british peace activist dies

[Intifada]

A British peace activist who was shot by an Israeli soldier as he tried to protect Palestinian children from gunfire in a Gaza refugee camp died last night in a London hospital. Tom Hurndall succumbed to pneumonia. He had been left in a persistent vegetative state after being hit by a bullet at the Rafah camp in April.

The 22-year-old died hours after the soldier who shot him was charged with aggravated assault in a rare prosecution of a member of the Israeli military for harming a civilian.

more (http://www.iap.org/index2.html)

[Elect Marx]

That is horrible.


This has led the soldier's lawyer to accuse the army of "hanging him out to dry" and has raised suspicions within the Hurndall family that the authorities intend to pin all responsibility for the shooting on him rather than examine the "culture of impunity" surrounding the killing of civilians inside the occupied territories.

I'm glad that the soldier might face a little justice but this deflection just halts any futherer justice. This is just another action to avoid institutional responsibility.


"We hope that prosecution of the soldier involved in the shooting of Tom will send a message to all soldiers in the occupied territories that they cannot commit breaches of human rights whether these be killing, maiming, humiliation, the destruction of homes or the collective punishment of whole communities," Mrs Hurndall said.

Too bad the killing of innocent Palestinians doesn't send that message.


"But I am extremely sceptical at the way the Israeli army has chosen to highlight certain facts about this particular soldier - that he had previously been arrested for smoking cannabis and is an Arab.

Sounds like a scapgoat.


"This is a complete irrelevance and a deflection from the culture of impunity that is encouraged right along the chain of command right to the very top."

Exactly.

[monkeydust]

Whats more the guy has admitted that he knew the peace activist was unarmed and still shot him in the head, and seems to so far be getting away with it. The worst punishment he will get is a conviction for manslaughter, now I wonder what punishment he would get were he a palestinan?

[Guest1]

or maybe he'll be convicted and fined 8 shekels and a week of community service. that was the punishment for 4 soldiers who shot an 8 year old palestinian on a bicycle. 8 shekels each and a week of community service. then they were given their guns and shipped back to the occupied territories. funny thing is, the judge was talking about how horrible a crime it is, then gave them this sentence.

reminds me of bob dylan's great song, the lonesome death of hattie carrol:

William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll
With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger
At a Baltimore hotel society gath'rin'.
And the cops were called in and his weapon took from him
As they rode him in custody down to the station
And booked William Zanzinger for first-degree murder.
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face.
Now ain't the time for your tears.

William Zanzinger, who at twenty-four years
Owns a tobacco farm of six hundred acres
With rich wealthy parents who provide and protect him
And high office relations in the politics of Maryland,
Reacted to his deed with a shrug of his shoulders
And swear words and sneering, and his tongue it was snarling,
In a matter of minutes on bail was out walking.
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face.
Now ain't the time for your tears.

Hattie Carroll was a maid of the kitchen.
She was fifty-one years old and gave birth to ten children
Who carried the dishes and took out the garbage
And never sat once at the head of the table
And didn't even talk to the people at the table
Who just cleaned up all the food from the table
And emptied the ashtrays on a whole other level,
Got killed by a blow, lay slain by a cane
That sailed through the air and came down through the room,
Doomed and determined to destroy all the gentle.
And she never done nothing to William Zanzinger.
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face.
Now ain't the time for your tears.

In the courtroom of honor, the judge pounded his gavel
To show that all's equal and that the courts are on the level
And that the strings in the books ain't pulled and persuaded
And that even the nobles get properly handled
Once that the cops have chased after and caught 'em
And that the ladder of law has no top and no bottom,
Stared at the person who killed for no reason
Who just happened to be feelin' that way without warnin'.
And he spoke through his cloak, most deep and distinguished,
And handed out strongly, for penalty and repentance,
William Zanzinger with a six-month sentence.
Oh, but you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Bury the rag deep in your face
For now's the time for your tears.