Medic: Boy killed by Israeli fire in West Bank

[bemildred]

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Israeli gunfire killed a 10-year-old Palestinian boy Tuesday during a confrontation between troops and stone-throwers in a West Bank village, medics and witnesses said.

The Israeli military said it would conduct an investigation.

The boy, Ahmed Moussa, was killed in the West Bank village of Naalin, site of frequent demonstrations against Israel's separation barrier, which threatens to swallow up hundreds of acres of Naalin's olive groves.

The boy was killed by a shot to the forehead, according to medics and an Associated Press reporter who saw his body at Ramallah Hospital.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jD4YSkDPlclqd9dHvg2f0Ij18zEgD927M32G0

[Maat]

1. Outrageous!

May he rest in peace.

His family is in our thoughts and prayers.

[Turbineguy]

2. Another propaganda

coup.

[notfullofit]

3. 'possibility that the boy was hit by Palestinian fire.'

'According to an initial inquiry by Border Police, Israeli security forces were not behind the shooting, although Palestinian medics said that the boy, Ahmed Moussa, was shot in the head by IDF troops.

The IDF said it would investigate the incident further and that it was examining the possibility that the boy was hit by Palestinian fire.

Civil Administration head Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai received permission from Palestinian Authority Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh to have a military doctor inspect the body to try and determine the circumstances of his death.

During earlier anti-fence protests in the village, a border policemen and an IDF soldier were lightly wounded when they were struck by stones.

more
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331136971&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[azurnoir]

9. More facts?

there are at least 5 stories from different sources including jpost detailing this story; of those 5 only 1 mentions the possibility of "Palestinian fire" and then only as a tantalus one liner, IMO that would make it rather questionable wouldn't you think?

Note that at least 4 of the stories mention rock throwing, perhaps that is what "fire" means here

[madeline_con]

12. Thank god no one got hurt

by rocks! :puke:

[azurnoir]

4. From Haaretz

A 9-year-old Palestinian boy died on Tuesday evening during clashes between protesters and Israeli security forces at a demonstration against the separation fence in the West Bank town of Na'alin.

Ahmed Moussa's death was killed by a shot to the forehead, according to medics and an AP reporter who saw his body at Ramallah Hospital.

An Israel Defense Forces spokesman said an investigation into the incident was underway.

<snip>

A number of violent protests have erupted in Na'alin against the West Bank separation fence, frequently developing into confrontations between stone-throwing youths and Israeli troops firing tear gas and rubber-coated bullets. Dozens of Palestinians and Israeli security forces have been wounded during the demonstrations over recent months.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1006664.html

[bemildred]

5. Well, he was nine, ten, or eleven, depending on who you read.

They all seem to agree he had a big exit wound on the back of his head, so we can ignore "explanations" that don't account for that.

[azurnoir]

6. ynet changed his age from 9 to 11

and you are right no matter what his age a child is dead.

[Scurrilous]

7. ISM Report:

11-Year Old Shot Dead At Nil`in

<snip>

"An 11 year old boy called Ahmed Ussam Yusef Mousa was shot dead at approximately 6pm near the Palestinian village of Nil`in. He was shot once in the head at close range with live ammunition.

According to eye witnesses a group of youths attempted to remove coils of razor wire from land belonging to the village. Without warning, they were fired upon and Ahmed was killed. Israeli newspaper Maariv reported in March that the Israeli authorities have given a new order to border police operating along the apartheid wall surrounding Jerusalem. They can now open fire directly on Palestinians who try to demonstrate near the barrier. But sniping is forbidden if there are Israeli or foreign citizens amongst demonstrators.

According to ISM volunteers inside Nil`in, confrontations are now taking place between villagers and the Israeli forces; shots have been heard and five people are said to have been wounded. Demonstrations have been held almost every day for the past few weeks as near Nil`in against Israel`s Apartheid Wall, declared illegal by the International Court in the Hague in 2004. The wall will deprive the village of almost 2,500 Dunums of agricultural land, and put the existence of the entirely community in doubt.

The Israeli Army and Border Police have been increasingly ill-disciplined and violent in response to the demonstrations. News came this morning that Israeli Battalion Commander Lt. Col Omri, had been sent on 10 days compulsory leave as a punishment for his conduct at Nil`in. Omri held a 27 year old Palestinian detainee Ashraf Abu Rahma by the shoulder while one of his men shot Abu Rahma with a rubber coated steel bullet at very close range. Abu Rahma was blindfolded and his hands were bound when he was shot in the foot.

The news came on the same day that Victor MacDiarmid, a Canadian human rights worker was due for deportation at midnight from Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv. The 23 year old had been shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the knee by rubber coated steel bullets whilst attending the Nil`in protests. He was arrested whilst taking pictures of a woman`s demonstration on 23rd of July."

more

[Scurrilous]

8. IDF probes Palestinian boy's death

Initial Palestinian reports of 11-year old allegedly shot by soldiers during anti-fence rally in Naalin currently under investigation by IDF, Internal Affairs. Army states forces fired towards protestors who were 'violating public order'

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3574986,00.html

<snip>

"A preliminary IDF investigation into the matter of the 11-year old boy who was allegedly shot by a soldier in Naalin on Tuesday said that the IDF force in the area fired towards a group of protestors who were "violating the public order".

Due to the involvement of Border Guard officers operating under the command of the IDF, the details of the incident were transferred to the Police Internal Affairs Bureau as well as the IDF for investigation."

<snip>

"Palestinian sources reported on Tuesday afternoon that an 11-year-old Palestinian boy was shot and killed by IDF or Border Police troops engaged in dispersing a protest near the separation fence by the village of Naalin, located west of Ramallah.

Following the reports Central Command Chief Major General Gadi Shamni ordered an operational investigation, while Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai, the head of the Civil Administration, coordinated a joint medical inquiry with Palestinian officials.

The IDF stated that the force fired towards protestors that damaged the fence and threw stones at security forces. The matter is still being investigated by the army and the police. The Civil Administration head also ordered talks with the Palestinians in order to minimize the order violations in the area. "The IDF will thus limit the harm done to uninvolved persons," the statement said."

[subsuelo]

10. The terrorists got him

And I'm not talking about Palestinians.

[Scurrilous]

11. Israeli security forces losing control in the West Bank

<snip>

"Recent protests around the village of Na'alin in opposition to the separation fence seem to show a loss of control. The death of a 9-year-old, apparently shot by a Border Policeman, is the most serious turn of events so far. Palestinian sources said the boy, Ahmed Moussa, was in the area of the clashes and was shot in the head; the Palestinian Authority's director of civil affairs, Hussein al-Sheikh, and West Bank Civil Administration head Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai agreed that an Israel Defense Forces doctor would examine the boy's body to determine the circumstances of his death.

However, a series of events - the shooting of a bound Palestinian protester; two Military Police probes; and as of Tuesday the suspension of a battalion commander - show a worrying and dangerous downward spiral. The fact that these happenings are taking place under increased scrutiny by the international media encourages the opponents of the fence to ratchet up the conflict. Apparently, it also increases pressure on IDF officers, who are having difficulty keeping events in check.

Na'alin has in recent months become an arena of daily fighting as work on the fence there has damaged thousands of dunams of agricultural land owned by the villagers. The struggle against the fence is relatively violent, with dozens of Border Police and IDF soldiers injured by stones thrown at them.

The release by the human rights organization B'Tselem of video footage showing an Armored Corps battalion commander, Lt. Col. Omri Bruberg, holding a protester while a soldier shot him with a rubber bullet at a distance of about 1.5 meters, focused media attention on protest and ignited an embarrassing battle of versions between the battalion commander and the soldier, his direct subordinate. Following the Military Police probe, a polygraph test and leaks to the press, GOC Northern Command Gad Eisenkot (Bruberg's commanding officer) gave the necessary, if belated, order to send the officer on leave until the investigation is concluded."

more

[bemildred]

14. This is kind of what I was seeing in these incidents.

"having difficulty keeping events in check". The sense of loss of control, real or imagined.

[Scurrilous]

13. Border Police: Probe shows our live fire killed boy at Na'alin rally

<snip>

"An initial Border Police investigation has found that the 11-year-old Palestinian boy killed at a West Bank protest on Tuesday died from a live round fired by one of the security force's troops.

Ahmed Moussa died during a confrontation with Israeli security forces on Tuesday in the West Bank village of Na'alin. Villagers have been protesting for months against Israel's separation fence.

The Border Police concluded its initial probe into the incident on Wednesday morning.

Also Wednesday, Ramallah governor Said Abu Ali said an autopsy showed that the 11-year-old was shot by live fire. Moussa's autopsy was conducted Wednesday in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Abu Ali said the autopsy indicated that the boy was struck by a bullet from an M16 rifle."

more

[Scurrilous]

15. Ramallah autopsy finds Naalin boy shot by live fire

Palestinians refuse Israel's appeal for joint autopsy, announce forensic medical evidence reveals Ahmed Moussa shot through head by M-16 bullet while present at anti-fence rally. Mourners at funeral vow to continue battle against separation fence

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3575616,00.html

<snip>

"An autopsy by Palestinian forensic doctors indicates that 11-year old Ahmed Moussa, a Palestinian boy killed during an anti-fence protest in Naalin, was shot by live fire, Palestinian officials said on Wednesday.

Ramallah Governor Said Abu Ali said the autopsy indicated that Ahmed was struck by a single bullet from an M16 assault rifle that entered his forehead and exited the back of his head.

Israel sought to do a joint autopsy with the Palestinians either in Israel or in the West Bank, but Palestinian officials refused, Ali said.

Residents of Naalin protest almost daily against Israel's separation barrier, and demonstrations frequently turn into confrontations between stone-throwing youths and Israeli troops firing tear gas and rubber-coated bullets.

On Tuesday, Israeli forces started erecting a makeshift fence to prevent protesters from reaching bulldozers clearing land for the barrier. Protesters said troops fired tear gas, rubber bullets and then live fire to disperse demonstrators trying to scale the fence.

The IDF said in a statement that it would investigate the incident. It said its initial inquiry indicated youths were hurling ''rocks in very large quantities.'' The Border Guard said it would deploy forces better trained in riot control to deal with the protests."

[Sezu]

16. Refuse to do joint autopsy. Why? Something to hide? n/t

[bemildred]

17. Are joint autopsies common?

Do the Israelis usually allow the Palestinians to participate in their autopsies?