21/07/2008 / ISRAEL
We launched
the programme "Shooting Back"
a year ago, and have since given out around 100 cameras to Palestinians living
in the Hebron area.
However, it wasn't one of our cameras that was used by the girl who filmed this
incident. She got the footage to us with the help of expats living in the Palestinian Territories. She had tried to give it directly
to the press, but they didn't broadcast it. It wasn't until after we aired it,
after verification, that they did too.
I was on my
balcony when it started, about 50m from my house. I'm in the habit of filming
short videos for the web, as we're often witness to scenes of harassment here
in Nilin. Ashraf Abou Rahmé's from Baalin, the neighbouring village. When the
gun went off, I screamed and my brother took the camera. We were scared of
becoming the Israeli's target ourselves so we went inside. That's why the video
cuts after the gunshot and starts again about a minute later."
Our village
has lost 140 dunams of land (140,000m²), four water wells and 500 olive trees
because of this wall. The villagers were peacefully protesting when the Israeli
soldiers arrested Ashraf Abou Rahmé, then shot him from above. Luckily my
sister was filming the scene - with a camera that would normally be used for
end of year parties - because all local and international press is banned from
entering our village."
A damning video for the Israeli Army
A scene of shocking brutality on the part of the Israeli Army emerged yesterday, in a video filmed by a Palestinian teenager. The amateur footage shows an Israeli soldier firing a rubber bullet at a Palestinian protestor barely a metre away. According to the NGO who got hold of the video, Israeli authorities then tried to cover up the blunder.
The incident happened in the town of Nilin, northwest of Jerusalem, around two weeks ago. The victim, Palestinian protestor Ashraf Abu Rahman, 27, was demonstrating against the construction of the West Bank barrier, which will cut off his village from its farm land. Bound and blindfolded, he was shot in the foot with a rubber bullet, but later released. After the video was made public, the soldier responsible was arrested for interrogation by the Israeli police. The Observers is publishing accounts from a senior member the NGO who collected and published the video, B'Tselem, and the young Palestinians who filmed the confrontation.
"Without this video, no enquiry would have been opened"
Sarit Michaeli runs the communication department of the NGO B'Tselem
We launched
the programme "Shooting Back"
a year ago, and have since given out around 100 cameras to Palestinians living
in the Hebron area.
However, it wasn't one of our cameras that was used by the girl who filmed this
incident. She got the footage to us with the help of expats living in the Palestinian Territories. She had tried to give it directly
to the press, but they didn't broadcast it. It wasn't until after we aired it,
after verification, that they did too.
This film is extremely important because it shows that the Israeli Army is used to covering up this kind of thing. There was a lieutenant there when the bullet was fired! These kinds of bullets shouldn't be fired at a distance below 14 metres because they can be fatal. But as we can see, without this video, no enquiry would have been opened.
This is the first video we've seen with the Israeli Army committing a blunder [see the videos here]. The videos we've released so far have shown settlers being violent."
"We're often witness to scenes of harassment here"
Salam Jamal Kanaan, 17, filmed the scene from her balcony. Her brother, Mohammed Kanaan, took hold of the camera after the gunshot.
Salam:
I was on my
balcony when it started, about 50m from my house. I'm in the habit of filming
short videos for the web, as we're often witness to scenes of harassment here
in Nilin. Ashraf Abou Rahmé's from Baalin, the neighbouring village. When the
gun went off, I screamed and my brother took the camera. We were scared of
becoming the Israeli's target ourselves so we went inside. That's why the video
cuts after the gunshot and starts again about a minute later."
Mohammed:
Our village
has lost 140 dunams of land (140,000m²), four water wells and 500 olive trees
because of this wall. The villagers were peacefully protesting when the Israeli
soldiers arrested Ashraf Abou Rahmé, then shot him from above. Luckily my
sister was filming the scene - with a camera that would normally be used for
end of year parties - because all local and international press is banned from
entering our village."
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A beast long past caring
Submitted by Sean LeBas on Tue, 22/07/2008 - 01:07.The time when American viewers, pro-zionist or not, could morally respond to this sort of absurd abuse seems well over.
The spectacular militarization of our society has left us numb, "dazed and confused."
Obviously, we'll put up with anything. Just don't unplug the TV!
Sean LeBas
Shooting of youth
Submitted by Terry Bateman (not verified) on Tue, 22/07/2008 - 00:19.I have to agree the shooting of this young man in the manner in which it was done is unacceptable. I am glad you all have brought this to the internet so many can view it. As is the case of you giving out the camera's it seems you all are one sided. You all want nothing but negative actions against Israel. What about the destruction the members of Hamas, Hezabulah and PLO have done against the people of Israel. Where is this reported on your site? If you are as good as you claim you will report the news as you receive it and see it. Not just one sides story. Where is all the rockets that are fired daily inside Israel and the driver of the loader who run people down, killing and hurting many. Where did you report this? I gave you credit for the above report because you did report something folks needed to see, but you all need to tell and show Israel's side also. Maybe you should give young boys and girls in Israel 100 camera's and let then film stories of the things being done to them by those groups who hate and wish them dead. Report it as you see it. Do not be onesided and water the news down like the big news groups do. You all are better then that.
Unregistered user
peace be upon you dude you
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 23/07/2008 - 04:01.peace be upon you dude
you are talking about one sided media? for god's sake the whole media around the world is one sided.the only need is for the other side to be showed.you are requesting cameras for israeli childeren well tell you what. If you want to give them cameras then give the other side food and life! you are asking for a balance i am too.open your eyes see the truth. the people you are talking about are defending their own land ...their olive trees their water...watch the vedios again see who is in the higher side and you will know who is wrong and who is right...open your eyes enough with the lies...people in gaza are dying of hunger and thirst and you are talking about balance? which balance is that...give them a country and lets talk about balance...feed the childern let them live in peace..give them cameras so we can see the truth from the other side...enough said!
Unregistered user
Video of brutality by Israeli soldier
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 21/07/2008 - 23:35.Hopefully, as video technology gets more compact and easier to disseminate, it becomes harder and harder for state sponsors of violence to defend their actions to the wider world.
Unregistered user
Sarit, you write that "this
Submitted by Roi Ben-Yehuda on Mon, 21/07/2008 - 22:06.Sarit, you write that "this is the first video we've seen with the Israeli Army committing a blunder", what about the following?
http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20080516-pro-palestine-protesto...
Roi Ben-Yehuda