Related: Israel killed Mustafa Tamimi – Overview | The Funeral – in pictures
CONTINUOUS UPDATES
Dec 23, 2011
As media reports, and Tzahal confirmed the use of live ammunition, type 0,22 caliber ammunition was used, which is by no means legally allowed for crowd control nor riot dispersal means. The Ruger rifle, which was used today, shoots the 0.22″ munition, was banned in 2001.
This shows us the Israeli army has no intention at all to “CONTROL” a demo.
- While a whole unit and Israeli police present shooting a lot of gas already for over an hour while no violence was done at all besides “chanting”
- After gassings and causing several suffocation victims the rockthrowing started which could easily been suppressed by the same gas if Israeli Army would like to but they choose to throw in the sniper.
- In the live updates below, Captain Barak Raz is weakening his case about the alleged dangerous stone where he states ” he’s ok but bc of protective helmet and face shield – that’s what keep our forces safe “
- Immediately Major Lerner endorses this statement of Barak Raz by retweeting the tweet
- Actually we can say that no conditions nor army protocol can be applied if there is serious life endangering situation causing the need to use live ammunition, in this case as the Captain and endorsement by the Major clearly reveal.
- Yet, without a life threatening danger, they choose the unlawful sniper using forbidden weaponry: Ruger & ammunition (in this case)
- In a second violation of Israeli Military rules of engagement and UN Basic principles, a tear gas canister was shot directly at a journalist’s leg.
Regarding today’s first victim which was shot with live ammunition: A Sniper aiming at a thigh is aiming for the femoral artery. Pressure in the femoral artery (as displayed in the image on the right) is the second strongest bloodpressure after aorta and can cause death within minutes due to bleeding until spraying bleeding. Shooting in a leg is less ‘obvious’ than in the heart region, but can be as deadly.
The second attack concerning the journalist: Attacks on press are more a policy nowadays than a rarity, in the Category Journalism/Press on this blog you can find over 100 articles covered by media about the structural attacks on press, journalists, photographers, tweeps. They get assaulted, shot, detained, beaten and their equipment ransacked or confiscated. For Israel by all means tries to prevent, truth reaches you. In a previous blogpost I wrote about how Israel silences or tries to hide this and all facts, about the atrocities of occupation and violence towards Palestinians (or all those supporting them too). Read: “Truth does not matter Israel at all. Buttons do. To Mute.”
Legal context of Riot Dispersal
Article 14 of the UN Basic Principles provides:
“In the dispersal of violent assemblies, law enforcement officials may use firearms only when less dangerous means are not practicable and only to the minimum extent necessary.”
It is very clear that Israel not chooses to control but is using riot dispersal ammunition in forbidden ways (like in the killing of Mustafa Tamimi by aiming directly at protesters, secondly directly at the head, thirdly in close range) while the soldier in this case also was wearing a helmet of which both army men say it protects, but above all, the shooting soldier was sitting in an armored jeep.
The use of live ammunition by a sniper hitting for the femoral artery is not even close to “minimum extent necessary” it is literally an attempted manslaught.
According to army protocol and rules of engagement state, as well as mentioned before a violation as well for there had not been a life threatening situation which both men confirmed. While the same army and especially the commander in control giving the order, having this knowledge and against army protocols or law and rule ignoring, deliberate deploys snipers and give order to shoot who know exactly where to hit a person to get the most lethal impact is despicable while “minimum extent” and rules of engagement only allow aiming (if necessary!!) at the lower legpart. But such did not happen today in Nabi Saleh the protester was deliberately shot in the upperleg.
More appaling are the two tweets of the captain and the major confirming their “troops are safe” with the helmet/gear and in fact the whole murder of Mustafa Tamimi was baseless as ever. It’s beyond comprehension so see the army confirming safety & no life threats from a stone, while just 2 weeks ago a man lost his life for the same reason: just being present at a demo, posing no factual risk at all.
Aside, from several regulations and higher International laws, Israel keeps violating inalienable Human Rights of Palestinians. In crescendo as well. There has to come a turn to these developments before more people get wounded, or worse loose their lives only because Israel decides to stand above those laws.
This is why I urge all to share this post as widely as possible around your relatives, friends and social networks to create awareness. Also to send it to your representatives, embassies and/or consulates and demand action.
Below additional reporting of the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee with more historical facts about the use of ammunition, casualties and (legal) background. Underneath the article of PSCC the live blogged tweets as they happened.
Live Sniper-Fire Injures Protester in Nabi Saleh
PSCC | Dec 23, 2011
Follow @PSCC_Palestine
Protester evacuated after being shot with live ammo in Nabi Saleh today. Picture credit: Oren Ziv/ActiveStills
Two weeks after the killing of Mustafa Tamimi during a demonstration in the village, an Israeli sniper shot a protester with live 0.22″ caliber ammunition, banned for crowd control purposes.
Earlier today, an Israeli military sniper opened fire at demonstrators in the village of Nabi Saleh, injuring one in the thigh. The wounded protester was evacuated by a Red Crescent ambulance to the Salfit hospital. The incident takes place only two weeks after the fatal shooting of Mustafa Tamimi at the very same spot. Additionally, a Palestinian journalist was injured in his leg by a tear-gas projectile shot directly at him, and two Israeli protesters were arrested.
The protester was hit by 0.22″ caliber munitions, which military regulations forbid using in the dispersal of demonstrations. Late in 2001, Judge Advocate General, Menachem Finkelstein, reclassified 0.22” munitions as live ammunition, and specifically forbade its use as a crowd control means. The reclassification was decided upon following numerous deaths of Palestinian demonstrators, mostly children.
Despite this fact, the Israeli military resumed using the 0.22” munitions to disperse demonstrations in the West Bank in the wake of Operation Cast Lead. Since then at least two Palestinian demonstrators have been killed by 0.22” fire:
- Az a-Din al-Jamal, age 14, was killed on 13 February 2009, in Hebron,
- Aqel Sror, age 35, was killed on 5 June 2009, in Ni’lin.
Following the death of Aqel Srour, JAG Brig. Gen. Avichai Mandelblit reasserted that 0.22” munitions “are not classified by the IDF as means for dispersing demonstrations or public disturbances. The rules for use of these means in Judea and Samaria are stringent, and comparable to the rules for opening fire with ‘live’ ammunition.”
Contrary to the army’s official position, permissive use of 0.22” munitions against demonstrators continues in non life-threatening situations.
Background
Late in 2009, settlers began gradually taking over Ein al-Qaws (the Bow Spring), which rests on lands belonging to Bashir Tamimi, the head of the Nabi Saleh village council. The settlers, abetted by the army, erected a shed over the spring, renamed it Maayan Meir, after a late settler, and began driving away Palestinians who came to use the spring by force – at times throwing stones or even pointing guns at them, threatening to shoot.
While residents of Nabi Saleh have already endured decades of continuous land grab and expulsion to allow for the ever continuing expansion of the Halamish settlement, the takeover of the spring served as the last straw that lead to the beginning of the village’s grassroots protest campaign of weekly demonstrations in demand for the return of their lands.
Protest in the tiny village enjoys the regular support of Palestinians from surrounding areas, as well as that of Israeli and international activists. Demonstrations in Nabi Saleh are also unique in the level of women participation in them, and the role they hold in all their aspects, including organizing. Such participation, which often also includes the participation of children reflects the village’s commitment to a truly popular grassroots mobilization, encompassing all segments of the community.
The response of the Israeli military to the protests has been especially brutal and includes regularly laying complete siege on village every Friday, accompanied by the declaration of the entire village, including the built up area, as a closed military zone. Prior and during the demonstrations themselves, the army often completely occupies the village, in effect enforcing an undeclared curfew. Military nighttime raids and arrest operations are also a common tactic in the army’s strategy of intimidation, often targeting minors.
In order to prevent the villagers and their supporters from exercising their fundamental right to demonstrate and march to their lands, soldiers regularly use disproportional force against the unarmed protesters. The means utilized by the army to hinder demonstrations include, but are not limited to, the use of tear-gas projectiles, banned high-velocity tear-gas projectiles, rubber-coated bullets and, at times, even live ammunition.
The use of such practices have already caused countless injuries, several of them serious, including those of children – the most serious of which is that of 14 year-old Ehab Barghouthi, who was shot in the head with a rubber-coated bullet from short range on March 5th, 2010 and laid comatose in the hospital for three weeks.
Tear-gas, as well as a foul liquid called “The Skunk”, which is shot from a water cannon, is often used inside the built up area of the village, or even directly pointed into houses, in a way that allows no refuge for the uninvolved residents of the village, including children and the elderly. The interior of at least one house caught fire and was severely damaged after soldiers shot a tear-gas projectile through its windows.
Since December 2009, when protest in the village was sparked, hundreds of demonstration-related injuries caused by disproportionate military violence have been recorded in Nabi Saleh.
Between January 2010 and June 2011, the Israeli Army has carried 76 arrests of people detained for 24 hours or more on suspicions related to protest in the village of Nabi Saleh, including those of women and of children as young as 11 years old. Of the 76, 18 were minors. Dozens more were detained for shorter periods.
Live blogged updates from twitter
https://twitter.com/#!/palyouthvoice/status/150165974656618496
https://twitter.com/#!/palyouthvoice/status/150166116046618628
Than Barak Raz contradicts himself stating first there is no real danger regarding the distance they take position while keeping distance, obvious he is telling a lie here too by the way, but in his second tweet he says residents and troops in danger. Residents and protesters are structurally targeted, and if you look into this blogs section of videos you will find many examples they even target houses.
The systematically procedure of IOF turning every non violent demo into a violent one can be witnessed in several other live blogged demos here
https://twitter.com/#!/Romania_Pal/status/150184492924022784
https://twitter.com/#!/Romania_Pal/status/150186284793610240
Than Maj Lerner says:
Totally ignoring that IOF already for over an hour is gassing NON violent protesters
Captain Barak Raz confirming here there is no real danger from a stone, because the gear keeps the soldiers safe. and the Major endorsing this statement by retweet
https://twitter.com/#!/MariamBarghouti/status/150195205197414400
https://twitter.com/#!/MariamBarghouti/status/150197004444766208
https://twitter.com/#!/MariamBarghouti/status/150199922669535234
https://twitter.com/#!/MariamBarghouti/status/150200871135879168
Over an hour after they started gassing
https://twitter.com/#!/palyouthvoice/status/150213210979577856
https://twitter.com/#!/palyouthvoice/status/150213673711976448
https://twitter.com/#!/JumanaJaber/status/150214690801328128
https://twitter.com/#!/dalsaafin/status/150215452428222464
https://twitter.com/#!/palyouthvoice/status/150215783555932161
https://twitter.com/#!/palyouthvoice/status/150216368892018688
Video
Pictures
Photography of other demos across the West Bank – Dec 23, 2011
Weekly Demonstration – NabiSaleh – Dec. 23, 2011 (continuous updates)
Weekly Demonstration – Bil’in – Dec 23, 2011 (continuous updates)
Weekly Demonstration – Al-Ma’sara – Dec. 23, 2011 (continuous updates)
Weekly demonstration – Kufr Qaddum – Dec. 23, 2011 (continuous updates)
Weekly Demonstration – Qalandiya – Dec 23, 2011 (continuous updates)
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 20(1) “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association”
Rights & Law
- The Palestinian Right of Self-Defense
- United Nations Overwhelmingly affirms Palestine Right to Self Determination
- Palestinian right to fight occupation not only moral, but legal as well~ by @myaguarnieri
In Media
- Protester injured by live fire in Nabi Saleh | +972 Magazine | Dec 23, 2011
- Live sniper-fire injures protester in Nabi Saleh | ISM | Dec 23, 2011
- “Palestinian Exhibition to Document the Crimes of the Occupation” Interview Ibrahim Bornat