The Israeli army shot my son

[Resistance]

What price a life?

The Israeli army shot my son, and the toll continues to rise

by Jocelyn Hurndall
The Guardian

In the pensive hours of the night, I am struck by the varying values that mankind chooses to allot to life - as was my son Tom.

Earlier this month, I read with mixed feelings the news that local Palestinian militia had dynamited an Israeli defence force watchtower in the town of Rafah, in the Gaza Strip. It was from this watchtower, which has been responsible for untold misery to many innocent families in Rafah, that Tom was shot in the head last April. At the time he was trying to help Palestinian children to safety. He now lies in a vegetative state in a hospital in London with no hope of recovery.

This week we learned that the Israeli soldier who has been arrested for the shooting is alleged to have smoked cannabis with his battalion. As last year was drawing to a close, a phone call from the British Foreign Office informed me that, under interrogation, this soldier has confessed to shooting my son, knowing he was an unarmed civilian. He claimed that the shot was meant as a "deterrent". From what? From rescuing children? Had he been so conditioned that an act of humanity could only inspire in him such a violent reaction?

I felt no sense of relief then but, for the first time, allowed myself to feel increasing anger. The IDF's inability to differentiate between friend and foe, truth and untruth, and to see themselves as they are seen, is clear to all.

[corporatewhore]

1. RIP tom hurndall

he died trying to save alittle girls life.

[seventhson]

3. Ummm, he IS still alive

but in a coma

[corporatewhore]

4. i thought the bullet left him brain dead

[DuctapeFatwa]

5. They shot his face off

Your tax dollars at work.

[Resistance]

6. pictures of Tom

here

[the populist]

15. LOL!

I know this is the wrong thread for laughter, but that was too funny! You have a clever sense of humor. I actually laughed out loud.

Yes, I am also shocked that America funds this brutal regime known as Israel so they can shoot civilians as a "deterrent."

[newyorican]

11. Not any more

Shot British peace activist dies

[Resistance]

12. _

:(

[bluesoul]

13. May he rest in peace

and that justice is done as it hopefully will based on this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=46368

[Resistance]

14. do you really think

justice will be served? I know it is cynical, but I don't.

[brainshrub]

16. Yes, because the person who shot him wasn't regular army.

Apparently the IDF soldier who shot him was a Bedowin Arab.

I think I heard this on Democracy Now! but I haven't been able to find any confirmation. (So take it with a grain of salt.)

[the populist]

17. Those damn A-rabs.

Sorry, it was an IDF soldier. Arabs don't get drafted into the IDF, and virtually none join for the hell of it.

[Lurking Dem]

20. Sorry.

There are quite a few Bedouin in the IDF. And I don't think anyone volunteers for an active army for the hell of it.

[the_boxer_]

23. Lurking Dem...

Would you agree that they are discriminated against?

[the_boxer_]

22. The_Populist....

I hate to correct you, but he was an Arab IDF soldier. You were partially correct.

Bedouin often serve in the IDF, however, they are just as discriminated against. They usually live in small little camps and even then are told to leave even though they are Israeli. They just happen to be of the wrong faith.

[the populist]

37. Source, please.

I would like a source though I can fathom how a persecuted Arab soldier would want to kill a fellow Arab to prove himself to the IDF.,

[GabysPoppy]

38. Only if is a deranged individual

His background has nothing to do with it.

[the_boxer_]

21. He is dead, seventhson

He died two days ago.

[DuctapeFatwa]

2. Varying values indeed. Thanks for posting this

Sometimes we tend to forget that the bottom line, in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, wherever, is one of different values.

Tom's values said if you see a kid in danger, you do whatever you have to do to get that kid to safety.

sharon's US-funded gunmen do not share that particular value.

[Resistance]

10. like Bush said

"You're either with us or against us".

I guess saving children's lives from terror is being against the BFEE.

[brainshrub]

7. Tom shows us all the meaning of true courage.

We sit here in our comfortable living rooms, ranting about the I/P issue...but Tom was willing to do something about it. He was willing to put his body on the line for justice.

[Gimel]

8. A mother's sorrow

A mother mourning for her son is always heart-rending. Many, on both sides of this conflict have died needlessly. You could fill the pages with similar stories, casting hurt and blame at the shooters, the bombers or the parties to the conflict. Hundreds of young children, grandparents, sons and daughters have been killed. That Tom chose to do what he thought was a service to humanity is admirable. He didn't shield a child, however, and it's doubtful that a child would have taken the bullet if he wasn't there.

[Violet_Crumble]

9. I agree with everything but the last sentence...

The rest of it was very well said, I thought. But when he was shot, he was trying to protect a child...

Violet....

[Resistance]

18. Does anyone know

where the allegation of smoking dope came from?

Are these guys now getting high while they shoot at kids and peace activists?

[the_boxer_]

19. Thank you for posting.

It appears that only some see this double standard.

[meti57b]

24. the Israeli "army" did NOT shoot their son ....

It was one soldier in the Israeli army and he is currently facing criminal proceedings for that.

[bluesoul]

25. Then when a suicide bomber kills Israelis

stop saying it's the Palestinians that are terrorists and say it was only a terrorist that has nothing to do with Palestinians as such. That or double standards are at play..

[Resistance]

26. maybe the best point ever scored here

:thumbsup:

[meti57b]

28. Thank you. I, too, thought my point was great!

[the_boxer_]

39. I'm not sure he was referring to your post...

If you follow the thread trail, it shows you that he was responding to bluesoul.

[Resistance]

41. yeah it was to bluesoul

[meti57b]

27. except that I was specific in saying ....

"one soldier in the Israeli army". That would be equivalent to saying "one Palestinian terrorist" or "one terrorist who is a Palestinian".

I believe I take care to not refer to "Palestinians" when the reference should be to "a Palestinian terrorist", "five Palestinian terrorists" etc. or the classification that is "Palestinian terrorists" but excludes "Palestinians" who are not terrorists and excludes terrorists who are not Palestinians. So in case my previous post was not clear, it should be read as "a single Israeli soldier" or "one soldier in the Israeli army".

When the parents say "The Israeli army shot my son", what they said is factually incorrect......

[bluesoul]

29. That's nice to hear

I would love to see such distinction made next time there's a thread about a suicide bomber. Unfortunately it's all lumped onto Palestinians in general..

[GabysPoppy]

30. Please read the posts more carefully

You are making a broad generalization without providing links to back up your assertions. I would agree with the claim and you would be right in that case, but without links your accusation fails.

[Resistance]

31. we can all see his point is true

there is no need to put "links" in each and every post, unless you want to start demanding that everyone do it every time a point is made.

[liberalhistorian]

43. They demand links

for everyone expressing any kind of sympathy at all for Palestinians/Arabs, but they make their own blanket statements that they don't back up themselves.

[bluesoul]

33. Nope the loose use of term Palestinians

here is my evidence. Plenty of threads proving it...

[GabysPoppy]

34. .

:shrug: :shrug:

[bluesoul]

35. Here you go, a comment about the latest suicide bomber

"The Palestinian version of progress and equality..."

And this is the thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=46355&mesg_id=46355

[GabysPoppy]

36. Without wading through 50 odd posts

I will take your word for it.

It should have been more specific and modified to say the Palestinian Hamas members, members of other terrorist groups and supportors of terrorism "version of progress and equality".

[JohnLocke]

40. That was I.

I feel bad about that the minute I posted it. I meant to express my frustration at the terror groups responsible.

It was completely irresponsible. Mea culpa.

[liberalhistorian]

44. At least you can recognize

it and apologize for it, some people can't/won't do so. And I think we can all agree with expressions of frustration, anger, horror, dismay, and disgust at Hamas, Hezbollah, and similar murderous, inhuman, hate-filled terrorist groups.

[meti57b]

45. Actually, the mention of speaking in generalities about Palestinians

and terrorists was made with reference to my (above) post and written in the following reply to my (above) post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=46183#46655

Here is the direct reply to my (above) post which starts the "sub-thread". Even though I clearly did not speak in generalities here and have not done so in the past (all of which I explained above), the suggestion that I did was not withdrawn nor an apology extended.

If you feel that apologies for generalizing are in order, then perhaps you might want to reply to the poster who made the accusation against my post and explain how you feel about recognizing mistakes and apologies.

[Gimel]

32. Point well taken

The title does claim that it is "Israeli Army" and in fact says that the toll continues to rise. I must say that is a little nonsensical. They are speaking about one son.

[liberalhistorian]

42. BINGO!

Couldn't have said it better myself. I'm tired of the fact that when a member of one of the murderous, inhuman terror groups like Hamas or Hezbollah blow up/shoot, etc., innocent Israelis, it is considered an act of ALL Palestinians and there's the attitude that ALL Palestinians, including children, are terrorists or terrorists in training or thought.

But when an Israeli does the same thing, it's only ascribed to that individual, and not to the army/Israel as a whole, and that's such a blatantly unfair double standard that it amazes me that some people are still so blind to it.