Friday, May 13, 2011

More Catastrophe

Meanwhile, we get to see the best 'democracy in the middle east' in action. The Palestinians like to mark what they call the Nakba ... that is the catastrophe. For Israel, its a celebration of independence, but for the Palestinians, the same day is known as the catastrophe.

Israel doesn't like to be reminded of the ethnic cleansing that was a part of their nation's founding. They like to believe this myth that the land was empty before they arrived, so having Palestinians marking the day of catastrophe of when they lost that land seems to upset the Israelis.

Teen critically injured as Israel cracks down on Nakba demos from the International Solidarity Movement.

17 year-old was critically injured from live fire in East Jerusalem. An American protester suffered serious head injury after being hit by a tear-gas projectile shot directly at him from close range.

Israeli military and police forces responded heavy handedly to demonstrations commemorating 63 years to the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) of 1948 today all over the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Morad Ayyash, a 17 year old from the Ras el-Amud neighborhood was shot in the stomach with live ammunition. He has reached the Muqassed hospital with no pulse and the doctors are now fighting for his life.

Tension also rose in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, where 19 protesters have been injured and 11 were arrested. During the evening hours, large police forces raided houses in Silwan and carried out additional arrests.

In the village of Ma’asara, south of Bethlehem, two protesters were arrested during a peaceful demonstration that was attacked with tear-gas for no apparent reason. One of those arrested is a member of the village’s popular committee. In Nabi Saleh – a regular target for military aggression recently – soldiers and Border Police officers injured no less than 25 protesters, including a Palestinian women in her 50s who was beaten up so badly that her wounds required her removal from the Salfeet Hospital to the bigger and more advanced Rafidiya Hospital in Nablus. A 25 year-old American demonstrator suffered a serious head injury and an Israeli activist was diagnosed with two open fractures in his hand. Both were injured by tear-gas projectiles shot directly at them from short range, in violation of the Israeli Army’s open fire regulations. Four protesters were arrested in Nabi Saleh, including two Palestinian women.

At least in the US we don't go slaughter the Indians again on every Fourth of July. Well, I should probably be careful with that, because somewhere there's probably a town in America where just exactly that happens. But, at least it isn't a large scale, pre-planned operation by the army and the secret police.

UPDATE from ISM (5-14-11)
Milad Ayyash, the 17 year-old who was critically injured yesterday in East Jerusalem passed away at the Muqassed Hospital, after all attempts to save his life failed.

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