Video: IDF officer beats activist with M-16 rifle

[Scurrilous]

Video uploaded by Palestinians shows lieutenant-colonel beating foreign activist in the face with his weapon. One activist says victim is Danish citizen who required stitches. IDF: Thorough investigation ordered

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4216354,00.html

<snip>

"Palestinians and leftist activists are claiming that a high-ranking IDF officer beat a foreign activist with his weapon in an incident documented in a youtube video. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit described the incident as "serious" and noted that a full and thorough investigation had been ordered.

According to the activists, the event took place on Saturday when a group of Palestinians and left-wing activists were riding bicycles together in the Jordan Valley. They claimed that the IDF had prevented them from traveling on Route 90 and that the ride was in protest of the ban.

According to the activists, some 20 minutes into the ride, they were stopped by an IDF force. They claim they had tried to resume the ride in a non-violent manner but were assaulted by the soldiers. At this point, the video shows an IDF officer, a lieutenant-colonel, beating one of the activists with an M-16 rifle. Three activists were taken to hospital following the incident."

[Scurrilous]

1. Palestinians and internationals attacked during biking trip in Jordan Valley

<snip>

"Palestinian and international cyclists were brutally attacked by the Israeli occupation forces on Saturday as they attempted to bike up Route 90, the main North-South highway running through the Jordan Valley. The cyclists were demonstrating against Israeli apartheid policies in the Jordan Valley, which limit Palestinian access to roadways as part of an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing against the indigenous Bedouin communities of the Valley.

One Palestinian woman and two international activists from Denmark and Holland were evacuated to the hospital with injuries after being struck in the head with an M-16 rifle, and one international activist was handcuffed and detained for over an hour before being released without charges.

Over one hundred activists from Palestine and around the world participated in the bike protest, organized by Sharek Youth Forum. Participants rode approximately 5 kilometers before being blocked by Israeli occupation soldiers and jeeps at the entrance to Route 90. Soldiers informed the bikers that they would not be allowed to continue “for their own safety.” When activists peacefully attempted to continue on their way, the local commander of the occupation forces swung his rifle at the head of multiple activists, resulting in the hospitalizations of the three activists and the detention of a man from Sweden.

Palestinian drivers on Route 90, the Jordan Valley’s main north-south route, face regular harassment and attacks from Israeli settlers and soldiers. Palestinian drivers and cyclists are frequently pulled over and searched for no reason, and in some places Palestinians are even prevented from turning across the road at places Israelis have free access to."

http://palsolidarity.org/2012/04/palestinians-and-internationals-attacked-during-biking-trip-in-jordan-valley/

[shaayecanaan]

4. National Union congratulates the IDF officer

But National Union Member of Parliament Michael Ben Ari congratulated the IDF officer who hit the leftist activists.

“Well done to the IDF officer who did what Bibi and Aharonovich have no brain or courage to do,” Ben Ari said, in reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich.

“Radical leftists must be handled with a heavy hand. There was a tangible threat to the lives of the soldiers and the officer had no other choice. If it was a settler who was beaten we would not have heard the cries of the hypocrites on the left. Turns out they are not interested in human rights but the rights of terrorists and pro-Arabs,” Ari added.

[pelsar]

11. ignoring the army.....not always a smart idea, unless.....

Participants rode approximately 5 kilometers before being blocked by Israeli occupation soldiers and jeeps at the entrance to Route 90. Soldiers informed the bikers that they would not be allowed to continue “for their own safety.” When activists peacefully attempted to continue on their way

rule number one: when the army says you don't continue......and you try, your going to be stopped.

rule number two: stopping someone force ably, requires force....i.e. violence

rule number three: violence hurts and may ruin body parts
__________________________

if the article is correct and the participants ignored the army, they probably knew the soldiers would stop them using force, given that, that is what the army does......

so i guess we can say they got want they wanted

[jimmie]

13. Sad but the young man learned

an important lesson.

Playing chicken with an army is really NOT a slick move.

I'd be surprised if he ever pulls that again.

[shira]

30. The Danish ISM activist wasn't stupid. Protesting in Israel is safer than in Denmark...

Of course, the participants got what they wanted. Had these occupation tourists protested back home in Denmark, this is the treatment they would have received:

&feature=player_embedded#!


So if you're a bored, out of work Jew hating Dane looking for a cause to fight for, where do you choose to protest? Copenhagen or Israel?

No contest.

[shaayecanaan]

37. Or in other words...

[azurnoir]

2. Netanyahu condemns beating of pro-Palestinian activist by IDF officer

IDF Chief of Staff also comments on incident in which a senior officer was filmed hitting a leftist activist in the face with an M-16 rifle, saying he sees the incident as very grave.

In the video, which was posted by the International Solidarity Movement on YouTube on Sunday, Lt.-Col. Shalom Eisner is seen beating youths who took part in a pro-Palestinian bike ride in the Jordan Valley.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-condemns-beating-of-pro-palestinian-activist-by-idf-officer-1.424469

[shaayecanaan]

3. Netanyahu: "I think this is very grave"

Netanyahu condemned an incident in which an activist was beaten with an M-16 rifle, saying that he sees it as very grave.

"This is very grave", said Netanyahu. "Maybe it wouldn't be so grave had it not been caught on camera, but as it is, it is grave. If the camera was shaking all over the place and you couldn't see things clearly, it wouldn't be all that grave, but the angle captured everything, so its pretty grave."

"The guy getting beaten looks pretty white too. Maybe if he'd been browner, you'd say it was not so grave."

"Oh shit, the video just appeared on the BBC. Fuck me sideways, this is grave."

[azurnoir]

5. I was thinking

what was meant by 'grave' was that they didn't get the guy with the camera

[shaayecanaan]

7. That was definitely the gravest part

totally grave.

[JohnyCanuck]

8. Netanyahu condemns beating of pro-Palestinian activist by IDF officer

The officer did not follow standard protocol. He should have had a soldier shoot the protester in the face with a tear gas grenade. That way it would sound more plausible when the IDF claimed it was an accident and they hadn't intentionally aimed at the protester.

[holdencaufield]

6. "...officer beats activist with M-16 rifle"

Actually -- it's an M4 rifle

[shira]

9. Israel Border Police beat, detain 9-year-old Jewish boy in Hebron

Israel Border Police detained and beat a nine-year-old Jewish resident of Hebron on Saturday, after he entered a closed military zone near the house that was recently occupied by settlers.

The event occurred around 7 A.M., after a group of Jewish children began playing in the lot between the house and a nearby closed military zone. According to eyewitnesses, at a certain point, the boy entered the closed military zone.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-border-police-beat-detain-9-year-old-jewish-boy-in-hebron-1.424635



More IDF violence against Jewish settlers...

&feature=player_embedded#!

[shira]

10. For some reason the anti-Israel crowd is quiet about this incident...

...and others like it.

Not one story in the international media about this.

Not a peep.

[Matilda]

12. 'Not one story in the international media about this.'

I guess that means it didn't really happen then.

[azurnoir]

14. well it could be taken as IDF and Israeli Border police are sort of brutal and need to be more

in control of their actions or it could taken as parents of Jewish children in Hebron should not allow their kids to play in a closed military zone as the article said there were adults quite close by

now the second vid is in Hebrew so I cannot comment on what is going on there as there is no context

[shira]

15. The answer is hypocrisy. Wrong victims. n/t

[azurnoir]

16. well perhaps that's your answer? but it is not mine n/t

[shira]

17. Those advocating for Palestinian victims of the IDF and Border Police...

...should also be advocating for Jewish victims as well.

But they're not.

It's because they're sanctimonious hypocritical bigots.

[shaayecanaan]

18. This video was created by Benny Katzover's "Samaria Settlers' Committee"...

This group believes that Israeli democracy should be destroyed and replaced with a theocratic state that would encompass the entire land of both Israel and Palestine. They have also endorsed "price tag" attacks on Arabs and the IDF in response to the dismantlement of illegal settler outposts.

The strange thing about this particular poster (who has re-posted Kahanist publications in this forum before) is that she seriously thinks that the international media should adopt the views of the far right Kahanist movement in Israel.

http://azvsas.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/jewish-state-or-democratic-state.html

[azurnoir]

19. interesting that a progressive would seem to promote such things

and then call others hypocrites

[shira]

22. What am I promoting? I thought that people concerned about Palestinian victims...

...of the IDF would be equally concerned about Jewish victims of the IDF.



Do those Jewish victims deserve what's coming to them?

[azurnoir]

25. once again the vid is in Hebrew which I honestly do not speak

there for I have no context for what is happening do you have a translated version perhaps MEMRI or something?

[shaayecanaan]

28. The context is the Gaza withdrawal...

The settlers from Gush Katif refused to move and had to be forcibly pulled away by soldiers, which is what the video shows for the most part.

By their reckoning, this was ethnic cleansing and akin to Nazism. I notice at least two recent comments on the youtube feed for this video to the effect that the IDF soldiers are Nazis or that the State of Israel are Nazis. A bit strange really the hasbarados here would want us to watch a video essentially comparing the Israeli government to the Nazis, but apparently that sentiment is okay if you're a settler.

Sometimes one hears a similar sentiment expressed around here - that a withdrawal of the settlements from the West Bank would amount to ethnic cleansing.

[jimmie]

23. Yes...I see what you're saying

He needs to investigated for what he's "promoting"?

Has anyone actually seen "his birth certificate" ?

[azurnoir]

24. quote

immie
23. Yes...I see what you're saying

View profile
He needs to investigated for what he's "promoting"?

Has anyone actually seen "his birth certificate" ?

seems an accusation of my being rightwing is that what you are doing ? if not please explain what you meant?

[jimmie]

26. It's called humor

You said he was promoting .

I agreed with you ....jokingly" yes he needs to be investigated for promoting.. Where's his birth certificate"

Sad the humor was lost on you.

I don't call people right wing.

Glad we cleared that up.

[azurnoir]

27. well I think he is a she

however I see no need for such things I simply found using a video from such a site curious

[shira]

21. So? Does that mean what's on the video is BS?

I thought wonderful liberals like yourself would defend both Jewish and Palestinian victims of the IDF.

Guess not. The Jews on that video deserve it, right?

And since when is posting a video of IDF action against Jews a sign that someone endorses the views of the far right Kahanist movement of Israel?

When the "pro-Palestinians" here post video of IDF action vs. Palestinians or Lebanese, does that mean they think the international media should adopt the views of Hamas or Hezbollah?

What do you think about the Guardian publishing Raed Salah of Hamas?
http://cifwatch.com/2012/04/19/the-guardian-raed-salah-and-yom-hashoah/

Does the Guardian endorse the views of Hamas? I'm not sure we'd ever find the Guardian publishing a Kahanist leader, right? But if they did, what would you think of that?

[Scurrilous]

20. Israeli settlers, IDF trade blame over who wounded Hebron boy

Two settlers arrested for assaulting police after 9-year-old was detained for entering closed military zone; boy's parents file complaint.

<snip>

"Hebron settlers say Border Police choked a nine-year-old boy from their community, but Border Police say it was the settlers who caused the boy's injury while trying to free him from police custody."

<snip>

"The incident occurred about 7 A.M. Saturday after a group of Jewish children began playing in the lot between the recently evacuated "Machpela house" and a closed military zone nearby. Residents who say they saw the incident claim the boy entered the closed military zone and a Border Police officer choked him and held him in the air for about 10 minutes. The witnesses say residents praying at the nearby Tomb of the Patriarchs were able to release the child from the officer's hands.

However, Border Police said it was "unfortunate that the incident was presented in such a distorted way." They say 10 young boys broke into the closed military zone and began beating security forces. When police detained the boys' leader, a group of settlers began attacking the police. One settler grabbed the boy's neck and pulled him in an attempt to free him from police custody.

Two settlers were arrested on suspicion of attacking the officer. The following day, the child's parents lodged a complaint with the Justice Ministry's unit that investigates alleged police misconduct."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israeli-settlers-idf-trade-blame-over-who-wounded-hebron-boy-1.424687

[shaayecanaan]

29. you doubting Thomas, you

Border Police officer choked him and held him in the air for about 10 minutes.

It must have been a relatively fit border guard then. Kind of hard to bear a significant weight for that long, unless you're holding him straight above your head.

Amazing that hasbarados uncritically accept a complaint against the IDF if it comes from settlers, whereas even photos or videos from Palestinians must have been somehow faked.

[shira]

31. LOL, you've seen it all here @ DU when IDF bashers turn into IDF hasbarado apologists

Reveal a little hypocrisy from anti-Israel faux humanitarians and they become shills for the zionist occupation forces, defending the settlers, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, genocide, racism, and every other evil and injustice from the annals of history.



Welcome to the Lobby, you IDF-washer you!

[shaayecanaan]

32. Bizarre isn't it? How did we get to this point...

I'm defending the IDF and you're comparing them to Nazis. A red letter day for us all.

If this were a romantic comedy, this would be the point at which the protagonists stop arguing on the street, pause, fall into each other's arms and then retire to a nearby apartment for an all-night hard and fast shag session.

[pelsar]

33. the ignorence/tolerence of the ISM "foot soldiers" is astounding

the only word that came to mind over and over again was "useful idiotes" The people involved in the incident were interviewed by israeli channel 10 (for those who need to know, they are the "leftist" of israeli TV).

They followed the ISM activist around hebron, listened to them, asked a few simple questions and interviewed them and during one of their "training sessions' and were rather shocked at the simplistic, one sided view, their Palestinian handlers were giving them. When they were asked a few questions about the understanding/knowledge of the israeli side by the journalist of channel 10.....

they were kicked out.

To their credit, one did follow them out to talk to the interviewer, to give answers to the questions....but (and this is the "good part&quot , she in fact is one of the founders of the ISM (Neta Golan, an israeli), hence she could actually "leave the training session".

Basically she didn't add much (at least the part that was aired)...and it turned out that at least two of the "activist tourists" were in fact on a tour of the world, which pretty much gives some weight to the idea that they are just looking for some excitement. And when the interviewer put that question, point blank to two to them during the segment...their answer was rather vague.

i came away from that little TV segment....actually a bit disgusted. The ISM is actually using people to place them in low level conflict zones, giving them just enough information to get them excited about "doing some good" using many of the symbols and icons of "non violence" so that they can really believe they are part of a non violent movement, while placing them right in the middle of a low level violent war zone and they don't even know it.

as i have learned here, they get to feel as if they are active in some grand human rights project, but if something like hamas takes over, as in gaza, they get to claim "non responsibility" and find some other place for their "summer vacation."

and leave the mess to us...

[jimmie]

34. "useful idiots" and then some

these young men and women get all excited like it's a great cause ... Only to find out "you mean they got real guns? "

Yes "moran", you're in a war zone

And nothing, and I mean nothing, would make the ISM more elated than if the kid was killed. ( that's the gift/ propaganda that just keeps on giving).

Great post

[shira]

35. The ISM follows the Hamas script. For non-violence as well as violence...

Hamas

"Popular resistance includes both Fatah agenda, which speaks of protests
only, and the Hamas position which advocates gathering all means of military
armament for the sake of self-defense," Zahhar said.

http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=55269

ISM

“The Palestinian resistance must take on a variety of characteristics, both non-violent and violent. Mr Shapiro and Miss Arraf predicted that "yes, people will get killed and injured" and suggested that the casualties "would be considered shaheed", using the Arabic term for martyrs applied to suicide bombers. In its mission statement, the movement says that, for Palestinians, "armed struggle" is "their right". Activists have shown their hatred for the Jewish state." 'Israel' is an illegal entity that should not exist," wrote Flo Rosovski, an ISM "media co-ordinator" who was deported last year.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/1451730/The-peace-group-that-embraces-violence.html

Here are the ISM "peace activists" with their friends from Hamas...

[jimmie]

36. The "Peace" group that embraces violence

Very heart-warming picture.

They must have good soap there .... to get all that blood off their hands.