in

[ProgressiveMuslim]

Date: 17 / 04 / 2009 Time: 14:09



Bethlehem - Ma'an - A Palestinian man was killed on Friday when Israeli forces opened fire on demonstrators in the West Bank village of Bil'in, near Ramallah.

Palestinian medical officials identified the man as 29-year-old Basem Ibrahim Abu Rahmeh, who had previously been listed in serious condition following a direct shot to the stomach from an Israeli fired tear-gas canister on Friday afternoon.

In a statement, Israel's military said it would investigate the incident.

Witnesses told Ma'an that the projectile was labeled "40 mm bullet, special/long range" in Hebrew, the same type of weapon that critically injured an American national, Tristan Anderson, at a demonstration on 13 March 2009, when he was shot in the head from a distance of 60 meters.

In Ni’lin, another village near Ramallah, ten protesters were injured, including an American peace activist, after Israeli forces fired rubber-coated bullets at the crowds assembled there.

http://maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=37179

[Jefferson23]

1. Yes, I'm sure they'll get right onto that investigation.

[Howardx]

2. another "accident"

how many times does it have to happen before calling it an "accident" is lying?

[grassfed]

3. murdered with same weapon that injured Tristan Anderson

Demonstrator killed in Bil’in by Israeli forces

Friday, 17 April 2009: A resident has been killed by Israeli forces during a demonstration. Basem Abu Rahme, 29 years of age, was shot in the stomach with a high-velocity tear gas projectile. The tear-gas projectile, labeled “40 mm bullet, special/long range” in Hebrew has also critically injured American national, Tristan Anderson at a demonstration in Ni’lin on 13 March 2009 when he was shot in the head from 60 meters.

Basem Abu Rahme is the 18th individual to be killed by Israeli forces during a demonstration against the Wall.

February 26th, 2004:
Muhammad Fadel Hashem Rian, age 25 and Zakaria Mahmoud ‘Eid Salem, age 28
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.

February 26th, 2004:
Abdal Rahman Abu ‘Eid, age 17
Died of a heart attack after teargas projectiles were shot into his home during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.

February 26th, 2004:
Muhammad Da’ud Saleh Badwan, age 21
Shot during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu. Muhammad died of his wounds on March 3rd 2004.

April 16th, 2004:
Hussein Mahmoud ‘Awad ‘Alian, age 17
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Betunya.

April 18th, 2004:
Diaa’ A-Din ‘Abd al-Karim Ibrahim Abu ‘Eid, age 23
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Biddu.

April 18th, 2004:
Islam Hashem Rizik Zhahran, age 14
Shot during a demonstration against the wall in Deir Abu Mash’al. Islam died of his wounds April 28th.

February 15th, 2005:
‘Alaa’ Muhammad ‘Abd a-Rahman Khalil, age 14
Shot dead while throwing stones at an Israeli vehicle driven by private security guards near the wall in Betunya.

May 4th, 2005:
Jamal Jaber Ibrahim ‘Asi, age 15 and U’dai Mufid Mahmoud ‘Asi, age 14
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Beit Liqya.

February 2nd, 2007:
Taha Muhammad Subhi al-Quljawi, age 16
Shot dead when he and two friends tried to cut the razor wire portion of the wall in the Qalandiya Refugee Camp. He was wounded in the thigh and died from loss of blood after remaining a long time in the field without being treated.

March 28th, 2007:
Muhammad Elias Mahmoud ‘Aweideh, age 15
Shot dead during a demonstration against the wall in Um a-Sharayet - Samiramis.

March 2nd, 2008:
Mahmoud Muhammad Ahmad Masalmeh, age 15
Shot when trying to cut the razor wire portion of the wall in Beit Awwa.

July 29th, 2008:
Ahmed Husan Youssef Mousa, age 10
Killed while he and several friends tried to remove coils of razor wire from land belonging to the village.

July 30th, 2008:
Youssef Ahmed Younes Amirah, age 17
Shot in the head with rubber coated bullets during a demonstration against the wall in Ni’lin. Youssef died of his wounds August 4th 2008.

December 28th, 2009:
Arafat Khawaja, age 22
Shot in the back with live ammunition in Ni’lin during a demonstration against Israel’s assault on Gaza.

December 28th, 2009:
Mohammad Khawaja, age 20:
Shot in the head with live ammunition during a demonstration in Ni’lin against Israel’s assault on Gaza. Mohammad died in the hospital on December 31st 2009.

http://palsolidarity.org/2009/04/6185

http://imemc.org/article/60009

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. 18 nonviolent protestors killed by IOF in Ni'lin thus far.

http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2009/04/30yearold-palestinian-resident-of-bilin-killed-in-weekly-nonviolent-protest-against-the-wall.html

[henank]

5. No such thing as IOF

Your biases are showing.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

6. No such thing as the Israeli Occupation Force? Really?

What do you call the tens of thousands who report for duty to implement/preserve/extend Israeli's military occupation of the WB?

How is IOF more "biased" than IDF? They're not "defenders" to the people who were shot in Bi'lin, that's for sure.

I guess it depends on which side of the gun you're standing.

[henank]

7. Doesn't matter what your opinion is.

The name of the Israeli army is Israel Defence Forces - IDF. There is no such body as the IOF.

[Violet_Crumble]

11. And it doesn't matter what yrs is, either...

No-one's trying to argue that the official name of Israel's military is the IOF, yet yr acting as though they are. Surely yr not trying to insist that people must use the official title? Because if you are, that's lame. For the Palestinians in the West Bank, it is an occupation force, and if they want to call it what it is, then I've got no problem with that. In fact, the only folk who would have problems are those who support the occupation, and who in fact would try and argue that the West Bank isn't occupied, but *disputed* or even worse claim that it's rightfully Israels territory...

[oberliner]

8. That is a lie

The 2004 protests were not non-violent. Several Israeli security forces were injured.

Check the BBC reports from the February and April 2004 protests. There are images of protesters throwing stones. There is no way they can be categorized as "non-violent".

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. which protesters listed above do you have ANY evidence were committing violence?

The fact still remains that this protest was taking place in Occupied Palestinian Territory. No Israeli soldiers had any business being there in the first place and they were enabling illegal land confiscation from its rightful owners and other illegal activities in clear violation of international law. It is not their country and it is not their land. The protesters have every natural right to defend their country and their land from foreign aggression.

But I must say Oberliner, for someone who claims to support the two-state solution, you sure never let the occupation down - never.

[Violet_Crumble]

12. Yes, I'd like to see Oberliner's evidence of that as well... n/t

[oberliner]

13. I am completely opposed to the occupation and I want it to end

I think the IDF was wrong to respond to the protesters in the manner that they did and continue to do.

However, to refer to them as "non-violent protesters" is just not true.

Here is an excerpt from a NY Times report of the first incident listed:

February 24, 2004:

Here in Biddu, a village just a few miles northwest of Jerusalem, hundreds of protesting Palestinians filled a narrow street. They turned a car on its side and hurled stones at Israeli forces from behind it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/27/world/2-palestinians-are-killed-dozens-wounded-clashes-with-israeli-troops-over.html?scp=8&sq=israel&st=nyt

Assuming the New York Times is not lying, would you really characterize that as a non-violent protest?

[Douglas Carpenter]

14. Most protest that erupt into violence - even large demonstrations in the West

will have a majority that is nonviolent and a small handful that are violent. We have seen that over and over again with the various anti-globalization demonstrations at the various world economic summits. Fortunately in spite of far worse violence from a minority of those anti-globalization protesters, we have not seen many deaths - I would say none - but I am not absolutely certain of that. We have seen brutal police tactics, but I am unaware of any use of deadly force against even the most violent demonstrators at these affairs.

PM referred to the 18 protesters who were killed by the IDF as nonviolent protesters. You said her statement was a lie. Do you have any evidence that those 18 protesters were violent and that PM is lying?

Even so, using deadly and lethal force against unarmed protesters on stolen and occupied land for the purpose of enabling the theft of land from its rightful owners - even against rock throwers - is still a crime.

But, are you seriously claiming the Israeli military has not shot unarmed nonviolent protesters?

Irish Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire Shot With Rubber Bullet by Israeli Military at Nonviolent Protest

We turn now to Israel and the Occupied Territories. Israeli forces have killed eight Palestinians over the past two days including a 17-year-old girl and a Palestinian police officer. Meanwhile Israeli troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas at a non-violent protest against the separation wall near the West Bank village of Bilin. Several protesters were injured including the Nobel Peace laureate Mairead Maguire who was shot with a rubber bullet. Mairead has just returned to Ireland.

Mairead Maguire, Irish Nobel Peace Prize winner.

watch/listen via online streaming or download or read transcript:

http://www.democracynow.org/2007/4/23/irish_nobel_peace_laureate_mairead_maguire


AMY GOODMAN: Can you tell us what happened?

MAIREAD MAGUIRE: Yes. I was invited with my friend to attend a nonviolent conference in Bilin, a village outside Ramallah, and to give a talk there, which I did. At the end of the conference, we were invited to participate in a nonviolent demonstration with some of the Palestinian members of parliament, including Dr. Barghouti, and Israeli peace activists and local villagers and international visitors from over several hundred countries so—or several hundred international peace activists from over twenty countries.

We walked along to try to walk up toward the separation wall, and it was a totally nonviolent protest. And we were viciously attacked by the Israeli military. They threw gas canisters into the peace walkers, and they also fired rubber-covered steel bullets. As I tried to move back and helping a French lady, I was shot in the leg with a rubber-covered steel bullet, and the young Israeli soldier who shot me was only twenty meters from me. I was stunned by it, and then later on, after having some treatment by the ambulance medics, I went back down to the front line with the peace activists, and we were again showered with gas. I was overcome and had a severe nosebleed and had to be taken by stretcher to the ambulance and treated.

And I witnessed there a Palestinian woman, maybe around in her sixties, and an old Palestinian man with blood on his face. These were over twenty-five unarmed peace people who had been viciously attacked by the Israeli military. And it was a completely peaceful protest. It was absolutely unbelievable. I never in all my years of activism witnessed anything so vicious as from the Israeli military.

for complete interview:

http://www.democracynow.org/2007/4/23/irish_nobel_peace_laureate_mairead_maguire

[oberliner]

16. Here is eyewitness testimony from a Palestinian as reported to B'Tselem

This in reference to U’dai Mufid Mahmoud ‘Asi who was killed during a demonstration on May 5, 2005 and is on the list that was linked to by the poster who claimed that they were all non-violent protesters.

Excerpt:

I saw my neighbor, 'Udai Mufid 'Asi, who was fourteen, standing about ten meters to the east of me. He threw stones and was exposed. I shouted at him to hide behind the rocks, because the soldier was firing right at him. He ignored me and continued to throw stones and chase after the soldiers.

http://www.btselem.org/english/testimonies/20050504_Death_of_Udai_Asi_Witness_Mouhammad_Asi.asp

Therefore, it is a lie to claim that this person was a non-violent protester based on this eye-witness account stating that this person was throwing rocks and chasing after the soldiers.

[Douglas Carpenter]

18. okay it is likely that this one little 14-year-old boy threw some stones

this hardly exonerates the IDF for killing him and 17 others or makes PM's statement a categorical lie.

A few children helped me pick up 'Udai, who was bleeding the whole way, and put him into the ambulance. As I was running, I saw some of the kids put another wounded person into the ambulance. They laid him on the stretcher....

We took Jamal out of the ambulance and two doctors attached him to a device to monitor his pulse and gave him artificial respiration. They pressed down on his chest to resuscitate him. The doctors continued to treat him in an attempt to save his life. Five minutes later, they pronounced him dead. We covered Jamal, who was taken by ambulance to the hospital in Ramallah. I went home, and about fifteen minutes later, a villager came by and told me that 'Uda had died.

http://www.btselem.org/english/testimonies/20050504_Death_of_Udai_Asi_Witness_Mouhammad_Asi.asp

[oberliner]

19. He was not the only one

The statement that the 18 people on the list were non-violent protesters is clearly a lie as evidenced by the example I've provided.

If you are interested in learning more about the circumstances around the deaths of the people on the list, there is information available online. I am confident that you will discover that some of the other people on the list also threw rocks at soldiers.

I make no argument whatsoever in favor of exonerating anyone.

[Douglas Carpenter]

20. never mind, once again you are just playing games and trying to muddy the waters and minimize

the utter brutality of the occupation. Making excuses for killing little kids who may very well have thrown some stones at a brutal military force that is stealing their land in occupied territory is simply disgusting.

What you are doing is not honesty and it is certainly not moral and it most definitely does not advance the two-state solution or any solution for a lasting peace.

[oberliner]

21. You asked me for evidence and I provided that evidence

I minimize nothing - I muddy no waters - I make no excuses for anyone. I oppose the occupation. I support peaceful attempts to protest the occupation. I condemn the use of deadly force by IDF soldiers against Palestinians. I especially lament the deaths of children.

There is nothing immoral about correcting misinformation which is all that I did in this case. There is a difference between shooting people who are peacefully protesting and shooting people who are throwing rocks at you.

That you find my correcting incorrect claims to be "disgusting" is very bizarre to me especially considering the fact that you asked me to provide you with evidence.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

22. The interesting thing is that for someone who claims to oppose the occupation

most of your energy is spent defending it and minimizing its casualties.

Do you believe 14 year old stone throwers are "violent resisters?"

[oberliner]

25. Never once have I defended the occupation

I spend a lot of energy correcting the misinformation that sometimes makes its way into these discussions because it frustrates me.

Throwing rocks at people is violent, yes.

Try throwing some rocks at a police officer at a protest in the US and let me know how that works out for you.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

28. Do you think you'd be shot dead? I sure don't.

And since you're so opposed to misinformation, let's be clear that a police officer patrolling US citizens in the US is not analogous to a military person who implements an illegal military occupation of civilians in Palestine.

[oberliner]

29. If your protest took place in Occupied Iraq you very well might

Let's keep the analogy as accurate as possible and say that you are an Iraqi citizen protesting the illegal occupation of Iraq by US soldiers and you do so by throwing rocks at a US MP who is patrolling an area that is off-limits to you. And let's say that you are engaging in this rock throwing along with a few dozen others. How do you see things transpiring from there?

Edit to add:

Look, here is my point.

If you were to argue that a Palestinian has every right to throw a rock at an Israeli soldier or that responding to rock throwing with lethal force is unconscionable that would certainly be a fair argument.

However, there is no way that you can claim that throwing a rock at a soldier is a "non-violent protest" - that is just patently false.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

33. You asked about a cop in the US. I answered and pointed out how lousy a comparison that was.

Do you think firing live ammo, or rubber bullets or tear gas cannisters such that they result in death is an appropriate response to teen rock throwers?

[oberliner]

34. The point was not to draw a comparison but to suggest that throwing a rock is a violent act

In response to your question, I do not think firing live ammo or rubber bullets is an appropriate response to teen rock throwers. Tear gas might be an appropriate method to disperse a crowd of people throwing rocks assuming that the tear gas canisters were not aimed directly at any individuals.

Will you concede that throwing a rock is not consistent with being a non-violent protester?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

37. No, I don't classify throwing rocks at armed soliders in tanks as "violent"

It's David and Goliath to me.

Do you consider the protestors at Ni'lin violent? If so, does that mean there is any form of acceptable resistance for you? Not rockets, not occassional rocks, not BDS?

[oberliner]

40. They were not armed soldiers in tanks - please read the B'Tselem eyewitness account

I posted it elsewhere in the thread. The Palestinian witness clearly indicates that the person was chasing the Israeli soldiers on foot and throwing rocks at them.

You do not consider this to be a violent protest?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

43. Too bad you don't devote the same copious energy to Israeli war crimes as you do to

clarify that 2 or 3 of 18 kids killed threw rocks first.

Think how different the world would be if progressive zionists held Israel to account.

For the record, violent or not, I am not the least upset by Palestinians throwing rocks at Israeli occupation forces.

[oberliner]

46. Very little energy required

Read a statement that was untrue and stated as much. Found evidence when asked to provide it. Almost no energy and very little time needed.

The real energy is expended outside of message-board land.

[shira]

30. some people can't be bothered with facts. Fiction is better.

it sounds better if the "IOF" kills unarmed, non-violent protesters.

It muddies the water if the headline reads that violent rock-throwing, molotav cocktail tossing, slingshot zinging Palestinians were killed by IDF troops in response.

You should have read the memo.

ps
Non-violent demonstrations that turn violent elsewhere in Europe or the USA frequently turn tragic when stormtroopers in their jackbootsgood policeman respond in force. But only in Israel is the response viewed as evil and deliberate.

[Douglas Carpenter]

35. what is bizarre is for someone to claim with a straight-face that they support the two-state

solution and to endlessly propagandize against it.

You do this constantly.

Again, are you seriously claiming that Israel does not shoot unarmed, nonviolent demonstrates and has not done so on numerous occasions?

This is hardly the first time you have with the most one-sided and partisan sophistry used crass manipulation to obscure the realties of the situation with arguments meant to undermine pressure on Israel - It is extremely deceitful and I suspect intentionally so - to claim one supports the two-state solution while trying hard to make sure it will not happen.

Just like the report from Juan Cole about Avigdor Lieberman's threat to bomb the Aswan Dam - Dr. Cole reported what numerous Israeli sources had also reported that this threat was made because of Egyptian President Mubarak's support for the late Yasser Arafat. Other sources said this threat was made because Avigdor Lieberman feared a coordinated attack from Egypt and Iraq. If the latter was the case, that is even more bat-shit crazy - if Lieberman thinks Egypt was coordinating an attack with Iraq against Israel. That is way beyond plausibility. To suggest that was a conceivable possibility would be stark raving insane. The Egyptian military is so closely tied to the U.S. Central Command and the Egyptian government is so closely linked to the U.S. government that it would take a completely insane lunatic to cook up a scenario that bazaar.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x269037#269204

No, it does not change the picture one bit - either way there is now a racist and paranoid madman serving as Israeli Foreign Minister who once publicly threatened to bomb the Aswan Dam which could have cost the lives of millions of Egyptian people - a country closely allied with the United States and at peace with Israel.

Neither does it change the picture one little bit if the IDF shot some completely nonviolent demonstrates along with some little kids throwing stones against a brutal military force that was stealing their land.

You can claim you support the two-state solution all you want and even claim you are against the occupations - but, until you show at least some tiny hint of empathy for the victims of occupation and serious disapproval of the outrages of the occupier - without constantly trying to minimize - your sophistry and crass manipulation leads me to conclude that I just just don't believe you, anymore. I just don't believe you - anymore.

[oberliner]

36. There is no sophistry and no crass manipulation - just a very straightforward correction

Someone posted that 18 non-violent protesters have been killed.

I claimed that was not true - that the protesters were not all non-violent.

You asked for evidence of my claim.

I provided said evidence.

That's it.

[Violet_Crumble]

38. No you didn't...

You didn't provide any evidence at all about all 18 victims on the list were violent. Telling people to go google for it isn't good enough when you make a claim that they were being violent when they were killed. You claimed the list was a lie, so the onus is on you to back up what you say, Oberliner...

*Disgusting* is too strong a word for what I felt, but I did find it a little bit weird when it came to priorities that you elected to focus on yr unsubstantiated claim that it's a lie that they were non-violent protesters rather than express any concern whatsoever that so many people have been killed in these protests...

[oberliner]

41. You may have missed my post with the transcript from B'Tselem

It is in Reply #16

It contains testimony from a Palestinian eye-witness who states that Udai Mufid Asi (one of the protesters who was on the list of the 18) was throwing stones at the soldiers.

The B'Tselem eyewitness testimony transcript was the evidence that I was talking about.

Do you accept that evidence as accurate and do you believe that chasing soldiers and throwing stones at them disqualifies a person from being a non-violent protester?

If so, then you ought to accept my statement that it is a lie to claim that 18 non-violent protesters were killed by Israeli forces in Ni'lin.

In any case, I don't see how you can state that I did not provide any evidence at all as I would argue that the eye witness report from B'Tselem does constitute evidence (unless you missed that post).

Also note that I do not claim that none of the people on the list were non-violent protesters, just that not all of them were.

[azurnoir]

44. What you are doing is justifying

IDF shooting people to death for throwing rocks do you find anything "immoral" about that, being killed for throwing a rock?

[oberliner]

47. I justified nothing

If someone wants to claim that shooting at someone throwing a rock is immoral then I would offer no argument against that.

I only dispute the claim that someone throwing rocks at a soldier is a non-violent protester.

[grassfed]

42. thanks for the video link - important interview

video http://www.democracynow.org/2007/4/23/irish_nobel_peace_laureate_mairead_maguire

[IndianaGreen]

23. Sure you are... by enabling it!

Occupation enablers are what have kept American public opinion confused about the 24/7 terrorism that is the Occupation of Palestine.

[oberliner]

27. No idea what you are talking about

I have been actively working for a two-state solution and an end to the occupation for quite some time.

Your ridiculous hyperbolic comments are doing a lot more to enable the occupation then you probably realize.

Rhetoric like yours goes a long way towards alienating most Americans who might be inclined to be more supportive of the Palestinian cause.

[shira]

31. they want you to admit you're lying....you don't want peace, 2-states, etc..

simplifies things for them.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

15. Any reaction to the shooting this week, Oberliner?

[oberliner]

17. Very sad - ridiculous overreaction by the person who fired the tear gas cannister

Hopefully the soldier will be held accountable for his actions.

[IndianaGreen]

24. What you characterized as a 'ridiculous overreaction' is called cold blooded murder

Part of the Orwellian language used to rationalize the Occupation. Even the IDF disagrees with your characterization:

Israel Defense Forces sources said Saturday a tear gas canister that killed a Palestinian demonstrator Friday at a protest against the West Bank separation fence was likely fired in violation of orders.

<snip>

IDF officials who investigated the incident found the Armored Corps soldier who fired the canister apparently aimed directly at Abu Rahmeh from a distance of a mere few dozen meters.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x271868

[oberliner]

26. If that is the case then that is what he should be charged with

Has there been an investigation yet?

[shira]

32. Agreed - that's murder if the facts are as reported by Haaretz

[ProgressiveMuslim]

39. You should watch the video. Very instructive.

http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2009/04/new-york-times-quotes-israeli-militarys-false-account-of-bilin-killing-even-though-video-evidence-sh.html

[ProgressiveMuslim]

45. Hopefully, the decent people who demonstrated in Tel Aviv against this heinous act

will force one.

Who knows though. WTF... it's just an Arab.

[Douglas Carpenter]

9. Here is the video of the IDF shooting Bassem Ibrahim Abu Rahmah:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_doUOCJI12s&feature=player_embedded

Thanks to Phillip Weiss for posting this on:

http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2009/04/new-york-times-quotes-israeli-militarys-false-account-of-bilin-killing-even-though-video-evidence-sh.html

"In the video the soldiers are strolling about casually, not ducking rocks. There's no rock throwing visible. The troops are not behaving like they perceive themselves to be under threat."