Abdallah Abu Rahmah, a leader of the weekly nonviolent protests in Bil’in, has finally been charged after being arrested nearly two weeks ago by the Israeli military. Abu Rahmah’s arrest has been part on an ongoing Israeli campaign against Palestinian nonviolent resistance leaders. The charges against him could not be more creative. From a Popular Struggle Coordination Committee press release:
Abdallah Abu Rahmah, a school teacher and coordinator of the Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Wall, was indicted in an Israeli military court yesterday. Abu Rahmah was slapped with an arms possession charge for collecting used tear gas canisters shot at demonstrators in Bil’in by the army and showcasing them in his home.
An indictment was filed in a West Bank military court yesterday for incitement, stone throwing and arms possession charges against Bil’in Popular Committee coordinator, Abdallah Abu Rahmah. On receiving the indictment Adv. Gaby Lasky, Abu Rahmah’s lawyer said that “the army shoots at unarmed demonstrators, and when they try to show the world the violence used against them by collecting presenting the remnants – they are persecuted and prosecuted. What’s next? Charging protesters money for the bullets shot at them?”
Here is a photo of the "arms" in question:
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You know actually, this action by the Israeli government is so degrading and vicious that I’m having a hard time coming up with an adequate response. I want people who shriek about how comparing Israel to Nazi Germany is inappropriate and anti-Semitic to weigh in upon this logic, versus the sort of false charges that were levied against Jews in Nazi Germany. Seriously now.
The nation of Israel is rotten to its core, it truly is.
Comparison to pre-1938 Nazi Germany is sounding less and less unreasonable. These Zionists aren’t just appearing like scum, but as genuinely certifiable lunatics. Where are the mythical liberal Zionists when their movement needs them to stalwartly restrain their extremists? Are they hoping that the latter get away with their brazen lies, or merely hiding in embarrassment and hoping coverage of the story doesn’t further damage their cherished campaign of ethnic cleansing and colonization? I must give credit where credit is due, these wackos are an imaginative bunch.
Hey look! It’s all those tear gas canisters I bought with my own tax money! Arranged in a peace sign! $3 billion in military aid a year is worth it, after all.
There is something about the spent tear gas cannister that serves as a rather apt metaphor for Israel at this moment.
It is too often casually launched at civilians where it whistles and wheezes and blinds all it in touches, but when the smoke has cleared all that is left but a scortched and empty husk.
Give ‘em enough rope.
I showed this post to my wife, and she asked “Where is this being reported?” Apart from the Guardian. The Times yesterday has space for an 1800 word report on women’s prayer shawls, which surely has some religious significance, but is pretty narrow subject, considering the readership.
The Times being a Rupert Murdoch rag, right?
Yes, the Times is a Rupert Murdoch rag.
I am absolutely with your wife, Scott. I wish a larger audience could witness this theater of legal absurdity à la Israel.
This is the exercise of violent power with impunity, speech and all actions seasoned with might makes right. It is what Eduardo Galeano said “Impunity is the daughter of oblivion,” and “absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
By Israel’s own twisted logic, the rockets of Hamas are in fact military aid donated at great personal risk .
The sainted residents of Sderot are all criminals because of the rockets they keep on display to demonstrate the evil of Hamas.
Indeed, talk about a double standard so glaring you need a mirror just to see both parts of it at the same time.
Of course, to be fair, Sderot has seen some truly terrible violence in the past — of course, back then, it was the Palestinian village called Najd.
Even without reporting, I understand what Israel is and why Palestinians protest and fight. But I have to give credit to anyone who reports what is happening in Palestine–especially someone who could have a career in the MSM. Merry Christmas, Phil!
RE: “Bil’in leader charged with arms possession”
MY COMMENT: The works of Kafka and Orwell were incredibly prescient!
Good comment, Dickerson.
Abdallah Abu Rahmah deserves the best and most creative lawyers. And writers like Phil, Adam and friends to get the story into the news. We need both the best lawyers and writers to make this tragicomedy known everywhere. Just imagine. It’s so absurd.
LeaNder–do many everyday Germans know anything about this sort of stuff? Or are they oblivious, as in the the USA?
Will Mr. Rahmah’s retention of lawyers make a wit of difference? Someone who knows more please correct me if I am wrong. I thought that Palestinians arrested under the apartheid legal system of the Israeli military occupation authority had no recourse to lawyers, i.e. they could have as many as they want but they couldn’t actually do anything to formally intervene in the closed secret proceedings under which Palestinians in the occupied territories stand ‘trial’.
I just noticed that Adam is responsible for this article. Sorry. Merry Christmas, Adam!
Readers of MondoWeiss will benefit from reading the article by Neve Gordon on CounterPunch, http://www.counterpunch.org/gordon12232009.html, detailing the Israeli campaign to break the peaceful protests of the Palestinians. The organizers of peaceful protests are charged with “incitement”: i.e., encouraging and organizing other Palestinians to protest also.
Palestinians steal Israeli air by breathing.
Those anti-Semitic Palestinians! Why don’t they just acknowledge Jewish supremacy and kindly jump into the sea? In the meantime, the Israeli judicial system will simply have to keep throwing them in jail for the crime of carrying a deadly concealed weapon — free will.
Funny you should mention that, it reminded me of this –
MUTANTS
above meant as reply to eve
makes me think of this! Perri-Air
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiabeNR_q0U
A Palestinian carbon tax for oxygen consumption must have come up at the last Israeli Go-Green(!) initiatives.
Where I live it is Christmas Eve so season’s greetings all. Mondoweiss has become my go-to place for sane comment in a mad media World.
Here’s what I mean. On the front page of Arutz Sheva, there is a headline:
Swedes Behind Auschwitz Theft
It leads to this story:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/135157
Note that the Swedish connection is undeniable:
“Police arrested part of the gang in Poland’s major port container town, where many boats head for Sweden. ”
That is it. Case proven.
Remember Sweden? Where they publish anti-Semitic articles about organ stealing that turn out out be ………well true actually.
If this is the best the Hasbara can do, I look forward to much progress next year.
Best wishes and thanks.
Happy Holidays! And yeah really. I guess even propagandists take it easy for the holidays, huh?
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good holiday weekend!
Amira Hass has reported the story in Ha’aretz
Hats off to this brave lady
And a Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings to all!
Forgot to include the link!
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1137288.html
The only democracy of the ME!!!!! Yonira do you hear me?
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