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Israel sent Palestinian Authority letter to ‘stop incitement’ over bus driver’s death

When news broke of a Palestinian bus driver’s body found hanging by a metal cord in the rear of an Israeli bus in a West Jerusalem parking lot, two separate narratives developed. The death came in the midst of a bitter pattern of attacks on Israeli and Palestinian civilians across the city and the official reason given in the autopsy by Israel was that Yousef Hassan al-Ramouni, 32, had committed suicide. However, the Palestinian media, government, family of the deceased, and witnesses to the body, most importantly a pathologist that sat in on the medical exam, all said otherwise, contradicting, the police’s pronouncement that there was no suspicion of criminal activity.”

According to Israeli medical professionals at Abu Kabir hospital in Jerusalem where the exam took place, Palestinian pathologist Dr. Saber al-Aloul agreed with their analysis that the death was self-inflicted. But Dr. al-Aloul sent his own report with different findings that suggest homicide to the Palestinian Authority. He then spoke of foul play to the Palestinian outlet Ma’an News Agency.

The day after al-Ramouni’s death, photos emerged from his family showing bruising on the torso. Immediately, the dispute over the death escalated. Palestinians claimed settlers killed al-Ramouni. “According to the report they made for us, there is no way he committed suicide. My brother had everything in life,” said al-Ramouni’s brother to Haaretz’s Nir Hasson. “This is impossible, he had a great life,” he continued.

In the fallout Israeli police took to social media. “Autopsy of Arab bus driver that died last night completed. Findings are-incident not criminal related whatsoever,” said spokesperson Investigator Micky Rosenfeld.

On Sunday police summoned for interrogation Dr. al-Aloul. He did not surrender himself. “After I participated in the autopsy of al-Ramouni, I wrote a report and handed it to the Palestinian minister of health in accordance with legal protocol an hour before the victim’s body was buried,” Dr. al-Aloul said to Ma’an.

But with the Palestinian narrative of homicide gaining steam, as well on social media, more action was taken.

Mondoweiss has obtained a copy of a letter authored by the Israeli General Coordinator of the Palestinian territories to the Palestinian Authority, asking them “to stop such incitement and bring the genuine facts regarding the circumstances of death of the deceased, to the attention of the Palestinian public.” In Israel, incitement is a crime punishable with a prison sentence.

The letter also links al-Ramouni’s death, and the Palestinian media coverage that labeled it a murder to last week’s attack on a synagogue where five Israelis, four rabbis and one Druze police officer, were killed by cousins and East Jerusalem residents Ghassan and Oday and Abu Jamal. “It is clear that such publications have the capacity to incite and to lead to violence and terror against Israel and its citizens. Only today we witnessed heinous terror attack that took the lives of 4 Israelis, in a synagogue in Jerusalem.”

But discrepancies in narratives on the cause of death continued. After the autopsy was disclosed, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement that Netanyahu was directly responsible for the death that they called an “assassination.” At the same time, Jerusalem is still reeling from weeks of unrest with a series of Palestinian attacks and suspected attacks on Israelis. In turn Israeli officials have re-instituted a policy of punitive home demolitions for the families of the presumed and identified Palestinian attackers. Last week border police demolished by explosion the home of Abdel Rahman al-Shaludi and ransacked the apartments of 40 neighbors in the process.

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Below is the text of the correspondence sent to the Palestinian Authority.

Editor’s note: the letter is incorrectly dated August 14, 2014. A spokesperson for Israel’s General Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories confirmed the authenticity and said the incorrect date of drafting was an error. The letter was written and sent on November 18, 2014.

The suicide of the deceased, Mr. Yussef Hassan

Dear Hussein,

  1. As an act of goodwill and for the sake of transparency, Israel allowed the presence of a Palestinian pathologist as a representative on behalf of the family during the post mortem autopsy of the deceased, Mr. Yussef Hassan al Ramoni
  1. The findings of the autopsy led to the clear conclusion that his death was a result of a suicide, and was not caused by any violence by others against him.
  1. We attach hereby the preliminary autopsy report. It is important to emphasize, that during the autopsy there was an overall agreement among the participants regarding the conclusions, including by the by the Palestinian pathologist.
  1. Nevertheless, the Palestinian media and social networks keep on wrongly publishing that the deceased was murdered by Israelis.
  1. To our understanding, it seems that such publications stem from the alleged Palestinian pathology’s acceptance of the autopsy’s genuine results.
  1. It is clear that such publications have the capacity to incite and to lead to violence and terror against Israel and its citizens. Only today we witnessed heinous terror attack that took the lives of 4 Israelis, in a synagogue in Jerusalem. It is also very disturbing that these insightful lies are supported by the Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs.
  1. In light of the above, we urge you all to take appropriate measures to stop such incitement and bring the genuine facts regarding the circumstances of death of the deceased, to the attention of the Palestinian public.

Sincerely,

Yoav Mordgechai, General
Coordinator of Government
Activities in the Territories

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The suicide of the deceased, Mr. Yussef Hassan

Dear Hussein,

1. As an act of goodwill and for the sake of transparency, Israel allowed the presence of a Palestinian pathologist …(mighty white of us, wouldn’t you agree?)

2. The findings of the autopsy led to the clear conclusion that his death was a result of a suicide…(we could have done a more thorough investigation but, hey, there are still some children running around not under arrest. We’ve got priorities)

3. We attach hereby the preliminary autopsy report. It is important to emphasize, that during the autopsy there was an overall agreement among the participants regarding the conclusions, including by the by the Palestinian pathologist. (You know the same guy we “summoned” down to the Russian Compound for a meet and greet)

4. Nevertheless, the Palestinian media and social networks keep on wrongly publishing that the deceased was murdered by Israelis. (For some odd reason they just don’t trust us!)

6. It is clear that such publications have the capacity to incite and to lead to violence and terror against Israel and its citizens. Only today we witnessed heinous terror attack that took the lives of 4 Israelis, in a synagogue in Jerusalem. (Gotta make sure to mention Jewish suffering) It is also very disturbing that these insightful lies are supported by the Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs. (Israel is the victim here!)

7. In light of the above, we urge you all to take appropriate measures to stop such incitement and bring the genuine facts regarding the circumstances of death of the deceased, to the attention of the Palestinian public. (Or else!)
Sincerely,

Yoav Mordgechai, General
Coordinator of Government
Activities in the Territories

Now shut up and kiss my —

““to stop such incitement and bring the genuine facts regarding the circumstances of death of the deceased, to the attention of the Palestinian public.” In Israel, incitement is a crime punishable with a prison sentence.”

If ‘incitement is a crime punishable with a prison sentence in Israel’, then many in the GoI, starting with Netanyahu, should be in prison.

Their ‘genuine facts’ are never true. It’s been proved over and over and over again that they lie.

Lastly:

“As an act of goodwill and for the sake of transparency, Israel allowed the presence of a Palestinian pathologist as a representative on behalf of the family during the post mortem autopsy of the deceased, Mr. Yussef Hassan al Ramoni”

Dripping with condescension.

(Wasn’t Abu Kabir the unholy place where Israelis performed illegal organ harvesting?)

Allison ~

The pathologist confirmed that he worded his report without being “under pressure.”

Is there any proof that Dr. al-Aloul actually did agree with the findings of the autopsy done in Israel?

According to the linked story,. . . Israeli medical professionals at Abu Kabir hospital in Jerusalem where the exam took place, Palestinian pathologist Dr. Saber al-Aloul agreed with their analysis that the death was self-inflicted.” So is this just their word against his?

It would seem to be easily resolved by showing the facts of the case to a team of neutral professionals and seeing if anyone else can see what Dr. al-Aloul saw. But then again, we’re dealing with Israel trying to keep a lid on things, so that’s not likely to happen.

The tragedy here is multiple: a murderer or murderers are walking around free and unpunished, and the case is used as an excuse to clamp down further on Palestinians’ right to decent treatment under the law. In some strange way, this strikes me as a monster version of what Ms. Hannink is attempting to do with the Zionist poster on the campus of Wellesley.

I hope this story makes its way to Sen. Warren, no doubt basking in the Jordan by now, enjoying everything that her famous “liberal democracy” has to offer. But I guess that’s not likely to happen, either.

O/T, but related to legendary Israeli lies, aka how come I don’t believe a word of this?

“JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli security services on Thursday claimed that they had thwarted a planned attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Jerusalem’s biggest football stadium, arresting 30 suspected militants commanded from Turkey.

The 30 suspects, reportedly members of a West Bank-based network, were detained in September, domestic security service Shin Bet said after lifting a gag order on the operation.

Aged 23 to 30, the Shin Bet said they were recruited from Jordan, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Syria, by Hamas commanders based in Turkey.

Their orders allegedly included attacking the Teddy Stadium home to the Beitar Jerusalem club, whose supporters are known for their racist and anti-Arab sentiments.

Jerusalem’s light railway, which links Jewish settlements in occupied Arab East Jerusalem to the Jewish city center, was also on a list of potential targets, Shin Bet said.

No details were given on the types of attacks planned, or the fate of the suspects.”

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=743223

Looking forward to comments on this by President Abbas.