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News :: Israel / Palestine |
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Israeli Army 'Targeted' Peace Activist |
Current rating: 0 |
by Andrew Johnson and Justin Huggler in Jerusalem
(No verified email address) |
13 Apr 2003
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Parents of injured British student demand investigation into 'deliberately reckless actions' |
The parents of a British student shot in the head by Israeli troops yesterday accused the Israeli government of "deliberate recklessness".
Tom Hurndall, 21, is in a critical condition in Bir Sheva hospital and may be brain damaged after being shot by a sniper on Friday.
Yesterday his father, Anthony Hurndall, 52, said: "The Israeli government and the Israeli military will have something to answer. There will be questions. I want to know what happened. I want it to be brought to light."
Speaking with his wife Jocelyn at home in north London, before leaving for Israel, Mr Hurndall, a lawyer, referred to suspicions that the Israeli army has begun targeting "human shields".
"I think the army is deliberately careless if not deliberately reckless as to who they target," he said.
Tom Hurndall is the third Western activist shield to be seriously hurt in the last month. Rachel Corrie, from the US, was killed by a bulldozer she was trying to prevent from moving last month. Brian Avery, 24, an American, was shot in the face in the West Bank, in Jenin, last week.
Tom's parents say he was walking down a street in Rafah, in Gaza, with other peace activists when they heard gunfire and locals ran for cover.
Tom saw three children exposed on a mound and went to collect them. He carried one to safety and was returning for another when he was shot, his mother said. His bright clothing identified him as a peace activist, she added. His father said: "In that situation, to be shot seems extraordinary."
Tom Wallace, of the International Solidarity Movement, said local children had come to watch the activists' protest, as they often did. He said shots were being fired over the protesters' heads from one of two Israeli watchtowers nearby. "The activists and all the women and kids decided to move away," he said. "They were moving very slowly, and he was standing in front of the women and kids to protect them while they were moving.
"They were trying to evacuate the area and that is when he was shot." Mr Wallace said a high-caliber bullet hit Mr Hurndall, suggesting it had been fired by a nearby sniper. "The only way that the truth about this incident will be established is if the British Government demands and carries out a full investigation."
Tom's mother said the first-year photography student in Manchester was "first and foremost a humanitarian". "He was not primarily political. He just wanted to help people.
"He had only been a member of the peace group for five days ... I can't think of anyone more suited to be a peace campaigner."
Tom had initially traveled to Baghdad before the war in Iraq to act as a human shield. Unhappy with the Iraqi government's treatment of peace activists, he left for Jordan, a move that left his parents feeling relieved. "I didn't know he had gone into Gaza, into the camps," his father said. "I was relieved when I heard he had left Iraq," he said.
During the interview with The Independent on Sunday a doctor treating Tom at the hospital in Israel phoned to say he had come out of an operation that had stemmed the bleeding from the wound and "cleared up debris". His condition was stable but it was too early to say if he would be left brain damaged.
The family only found out about the shooting when his elder sister received a phone call from a tabloid newspaper on Friday. "We had a family weep this morning," said Tom's mother, head of learning support at a primary school.
Tom's girlfriend, Michelle, who is also a member of ISM, was said to be at his bedside.
The Foreign Office in London said consulate officials in Britain and Jerusalem were ready to assist Tom's family.
Mr Hurndall's fellow activists were yesterday deliberating whether to stay on in Rafah some believe they are being deliberately targeted by the Israeli army.
Raphael Cohen, from London, who was standing a few feet from Mr Hurndall when he was shot, said he and other activists had stayed on in Rafah despite seeing their colleague shot in the head.
The ISM has been denounced by the Israeli authorities as one-sided. The activists are pro-Palestinian but they are unarmed.
"The Israelis are clearly taking advantage of the international attention on Iraq to target us," Mr Cohen said. "We have a good presence in Rafah and I think that has prevented the Israelis doing some of what they want here."
© 2003 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd
http://www.independent.co.uk/ |
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Re: Israeli Army 'Targeted' Peace Activist |
by ender via gehrig
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 2
14 Apr 2003
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A comment from an Israeli on Indybay about an investigative report into the death of Rachel Corrie.
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The Channel 2 news
by Ender Sunday April 13, 2003 at 09:59 PM
I also saw the story on Israel Ch2
It had two parts:
- Photos shot by Channel 2 investigative reporter after Rachel death.
- A video taken by the Israeli army during the time Rachel Corrie was run over.
The IDF video was shot by a looking-post which was focusing on on the explosive smuggling activity on the Raffah border itself so they did not focus at the bulldozer at the time of the incident but there is a recording of what the driver and the looking post are saying over the IDF communication immediately after Rachel was hurt. There is also long panning from their focus on the border to the bulldozer after the Radio report came in that rachel was hurt but this is after the fact showing Rachel and the Bolduzer few meters behind her.
My conclusion from the photos and interview with the driver:
The driver is an idiot but not an intentional killer. If he is criminally idiot I cannot tell you will need a law professional to decide.
The driver was driving 2 miles pre hour, everywhere he went Rachel and ISMers climbed on the mound of dirt created by his bulldozer. They were playing this cat and mouse game for hours. At some point he did not saw them and advanced. He noticed something is wrong when he saw the other ISM where running to him) so he backed off and Radioed to the looking post: I may have hit someone. (the driver said this in Hebrew and he used the Hebrew word for a male not female from this it seems that he did not know who he hit) After he backed off Rachel was found between the two chains of the bulldozer (This was seen from the ISM photo and the IDF video) -. So he was not driving ON her and she was hit by either his blade or more likely fell as she was climbing the dirt mound he created.
Like I tell my kids: I want you to be brave but you'll have to watch carefully when bravery ends and stupidity starts.
The driver on the other hand is just stupid no bravery involved.
Ch 2 also fillmed from within a moving D-9 clearly not much visibility there. The D-9 is very fortified and slow. It is impossible to see what is directly I front of the vehicle.
One thing that interests me is why the army did not just remove the protesters from the scene. The army officer in charge said they did try to use tear gas but it was windy and evaporated quickly. To the question why they did not went out of their APC and arrested the protestors they answered: Raffah is full of snipers who are just waiting for us to get out of our vehicles. When any soldier set foot outside an APC he is immediately shot at.
While I am not a soldier I have a person that work with me that served in Raffah. He confirmed that this is the case. The place is full of snipers: There is constant explosive smuggling operation going on and the Palestinian snipers are trying to prevent the IDF from excavating the tunnels.
What troubled me in the ISM report is that they never mention the explosive smuggling operation, the Palestinian snipers that operate behind their back. Sure the ISMers are brave but they do not tell the truth and the whole truth.
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@%< |
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Re: Israeli Army 'Targeted' Peace Activist |
by Pat hardy
pat_f2002 (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: -5
14 Apr 2003
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Jews need to be dealt with. Forget Iraq - a nuke in Tel Aviv - before these 'Hebs ' start WW 3. |
