Israeli group B’tselem has recently started a ‘shoot back' campaign in which they
are arming Palestinians with cameras to record video footage of abuses perpetrated by IDF soldiers.
Making the news at the moment is footage of an Israeli soldier firing a rubber bullet at a bound Palestinian demonstrator from point blank range.
The incident occurred on July 7 and was not reported to Military Police until B’tselem received the footage and forwarded it to the Military Police Investigation Unit.
My immediate instinct is to lend support to this campaign, even though I disagree with the motives and tactics employed by B’tselem (more on this later). Abuses are bound to occur and if they are captured on film then it will help prevent them. Still, it’s not always that simple. After consideration, I have decided to oppose the campaign.
Sometimes force is required in order to quell violent demonstrators. A video recorder allows one to capture an incident as the the person filming it perceives it, rather than as it was. The absence of context can make life for decent, well behaved and well intentioned soldiers very difficult. I believe the campaign will be abused by Palestinians looking to harm the IDF.
In other depressing news, it seems as though Israeli settlers have fired 2 rockets into Palestinian villages in the West Bank. The settlers are denying the accusations but last week a settler was arrested for being part of a plan to fire makeshift rockets. Assuming it was fired by settlers then it is totally unacceptable. The Shin Bet is investigating.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise though. Israeli towns have been bombarded with Palestinian rocket fire since even before the withdrawal from Gaza. The international community has turned a blind eye and Israelis feel frustrated and unable to fight back. If the rockets fired by Palestinians had been taken seriously by the international community then this wouldn’t be a problem. It’s yet another example of how the many misguided one-sided condemnations from countries like South Africa only server to further inflame the region.
There will be many debates about what actually occurred on the video, and even more problematically, why it occurred.
If there are incidents where Israeli soldiers are not complying with their own military codes of practice then the videos may serve as evidence.
However, it is crucial to understand the context and one must bear in mind that any video can be misinterpreted; a video rarely, if ever, tells the whole story.
The "battle" being waged on Palestinian streets is part of a propaganda war. The Israeli military can perhaps argue that, if few barbarous incidents are actually captued on video, then it is evidence that their soldiers usually behave in a professional manner.
I hope Hamas will also now release videos showing the interrogations and torture/killings of their opponents in Gaza. It will be interesting to compare such footage with recordings of the Israeli military.
Posted by: BLACKLISTED DICTATOR | July 22, 2008 at 12:11
Well said BD.
There are probably more cameras per capita in the Palestinian Territories than anywhere else in the world and the number of these incidents captured per year is very low for a conflict zone.
Far worse incidents occur here in SA with our police - raping prostitutes, being involved in ATM bombings etc.
It does sound like this particular incident is a legitimate case of abuse. The JPost article says that the soldiers have complained about the General that ordered the soldier to shoot the man.
That said, Haaretz reported the IDF asking why their was a gap in the footage - i.e. something was hidden. Btselem says the person filming the video accidentally stopped it. yeah right.
Posted by: Steve | July 22, 2008 at 12:42
BD, would you say that the Hamas et al videos show gunmen using rubber bullets?
Posted by: Steve | July 22, 2008 at 12:45
It's easy to photograph and film only what denigrates Israel, easy to capture on film only half of the story.
Zackie Achmat says he wants to show footage in SA of children from Jewish communities in Hebron supposedly attacking Palestinian children and teachers.
But will they show Arab gunmen shooting at Jewish children?
Will they consider the stress that Jewish children are under when they are targeted daily.
Will they show ISM acitivists joining arabs in terrorizing Jewish children on their way to school?
/what the Arab lobby is doing like only showing the firebombing of of Dresden by the Allies during WW II, and the Soviet atrocities against Germans after WWII while ignoring the Holocaust and German actions during World War II.
Posted by: Gary | July 22, 2008 at 12:57
Will Zackie film Palestinian kids celebrating and handing out sweets when Israeli children are murdered in terrorist attacks?
Posted by: Steve | July 22, 2008 at 13:57
Zachie also claims he was moved to tears by the sight of Stars of David drawn on the doors of Palestinian hoses whu=ich the residents had left.
Was he moved to tears by Palestinians burning synagogues and greenhouses after Jews had been forced from Gush Katif?
These people just cannot grasp the concept of human rights for Israeli Jews- in their minds human rights are exclusively for Arabs in that part of the world.
Also I noticed a lot of AIDS activits on the tour Zackie Achmat, Nathan Geffen, Edwin Cameron, Jonathan Burger etc.
What has campaigning for a better deal in SA got to do with 'Palestine'?
I know they will say that there concern is for human rights everywhere but then why no visit to Tibet, Kurdistan, Darfur, Zimbabwe etc where people are suffering far more than the Palestians and are far more opressed?
Posted by: Gary | July 22, 2008 at 14:21
Interesting that there is a gap in the footage, I didn't know that until now. The important thing is to not jump to conclusions, the Al Dura tape also looked pretty convincing.
That said, I don't think we can justify the actions in any way, even by pointing out the the Arabs do far worse. Yes they do, but thats not the point. If a bound and blindfolded man was shot with a rubber bullet with no purpose or goal then this needs to be condemned outright. Yes, I say purpose or goal because I am not entirely against the less cuddly approach to interrogation if it may save Jewish lives.
A few important points. Some moron on the JPost talkback on this story was ranting about this are not rubber bullets but plastic coated metal ones that are lethal at close range. Another respondent pointed out that this guy was shot at close range and the bullet only bruised his toe.
Secondly, and this is what the world is missing - the suspects have been arrested, the incident condemned without reservation by all senior military staff and a full investigation is underway. If Israel was pro this sort of behavior the response would have been different.
Posted by: Brett | July 22, 2008 at 14:47
Gary,
If the SA Human Rights Delegation has been set out solely to single Israel out for condemnation, then one must conclude that it is picking on one state for some srtrange idiosyncratic reason.
Perhaps it would have been more accurate to have called itself the South African Anti-Zionist Delegation? At least that wouldn't have given the impression that it was keen to investigate human rights abuses in other parts of the world. Which it most certainly isn't.
The fact that it has hidden its true agenda reveals that the members of the delegation are, perhaps, "economical with the true"?
Posted by: BLACKLISTED DICTATOR | July 22, 2008 at 17:11
Typo
"economical with the truth"!
Posted by: BLACKLISTED DICTATOR | July 22, 2008 at 17:13
BD The question is why?
My guess is that today one simply needs to prove one's leftwing credentials by how anti-Israel one is. The more extreme, the more viciously anti-Israel, the more pro-terror and the more dismissive of human rights for Israelis the better you will score with your leftwing friends and coleagues.
If you happen to be born Jewish you are expected to be particularly vicously anti-Israel.
"Ours is not to reason why."
Posted by: Gary | July 22, 2008 at 17:36
Gary,
Re " "Why?"
Let's face it.. if you are not anti-Israel in South Africa, you will probably be thrown off the gravy train.
It is the SA zeitgeist. They know which side their bread is buttered on.
Moreover, they hope to benefit when the Islamic revolution takes over and rules the world. Of course all the Jews ( Davis, Steinberg, Friedman, Kasrils included) will be put against the wall and shot, but they lack the sense to realize it. Ironic eh?
Posted by: BLACKLISTED DICTATOR | July 22, 2008 at 19:51
They also believe that their friends at work and on campus will like them again if they curse Israel, and support terror.
They don't give a dammn if this approval by their comrages is won ovr the dead bodies of thousands or millions of fellow Jews.
Posted by: Gary | July 22, 2008 at 20:17
Typo...comrades
Posted by: Gary | July 22, 2008 at 20:18
I presume you guys saw this story?
On Monday, a plane carrying 100 Jewish immigrants landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on the first-ever specially chartered aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) flight from South Africa.
According to the Jewish Agency, the body that manages immigration to the Jewish state, the number of South African Jews interested in making Israel their home is set to double in 2008. From 178 last year, their number is set to reach more than 300 this year.
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-07-22-more-south-africans-shipping-out-in-troubled-times
Posted by: Wessel van Rensburg | July 22, 2008 at 22:48
Nonsens. Israeli soldiers also take cameras with them. First they provoke a palestinian crowd. They kick the teeth out of their mouth, destroy their houses,.. And when some palestinians REact, the IDF turns on their cameras.
Now both sides get to film. And even then it isnt fair, cause the IDF and Settler-criminals are judged by who? Right, by other jews.
BTW, when a soldier shoots a bound captive, how can that be put in scene? The IDF is criminal, and finally more people will see it on video as well.
Posted by: Gonfa | July 28, 2008 at 22:06