(Photo: Popular Struggle Coordination Committee)
From the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee:
Israeli Soldiers Sic Attack Dog on Protesters in Qufer Qaddoum
The dog bit one of the protesters in the arm, causing a serious wound, and did not release its hold for long minutes, even after its handler ordered it to. An Israeli woman suffered a head injury in Nabi Saleh.
Soon after the demonstration in Kufer Qaddoum began today, clashes between Israeli Border Police officers who shot tear-gas projectiles and rubber-coated bullets and local youth who threw stones at the forces developed. Roughly 15 minutes later – in a scene that seemed as if it was taking place in the American South of the 1960s – Border Police officers decided to sic an army dog at a group of the demonstrators, standing several dozens of meters away. The dog chased after the protesters, biting and locking his jaws into the arm of one of them – Ahmad Shtawi..
For long minutes, the dog would not release its hold of the bleeding arm, even as its handler arrived at the scene and tried to order it to do so. The Border Police officers then arrested Shtawi, despite the fact he was in obvious need of medical attention. Morad Shtawi, a member of the village’s popular committee, tried to reason with the commanding officer into releasing young man. He was then pepper-sprayed and arrested as well.
Two other residents of the village were injured during the demonstration, after being hit by tear-gas projectiles shot directly at them. One was hit in the leg and another in the shoulder.
The weekly protest in Kufer Qaddoum, west of Nablus, was dedicated to the memory of Rachel Corrie – an American protester who was killed after an Israeli D9 bulldozer drove over her in Rafah exactly nine years ago, on March 16, 2003.
Nabi Saleh
In Nabi Saleh, at least three protesters were injured during the demonstration, including an Israeli woman who was hit in the head by a rubber-coated bullet. The two others were hit lightly injured, one by a rubber-coated bullet and the other by a tear-gas projectile. The woman was evacuated to the Ramallah hospital.Earlier today, large forces entered the village and sprayed a foul-smelling liquid known as the Skunk from a water cannon.
During the night, the army staged yet another raid on the village, the fifth in a week’s time.
Here is video of the attack taken by Odai Qaddomi for B’tselem. (Warning: graphic):
Remember that the Ashkenazi are white, Palestinians, since they are Arabs, are not.
The arrogance of the IDF in front of a video camera speaks volumes. This is clearly a premeditated attack of soldiers equipped with gas masks and attack dog, under the command of an officer. The soldiers are using pepper spray directly into the face of an unarmed protester and are calmly getting the dog to bite another one – all in full view of the world.
This leaves no doubt as to what happens in night raids and Shin Bet torture cells, when nobody is looking.
This is shameful and yet another way for the Israeli security individuals to distance themselves from the trauma they are causing. Most people understand that even a small dog can cause severe and painful wounds and that these attack dogs train against human tragets shielded in sturdy and thickly padded protective cloth suits which encourages the animals to bite hard and deeply.
They see themselves as merely utilizing another tool in the box to subdue these non-violent protesters. If they were waterboarding with firehoses, they’d claim it is only water. They are totally oblivious to and/or completely unconcerened for the damage they inflict.
Time for another side by side photo essay of Nazi tactics in comparison to Israeli ones.
ahh, the brave israeli soldiers are using trained attack dogs on their prey now. there is a precedence for this. like so many iof actions it’s not unique to the iof.
But thats not all, using dog’s against of muslim protester….you know what that means ?