On Friday we reported on an incident that has received a lot of attention, the injuries sustained by Palestinian leader Mustafa Barghouti during a Land Day protest at Qalandiya checkpoint. Barghouti told me from his Ramallah hospital bed that an Israeli teargas canister had struck him in the head. Others asserted that he was attacked when supporters of his group, the Palestinian National Initiative, clashed with other Palestinian groups.
Yesterday the Palestine Monitor, which was founded by Barghouti, published an account by Ahmed Nasser:
Before the protest launched, the leaders of the political parties agreed to move towards the checkpoint. While they were walking down towards the checkpoint, unidentified individuals attempted to co-opt the peaceful non-violent protest. These individuals tried to hinder the unified demonstration. It should be clarified that at this moment, there were only verbal discrepancies amongst protesters, and not between political leaders, and it is crucial to clarify that Dr. Barghouthi was not part of the group.
At the same time, the Israeli security forces launched dozens of tear gas canisters and skunk water when the protest was on hold. It was at this moment when Dr. Barghouthi was hit in the head with a tear gas canister. Dr. Barghouthi was escorted to one of the ambulances that rushed to the scene. When Dr. Barghouthi was already inside the ambulance, which was heading to the hospital, this ambulance and another two ambulances carrying other injured protesters were attacked by the same people trying to co-opt the protest. There is no evidence that this violence was in any way targeted at Dr. Barghouthi himself.
I called Barghouti today and was told by a friend who got on the phone that he had nothing to add to Nasser’s statement. Who were the individuals who had confronted the peaceful demonstrators? “We don’t know.” (I would add that when I asked Barghouti the other day about an Israeli government claim that he had been attacked by Palestinians, he said that was the “most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Why would any Palestinian attack me? I’m a leader of the Palestinians.”)
While they were walking down towards the checkpoint, unidentified individuals attempted to co-opt the peaceful non-violent protest.
I know suggesting that sometimes people incite violence under the flag of the opposing group is to invite being called a member in good standing of the tinfoil hat brigade. Except that sometimes it is true. This sh-t happens.
Please see here for a clip of Quebec police officers being unmasked by protestors at a G8 conference in Quebec a few years ago. The SQ (as the police are known) admitted in a press conference to having done this. Busted. Please see the clip. It is eye-opening. -N49.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqbHOtskVtI
So Barghouti’s initial claim that he was hit by a teargas canister is still being made. There is now this complication that an unidentified group tried to disrupt the protest and then attacked one or more ambulances. On the other hand, there is an IDF claim that Barghouti was originally injured by fellow Palestinians as he himself was inciting Palestinians to riot. It may be a little difficult to sort out exactly what happened and why, but the least reliable source of information is quite identifiable: the IDF.
From the information we have, it is impossible to identify this “unidentified” group. However, with all the preparations Israel made for the “threat” posed by Land Day demonstrations, it is IMO most probable that the IDF had agents infiltrating the various protest groups. I cannot imagine they did not try. Were they part of this attempted disruption and attack on ambulances? Israel is well-deserving of such suspicion based on its past behavior, but there is no way to tell.
RE: “…unidentified individuals attempted to co-opt the peaceful non-violent protest. These individuals tried to hinder the unified demonstration.” ~ Ahmed Nasser
FROM WIKIPEDIA [Mista’arvim]:
SOURCE – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mista'arvim
So what if he got hit by the canister? Why it is so important to muzzle about for 3 days in a row? You to protest towards military checkpoint-expect to be tear-gassed, hit by the rubber bullet and, God forbid ,canister! What is wrong here- is he a child or mentally incompetent person?
dimadok: So what if he got hit by the canister?
Then IDF lied. Face it.