Another brutal attack on a cyclist Saturday is documented at Pal Reports Nablus
The shocking video of the Israeli lieutenant colonel smashing a Danish cyclist in the face with a rifle is already playing out in a different way from countless other Israeli atrocities in the occupied territories. To begin with, according to the Hebrew press, it was shown repeatedly on Israeli televisions news last night.
Also, it is highly unusual that the army chief of staff and Prime Minister would react to the incident after a couple of hours, as they did in condemning the officer’s actions. In other cases, they have defended Israeli aggression; look at the Mavi Marmara attack in May 2010.
In this case the video is just that compelling. Although the video and these still photographs on the Internet were highly condemnatory, Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner through friends maintains that he acted appropriately. Eisner claimed that he was provoked by activists who had assaulted him with sticks which caused multiple hand fractures prior to his assault. Even the army does not seem to be buying into this story.
His knitted skullcap will be the icing on the cake. Eisner is seen wearing a knitted kipah (skullcap) often associated with the right-wing religious settler movement. The indifference shown by the other soldiers is enough to even shock some pro-Israel types. It could get wild.
Meantime, two prominent rabbis have issued statements of support for the suspended officer. The IDF is trying to get the unedited recording of the event, which the Israelis claim lasted about 2 hours.
In a highly unusual and swift reaction, the Israeli authorities suspended the main attacker, Lieutenant Colonel Shalom Eisner, from his army duties only hours after the video appeared. Eisner’s actions were harshly condemned by both the Army Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Ma’an News and the International Solidarity Movement, the cycling tour was organized by the Palestinian group, Sharak Youth Forum, to protest against the discrimination and land confiscations which Palestinians and Bedouin suffer at the hands of the Israeli occupation authorities.
According to Ynet the incident occurred on Saturday. The activists who numbered between 60 and 200 according to differing reports were attempting to bicycle on Route 90, the main north/south artery in the Jordan Valley. The road is designated for Jewish travelers only.
The cyclists and their support team were composed of internationals and Palestinians. As a result of the incident a Palestinian, a Dutch national and a Dane were hospitalized. The extent of their injuries has not been reported. A Swedish activist who was detained by the Israelis was released after an hour. Numerous other Israeli soldiers are seen on the video manhandling the demonstrators.
That’s what happens when you send tank officers to do police work they just can’t get the hang of it oh well …
Eisner is seen wearing a knitted kipah (skullcap) often associated with the right-wing religious settler movement.
According to the Ynet article article you link to, Lt. Col. Eisner’s rabbi is Haim Druckman, an esteemed educator in the settler movement and one of its key political leaders. Many of his disciples are themselves in positions of leadership in the West Bank and Israel. As testimony to his loyalty to his own, it should be noted that Druckman was party to a cover-up in the case of a rabbi who headed a high school. This principal later served time for having sex with students in his school.
Rabbi Druckman is one of the leading rabbis who has spoken in defense of his disciple, Lt. Col. Eisner.
30 years ago, settlers such as the Levinger family in Hebron assaulted those who got in their way, including IDF soldiers. Now that the IDF has been been completely co-opted as the settlers’ security agency, the settlers can stay home and watch the proceedings. Or they can put on the uniform and dish out the violence as soldiers.
Bib’s swift action will be taken as proof that Israel is the most moral country in the world but the rot has taken root. The settler/soldiers will just take more care to get away from the cameras before attacking folks.
The attack made the homepage of one of Denmark’s biggest broadsheet-quality newspapers, Berlingske, and this is direct link to the piece: Overfaldet dansk aktivist: Har set det mange gange
This is surely another case of Israel smashing itself in the face with its own rifle
It’s really a Selma bridge moment. Cameras are important.
the first posting of the video was by ami kaufman at 972. the comment thread is very instructive wrt the pushback from trolls and other supporters of the iof. it’s almost surreal some of the arguments they come up with. obviously they are taking this very seriously (while claiming, in so many words, it’s not serious).
http://972mag.com/watch-idf-lt-col-rams-rifle-in-face-of-activist/41981/