A soldier's word
Nighttime raids, pointed guns, arrests often accompanied by beatings, kicks, curses and painful and extended handcuffing. The ordinary behavior of Israeli children in uniform.
By Amira Hass Tags: Israel newsChildren in the West Bank throw stones at army vehicles and Israeli cars, mainly those belonging to settlers. That is the undeniable truth. Throwing stones is the classic way of telling the occupier, who is armed from head to toe, that he has forced himself on the occupied. Sometimes it's part of a sweeping resistance movement, sometimes it's a ceremonial remnant of such a movement, not devoid of braggadocio and adolescent boredom, while also a reminder to adults not to adapt.
The armed occupier bellows that this is violence, an offense just a step away from firearms. The violence of the occupier is the norm that no one questions, so much so that it becomes invisible. Only the response to that norm is presented and perceived as criminal, and the occupying nation wallows pleasurably in its eternal victimhood to justify its violent actions.
The army, especially the military justice system, has abundant means to deter young people from taking part in those ceremonies to ward off adjustment. Nighttime raids, pointed guns, arrests often accompanied by beatings, kicks, curses and painful and extended handcuffing. The ordinary behavior of Israeli children in uniform, completely normative. From the frightening conditions of such arrests, Palestinian children are taken straight to interrogation. This, too, involves intimidation, threats and sometimes a blow, sometimes temptation: Admit that you threw stones and we'll let you go. Because detention until the end of legal proceedings might be longer than the sentence itself, sometimes it's preferable to admit to something you did not do.
Eight 16-year-old students at the El-Arub agricultural school refused to be part of the statistic of confessions under pressure in the so-called military justice system. Three soldiers who arrested them in October 2008 testified to the police that their detainees had thrown stones on Route 60, and the soldiers caught them on the road after chasing them. The indictments were tailored to the soldiers' account of events.
But the truth was that the teens were pulled out of their classrooms by soldiers who drove into the school compound. The police did not bother to question the principal and his teachers, the prosecution did not append corroborating evidence to the "stone-throwing incident" (such as documentation of the incident by the police or an army war room ). And still, the military judge extended the remand of the eight teens until the end of the proceedings. A soldier's word against the word of a Palestinian boy.
The appeals judge was somewhat discomfitted by the vague testimony the soldiers gave the police and ordered the boys released on very high bail. The military prosecution tried, as usual, to get the defense attorney (from the Ad-Damir human rights group ), to sign a plea bargain (you confess, we'll ask for a suspended sentence and a fine ), to save everyone's time, especially the court's. The boys were adamant in their refusal. The three soldiers, therefore, had to testify in court after they were warned to tell the truth, and they were very unconvincing.
On July 12, after almost two years of "wasting the court's time," the prosecution asked that the indictments be dropped. According to the IDF Spokesman's Office, "there was no determination by a court of law that the soldiers lied in their testimony," which is true, and that "in agreeing to drop the indictment there is no implication regarding the credibility of the soldiers' testimony." Sure.
Indeed, the soldiers acted the way many had acted before them. What they did is not devoid of the adolescent braggadocio that their society accepts affectionately and leniently. In particular, they are obeying unwritten orders to deter potential activists against the occupation. Blows, twisting the truth and intimidation are all part of the system they did not invent.
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I often wondered why the Israel is seen with growing disgust throughout, not only in the Middle East, but in much of the rest of the world. The repeated, obviously false statements by IDF leaders and the Netanyahu government might fool some people, but the evidence of a clear policy of racial cleansing can`t be hidden. Israel stands to be the big loser if it doesn`t become honest. People don`t like liers. The lack ofcredibility of the nation puts its very existance in doubt.
At least the soldiers don't pull the palestinians hearts out. And in any case, this is Jewish land.
An eighteen year old is legally an adult but emotionally in many ways a child. If they have been brainwashed to see Palestinians as sub-human and their actions are not penalized, this is a recipe for all kinds of abuse and adolescent aggression. However, apart from the horrendous suffering inflicted on the Palestinians, what kind of bullying do these youths also experience within the army itself? Violence is contagious. Is this why the suicide rate in the Israeli army is rising?
great article. i know soldiers who have told me horrible stories, like being woken up in the middle of the night (and still being under the influence of marijuana which they have consumed on base) and then going to arab cities to "inspect" houses.. every time i am in jerusalem on the western wall or in busses and i see these young people with their guns around their shoulders, it gives me the creeps...
Its not between Israeli and Palestinian or Muslim and Jew, its between children and adults. Too bad there are often 60 year old children in charge of the most expensive and dangerous toys.
These Israeli children in uniform also get killed to protect your freedom of speech. These Israeli children in uniform rather enjoy life like all other children the same age. Thesed Israeli children in uniform are the pride of the Jewish people. These Israeli children in uniform have a family and loved ones. Gilad Shalit is one of them.
Religious fundamentalists like Amira Hass are doing everything in their power to prevent any chance for peace. Unfortunately we have people like this on our Israeli side too. Our religious fundamentalists will not settle for anything but complete victory also.
... and it is the Arabs who are the occupiers, Amira.
Amira Hass forgot to take her lithium tablets this morning. That is the only reason someone could produce such half-brained garbage as this article.
Nothing new just the pretence by the uberleft that it does not know it happens that way.
Throwing stones is a terroristic act (a felony) in the U.S. if they are thrown at an automobile which is occupied. This was a law specifically enacted during the 60's to deal with racial demonstrations where activists were being bused to rallies.The stone throwers are lucky to be alive.
The human rights violations that Israel commits on a regular basis is unbelievably sad and points to the fact that Israel has no moral conscience. I guess Israel does not believe in karma. All of this will come back on you. There is a higher being that sees all, you know.
I like the style of your writing and more important the rationale of your thoughts, thank you
The occupation must end for all children, Israeli and Palestinian. There is no other answer. I say this as an Israeli, a mother and grandmother. I have seen a lifetime of damage the occupation has caused and see no benefit whatsoever in continuing the torture of both peoples. It's time to put an end to it once and for all.
if it is a choice of being shot at or to shoot --- what would you choose. does any one doubt all arabs want us dead. they have never recognized us. consider tel aviv just as occupied territory. and still teach that israel does not exist .. when will u wake up.
amira, were you also a soldier in the idf? what heroic, humanitarian and world-changing deeds have you accomplished ?
Thank god for Amira Hass, a person of great courage, and beautiful prose..."some men (woman) in this world are born to do our unpleasant jobs for us... your father (Amira) is one of them. " - from To Kill a Mockingbird
I don't believe one word from this story. It's all made up. Isn't it, Amira?
I believe every word Amira writes! She is the refreshing minority in a country which needs to start dealing with reality which we in the rest oft he world are aware of. Israel, beware of being another dictatorship!
Well written. You really captured the big picture of what is being perpetuated. i know many soldiers who awakened too late (after service) to how they were conditioned and exploited to perpetrate such inhumanity. And now they have to live with it, to the point of tearful regret. Powerless against the national system, some have emigrated, chosen self exile, so that their children will be spared both, passive and active inhumanity toward others.
As an austrian jew victim of nazism, I would like to tell you that I always admire your courageous, decent and human commentaries. Thank you very much.
Just Thugs With Guns.
Are you suggesting Israel uses child soldiers? According to the Jewish Virtual Library "Most men and single women are inducted into the IDF at age 18, women " in most countries that is considered adult.....Someone using some creative writing techniques to disguise the fact that the idf are arresting Palestinian children from about 10 year old...tut tut
As this article shows the apparatusof occupation justice is close to total collapse in the West Bank. The military court system just believes pretty much everything soldiers say. You might as well make the soldiers judge, jury and executioenr and cut out the middle man. It would be almost as fair.
If we make too much noise along these lines these poor kids wont even make it into prison and sham courts...they'll end up on roadsides with gunshot wounds to the head. It's all too eerily predictable of tribes that turn barbarous.
British troops beating up Iraqi kids whose parents send them out . Stop feigning ignorance of this is cowardly it was the way of the Mullahs as well. A Brazillian man doing absolutey nothing gets shot ijn the head 5 times,no conviction. British justice is a joke so your draw attention away from it and the creeping Islamisation of Britain. Do you eat compulsory Halal ? How does that fit in with the leftist apologists ideology? Have you protested opr are you too busy abusing Israel during working hours?
Result ? Complaining about Israel. Unarmed Brazillian doing nothing,shot in the head . Result ?Complaining about Israel Palestinian out of hand executions of their own.So what does a good "intellectual" do? Complain about Israel. Enjoy the compulsory Halal foisted on Brit schools.Maybe you can find a way of blaming the "zionists"
So dont expect us all to go away and leave you and Israel to it,s depraved activities----ever.
Sorry to disagree with you, Amira… Throwing stones is a violent act, regardless of how protected the receiver of the stones is. Similarly, excusing the stone throwing with the (historic/present/constant/whatever) frustration and anger Palestinians feel, is like excusing rape with (historic) child molestation of the perpetrator, etc. It simply doesn’t justify anything! If you are claiming to protest something in a non-violent way, you are expected to behave accordingly, and anyone from the other side should feel confident and safe to approach you (for verbal communication, or any other non-violent reason) completely unarmed and unprotected, which is not the case if you are hurling stones/rocks at him/her!! I understand that you believe that the conflict is completely unbalanced, but trying to balance it by twisting reality, and justifying what should not be justified, is totally wrong and can cause more harm than good to both sides!!! As the arrmed "occupier"whois nameless is being scorned same logic may apply to the mother of this article get out if youre sooo miserable. Life is Too short to be so unhappy besides people do not read you only loons
Even Barak said he would be a terrorist if born on the other side, be grateful its only rocks and not hand grenades. We occupy them, they resist, end of story...
Your rape analogy is nonsense. Palestinians cannot be compared to a victim of childhood molestation who grows up to rape another. Palestinians are the present victim of rape by Israel and are resisting the rapist. Your analogy does fit squarely with Israel, however. Jews were killed in the holocaust (the childhood molestation) and have since used that trauma to justify the rape of Palestinians.
understanding why palestinians throw rocks is morally equivalent to excusing child rape?? obviously the israeli lack of any sense of proportionality extends beyond brutal violence to your very ability to reason
are the palestinians wright and the settlers and occupiers wrong, or viceversa? Is the occupied wright to protest or not? Should the occupier sit and see how his (their) life pass in permanent missery and humiliation? or is that the chosen people has wright to do whatever wants and the rest has to suffer? are you what?
I wonder how you would respond to settlers throwing stones or shooting people at point blank or setting fire to people's orchards. Would you give them a pass on that? They are jews after all. A crime is committed only when a Palestinian Arab throws a stone or shows the slightest bit of resistance towardsd you. By the way, the nonviolent protests on the West Bank are also confronted with massive violence. Just look at the youtube videos from Bilin and you see tear gas and rubber bullets being fired on peaceful protesters for doing absolutely nothing but demanding their rights as humans.
Spoken like a true adolescent.
First of: who is claiming to protest in a non-violent way? Palestinians? i don't think so !! how can you protest the occupation and silent genocide that the idf constantly enforces in Gaza and WB in a non-violent way? that's absurd!! it's as if you were telling a kid getting his ass kicked by a bully to stop defending himself and see if the bully will eventually let's him go... BS! How many peacefull protesters (US citizens, french, english, dannish, swiss, israeli, arab,etc...) have tried to "behave accordingly" to non violent protestations and found themselves an the side of some road with a bullet in the brain or simply beaten to death or crushed by a buldozer? Don't lie to yourself Chafeeka and wake up to what is today's reality: the IDF does not give a rat's ass of anything palestinian and they are working to enforce hatred between both people by all means possible! even if it means sending innocent 6 year olds to military courts... like amira said :"Blows, twisting the truth and intimidation are all part of the system they did not invent."
As any good apologist for their excesses racism and rejection does.
tactics. ???????????????????????.
Amira,I appriciat your constant writing about personal issues. you are a brave woman in our grave situation.
The arabs already have a state of their own--they just won't leave Israel and go back to it.
The arabs already have a state of their own--they just won't leave Israel and go back to it.
Yes, Jordan and Jordan!
For those who deny the comparisons of Israel's occupation with the former Apartheid regime in South Africa, just take a look at the way that attacks by settlers are treated. There is no comparison with the kind of treatment experienced by Palestinians - even when the suspected crime is exactly the same, such as stone throwing. Even far more serious incidents - such as destruction of property, poisoning of water supplies, throwing of acid - by settlers are never properly investigated and convictions rarely if ever occur. The discrimination is systematic and profound. And we dare to curse our critics for anti-semitism? What irony.
Anyone - ANYONE!- who compares apartheid SA with Israel is either ignorant of apartheid, ignorant of Israel, or a racist anti-Semite.
As a South African born Jew who grew up under Apartheid and who has spent the last 15 years closely considering Israel's policies and practices in the Occupied Territories I think I have a fair grasp of the situation. What is YOUR basis for asserting that the comparison is invalid?
So the Palestinians are not living in homelands? They are allowed to vote for the Knesset? The are allowed to travel anywhere and anytime they want? They can be considered occupied, if you believe in a 2 state future. But until that day, it's apartheid.
Denying the striking similitudes between S.A.'s apartheid and Israel's is the real show of ignorance.
No- it's far worse than Apartheid S Africa ever was.
point to the article, and no point to the comments. No body is listening. History teaches us that Occupation dose more damage to the occupier, than the occupied. As the man said those who don't learn from history, are bound to repeat it.
"If you see a child soldier shoot it" (Dinstein)
I have been the recipient of the rocks on the Mount of Olives by Moslem children and it is very dangerous as I could smash my car. Tell Abbas to sign peace and you won't see soldiers. Still better treatment than Gilad Shalit gets and he did nothing.
What??!!!!!!! Gilad Shalit did nothing? He's a soldier in an occupying army!!!!!! For the love of god, you people are so brainwashed it is hopeless. No one else in the world thinks like you anymore! It is the 21st century! Colonialism is over elsewhere!!!!!! Anyway, screw you and your car!!!!
Perhaps I missed it, but I have never seen you complain about stones thrown by settlers and haredim. Are those posts deleted by the censor, or are stones thrown by Jews less dangerous?
Oh sure...he was just innocently manning an artillery emplacement in occupied territory outside illegally occupied Gaza which in the 2 weeks prior to his capture had shelled targets inside Gaza killing at least a dozen civilians......and he 'did nothing'. Sheesh. I guess when you guys 'do something' thats why the body count runs into the thousands of civvies eh?
Lost another one, did you?
Enough is enough. Get these god-drunk, messianic, paranoid anti-evolutionists out of the territories so normal people on both sides can have a chance at a normal life.
Wow! Great minds work alike! I was just going to say the same type of things about you atheistic, secular humanists, socialist, liberty-hating one-world-government lovers.
The arabs are the settlers here!
that we have rights and the Palestinians don’t, that we can continue with this “game” for ever since it doesn’t harm us and that there will be no serious consequences… However it is not new that one outcome is certain: those same soldiers will go back home with distorted conceptions of justice, lacking values and decency and will be for ever strongly inclined to uncontrollable violence, which fact will continue to undermine our already shattered society. On the other side the Palestinians will go home hating us even more deeply and rightly so. We can guess what the results are going to be, but it is OK: we will have one more reason to complain about that eternal unjustified antisemitism… But it really seems that nobody is listening…Doesn’t matter: most probably it is too late anyway…
That's why I love you lefties so -- you are so gloomy, hopeless, insipid, one-track minded and depressed. Cheers me up.
to you whine about anti-semitism. No one buys it. We just don't care. Nothing can change that now. Not even another false-flag attack a la the Lavon Affair. By the way, you are complicit, regardless of your liberal-sounding politics. If you're an Israeli you are to blame. So either get hardcore with your criticism and put your money where your mouth is or shut up.
Oh, that the arabs would only go home!