Double standards / 3 That the UN human rights spokeswoman’s comments were aimed at both sides – as if there were any equivalence in the force deployed or position held between Israelis and Palestinians – defies the reality of Israeli occupation
16 ColdType | July 2014
rested for spray-painting “Kahane was right” on a road sign – a reference to the ultra-nationalist rabbi Meir Kahane who won a sizable following in the 1980s by calling for the forced removal of Arabs from Israel.
Israel’s Ongoing Collective Punishment of Palestine The United Nations human rights spokeswoman immediately called for all sides to not commit acts of collective punishment, which is a violation of international law. “We urge all parties to refrain from punishing individuals for offenses they have not personally committed or by imposing collective penalties,” she said at a press conference in Geneva. That her comments were aimed at both sides – as if there were any equivalence in the force deployed or position held between Israelis and Palestinians – defies the reality of Israeli occupation. Over the past 13 years, one Palestinian child has been killed on average every three days – every three days – by Israeli occupation forces. This statistic exposes the hypocrisy of every Israeli politician seeking to fan the flames of anti-Palestinian racism. Netanyahu said the three teenaged settlers had been “abducted and murdered in cold blood by human animals,” and he vowed, “Hamas is responsible and Hamas will pay.” Israeli Economy Minister and right-wing extremist Naftali Bennett exclaimed, “There is no forgiveness for murderers of children...Now is a time for actions, not words.” In the 18 days between the boys’ disappearance and the discovery of their bodies, Israel Defense Forces raided more than 1,000 homes, ransacking many of them. More than 420 Palestinians from the West Bank were arrested, with no charges – 58 of them had been released during the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange. Roughly 80 remain in administrative detention. At least five were killed, including a 15 year-old boy. Had she been more precise, the UN spokeswoman would have implored Israel
to stop its ongoing collective punishment. But the Israeli military isn’t done yet. The West Bank continues to be besieged, and the roads blockaded by soldiers and settler mobs alike. Dozens of military vehicles continued the extensive operations and home invasions in southern Hebron even after the bodies were found. Dozens more homes were searched and ransacked, causing extensive property damage. Palestinians reported injuries from live ammunition. A 16 yearold boy was killed by the IDF troops raiding Jenin. Perhaps in this case, Israeli officials will find that there is forgiveness for murderers of children. Israel claims that two Palestinian men – Marwan Kawasma and Amar Abu Aisha – are responsible for the boys’ disappearance and death. Both were previously detained by Israel multiple times and held in administrative detention without due process. Ha’aretz has reported that each of their wives had notified the Palestinian Authority security forces that their husbands were missing. The PA in turn relayed the information to the Shin Bet Caf (General Security Forces) of Israel, which then apprehended the women and interrogated them for several hours. Kawasma’s wife, who is eight months pregnant, was re-apprehended during the late-night raid on Hebron after the bodies were found on June 30. She is currently being held by Israel, though she contends that she has no knowledge of her husband’s whereabouts or plans. Other family members of the men are also being detained, including the four brothers of Marwan Kawasma and the father of Abu Aisha. In an attack on Kawasma’s home, an explosion destroyed the top floor and injured an infant with shrapnel. But remember – there is no forgiveness for the murderers of children.
A Pretext for Israel’s Interests Israel’s response to these events has been cynical, predictable and swift. Just hours af-