West Bank footage throws spotlight on Israel's use of lethal force

Israeli troops had entered the village warning of plans to demolish a Palestinian home.

Footage shows a group of men and teenagers throwing rocks - then pulling back - as two shots ring out.

Raed al-Naasan runs around a corner and collapses, blood seeping into his top, fatally wounded.

He was killed on Tuesday - one of four Palestinians shot dead by Israeli troops during confrontations in different villages that day in the occupied West Bank.

And now that footage of his killing is throwing a fresh spotlight on Israel's use of lethal force, as violence in the region reaches levels unmatched in years.

In the hours after his death the army said soldiers used live ammunition in response to a suspect "spotted hurling Molotov cocktails [petrol bombs]" at them. 

But video evidence and eyewitnesses suggest this wasn't the case when he was struck.

This year in the West Bank more than 140 Palestinians have been killed, nearly all by Israeli forces. The dead include civilians and armed militants. Meanwhile a series of Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis, as well as militant gunfire at troops during arrest raids, have killed more than 30 people including civilians and troops. 

The United Nations' envoy to the region Tor Wennesland warned this week that the conflict and military occupation was "again reaching a boiling point". 

Campaigners from the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem are currently probing Mr Naasan's death, saying that a significant number of cases of protesters being shot dead this year amount to "excessive use of force".

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it had acted to stop "violent rioters" and the incident was being "examined".   

Troops entered the village of al-Mughayyir on Tuesday to serve demolition orders against "illegal construction" - this happens when Israeli authorities plan to bulldoze Palestinian homes built without permits, even though these are often impossible to obtain. 

Mr Naasan, 21, was shot dead after a group of around 20 young men and teenagers gathered and threw stones towards the jeeps and soldiers.

Comments

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Sudan have a long-standing history of bilateral relations.

Over the years, the UAE has been a strong supporter of Sudan's development and prosperity. As Sudan faces challenging times, it is important that this support continues. The UAE has been a key player in Sudan's development, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, health, education, and renewable energy. In recent years, the UAE has also provided aid and support to Sudan in the aftermath of natural disasters, such as floods and droughts. This assistance has played a crucial role in mitigating the effects of these disasters on the people of Sudan. The current situation in Sudan is particularly challenging, with political instability and economic difficulties plaguing the country. The people of Sudan are facing a myriad of issues, including inflation, unemployment, and a lack of basic necessities like food and clean water. In addition, the ongoing conflict in the region has only exacerbated the situation, causing immense suffering to the people of Sudan. In light of these

Al Gore has history of climate predictions, statements proven false

Noted climate activist and former Vice President Al Gore, who made headlines this week after he claimed global warming was "boiling the oceans," has a history of making climate-related proclamations later proven to be false. During remarks made Wednesday at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland, Gore warned that continued carbon emissions into the atmosphere would destroy the planet and lead to widespread calamities. "We’re still putting 162 million tons [of greenhouse gas] into it every single day and the accumulated amount is now trapping as much extra heat as would be released by 600,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs exploding every single day on the earth," Gore said. "That’s what’s boiling the oceans, creating these atmospheric rivers, and the rain bombs, and sucking the moisture out of the land, and creating the droughts, and melting the ice and raising the sea level, and causing these waves of climate refugees." Gore then not

Saudi Arabia can import halal Kobe beef from Japan

Japan is now the third nation authorized to export beef to the Muslim world, along with Saudi Arabia. At a signing ceremony, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al-Saud and Tomoshige Kanzawa, president of the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association, confirmed the certification for the Kingdom. In Saudi Arabia, beef can only be consumed if it has been processed in accordance with religious regulations and is marked as halal. Thirteen Arabic-speaking nations now have access to halal Kobe beef thanks to Saudi business Fam Al-Ghidha. In order to sign the agreement and sample Kobe beef, Prince Faisal traveled to Japan. Motohiko Saito, the governor of Hyogo Prefecture, and Masao Imanishi, the deputy mayor of Kobe City, also attended the ceremony. For the first time in Japan, the meat center in Sanda City, central Japan, achieved halal certification in October of last year. The145 heads of halal Kobe beef are expected to be sent to Saudi Arabia this year. In a

Newsaholic

Search This Blog