Rightwing Israeli group accuses human-rights orgs of ’emasculation’ of soldiers

Im Tirzu image

This image was posted by the rightwing extremist group Im Tirzu on its Facebook page. Why is the European Union in the window scolding the valiant Israeli soldier? Why are his hands bound– in the face of Palestinian resistance? And by whom?

Ofer Neiman says the Hebrew caption reads, “Down with the Emasculation!” On the handcuffs: the names of human rights groups B’Tselem and Yesh Din and the American pro-democracy group, the New Israel Fund.

Neiman says that the image is aimed at human rights organizations that have provided cameras to Palestinian activists to document Israeli responses to demonstrations, incurring global disapproval. (I am aware that B’Tselem has provided cameras, I don’t know whether the other two orgs have.)

Neiman points to a related story at Electronic Intifada:

One soldier admits that the presence of cameras – presumably in the hands of Palestinian and other videographers – inhibits the soldiers from being even more abusive:

‘T. says the cameras on the ground undermine the forces’ efforts. “A commander or an officer sees a camera and becomes a diplomat, calculating every rubber bullet, every step. It’s intolerable, we’re left utterly exposed. The cameras are our kryptonite.”’

Occasionally crimes by Israeli occupation soldiers and settlers are caught on video.