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Brian Avery challenges Israeli military impunity
Press Release, International Solidarity Movement, 23 February 2005
On February 23 at 2:45 PM, Brian Avery will arrive in Tel Aviv from the U.S. in order to be present on February 28th when the Israeli Supreme Court hears his petition demanding a criminal investigation of his shooting.
Brian, an American human rights activist with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), was shot in the face and critically wounded on April 5, 2003 by Israeli soldiers while standing in street with his hands in the air in the West Bank town of Jenin.
A bullet entered his face, shattering his jaw and his nose.� Since the incident he has been in rehabilitation and undergone a series of facial reconstruction surgeries.
Four other international activists from Denmark and Sweden who witnessed the shooting testify that Brian, along with another ISM activist, was standing under a street lamp on a quiet empty street wearing a high visibility medic vest with his hands in the air, clearly indicating he was an unarmed international.� An Israeli Armored Personnel Carrier approached at less than 30kmph and without warning opened heavy fire from a range of just tens of meters, and then carried on driving.
The Israeli army conducted an internal command inquiry and concluded there was no evidence that Brian was hit by shots fired by Israeli soldiers.
The inquiry did not include testimonies from the eyewitnesses and relied entirely on the testimonies of Israeli soldiers serving in the region.
In several cases Israeli military Internal command inquiries absolved the army, but subsequent military police investigations uncovered incriminating evidence and serious charges were brought.
This was the case in the killing of British ISM activist, Tom Hurndall, who was fatally shot in Rafah six days after Brian's injury. The internal command inquiry ruled that Tom was shot because of the presence of a Palestinian militant in his vicinity.� The criminal investigation of the military police discovered that the soldier who fired the fatal shot and another soldier had lied in the internal inquiry. Charges of killing and interfering with the investigative procedure were brought.
All requests made on behalf of Brian for a police criminal investigation have received no response.
On the 28th of February his appeal demanding a criminal investigation will be heard by the Supreme Court.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3636.shtml
Brian, an American human rights activist with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), was shot in the face and critically wounded on April 5, 2003 by Israeli soldiers while standing in street with his hands in the air in the West Bank town of Jenin.
A bullet entered his face, shattering his jaw and his nose.� Since the incident he has been in rehabilitation and undergone a series of facial reconstruction surgeries.
Four other international activists from Denmark and Sweden who witnessed the shooting testify that Brian, along with another ISM activist, was standing under a street lamp on a quiet empty street wearing a high visibility medic vest with his hands in the air, clearly indicating he was an unarmed international.� An Israeli Armored Personnel Carrier approached at less than 30kmph and without warning opened heavy fire from a range of just tens of meters, and then carried on driving.
The Israeli army conducted an internal command inquiry and concluded there was no evidence that Brian was hit by shots fired by Israeli soldiers.
The inquiry did not include testimonies from the eyewitnesses and relied entirely on the testimonies of Israeli soldiers serving in the region.
In several cases Israeli military Internal command inquiries absolved the army, but subsequent military police investigations uncovered incriminating evidence and serious charges were brought.
This was the case in the killing of British ISM activist, Tom Hurndall, who was fatally shot in Rafah six days after Brian's injury. The internal command inquiry ruled that Tom was shot because of the presence of a Palestinian militant in his vicinity.� The criminal investigation of the military police discovered that the soldier who fired the fatal shot and another soldier had lied in the internal inquiry. Charges of killing and interfering with the investigative procedure were brought.
All requests made on behalf of Brian for a police criminal investigation have received no response.
On the 28th of February his appeal demanding a criminal investigation will be heard by the Supreme Court.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3636.shtml
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>>>Even more chilling is a poll of Palestinian mothers which found that one in five want their children to become a suicide bomber.<<<
What about the U.S.
i.e. We have to have a military
i.e. It is a good thing if our young men die to protect our freedoms.
It is very bad if we lose our freedoms.
So why do we want the Palestinians to live under the Brutal Israeli Occupation and Oppression.
How come we do not want the Palestinians to die for their land and freedom.
People with Common Sense do not want to get rid of Israel.
The People of Israel are just like any other People, most are good and but some are not.
People with Common Sense only want to Free the Palestinians from Israeli Occupation and Oppression.
It is very difficult for People who are under Occupation and Oppression to sit back and just take it and do nothing....
Look at the U.S. It is not afraid to fight for Freedom, is it?
So to have Peace the Palestinian People need to be Free right where they are (The place they now live).
Once the Palestinian People are Free the U.S. and the U.N. have the power to prevent further conflict. Because you no longer have the excuse that the Palestinian People are under Israeli Occupation and Oppression. (Both side are then winners)
1967 is 38 years ago.
There have been wars and things have changed throughout history.
To solve the Israeli/Palestinian conflict you need to look at things the way they are TODAY....not in 1948...not in 1967.
There are "around" 5,000,00 Jews in Israel Proper.
There are "around" 1,200,00 Arabs in Israel Proper.
There are "around" 4,000,000 Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza.
There are "around" 400,000 Jews in West Bank and Gaza.
To have Peace the Road Map to Peace calls for a "Viable" Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza.
So to end the tit for tat problem that we all know about, Let us make that Viable Palestinian State now.
The Arabs who do not like living in Israel Proper can then be free to move to Palestine.
The Jews who do not like living in Palestine can then be free to move to Israel.
Forcing People to move is not the answer.
Making the settlements the problem is not the answer.
Hating the Israelis is not the answer.
Hating the Palestinians is not the answer.
What about the U.S.
i.e. We have to have a military
i.e. It is a good thing if our young men die to protect our freedoms.
It is very bad if we lose our freedoms.
So why do we want the Palestinians to live under the Brutal Israeli Occupation and Oppression.
How come we do not want the Palestinians to die for their land and freedom.
People with Common Sense do not want to get rid of Israel.
The People of Israel are just like any other People, most are good and but some are not.
People with Common Sense only want to Free the Palestinians from Israeli Occupation and Oppression.
It is very difficult for People who are under Occupation and Oppression to sit back and just take it and do nothing....
Look at the U.S. It is not afraid to fight for Freedom, is it?
So to have Peace the Palestinian People need to be Free right where they are (The place they now live).
Once the Palestinian People are Free the U.S. and the U.N. have the power to prevent further conflict. Because you no longer have the excuse that the Palestinian People are under Israeli Occupation and Oppression. (Both side are then winners)
1967 is 38 years ago.
There have been wars and things have changed throughout history.
To solve the Israeli/Palestinian conflict you need to look at things the way they are TODAY....not in 1948...not in 1967.
There are "around" 5,000,00 Jews in Israel Proper.
There are "around" 1,200,00 Arabs in Israel Proper.
There are "around" 4,000,000 Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza.
There are "around" 400,000 Jews in West Bank and Gaza.
To have Peace the Road Map to Peace calls for a "Viable" Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza.
So to end the tit for tat problem that we all know about, Let us make that Viable Palestinian State now.
The Arabs who do not like living in Israel Proper can then be free to move to Palestine.
The Jews who do not like living in Palestine can then be free to move to Israel.
Forcing People to move is not the answer.
Making the settlements the problem is not the answer.
Hating the Israelis is not the answer.
Hating the Palestinians is not the answer.
<<The Israeli army conducted an internal command inquiry and concluded there was no evidence that Brian was hit by shots fired by Israeli soldiers.>>
Let's sum this up:
The foxes conducted an inquiry into an attack by another fox on a chicken. They concluded foxes never attack chickens. The decision was upheld by the Supreme Court of Foxes.
Supporters of the decision in the US suggest to conclude otherwise would be anti-Foxism.
Let's sum this up:
The foxes conducted an inquiry into an attack by another fox on a chicken. They concluded foxes never attack chickens. The decision was upheld by the Supreme Court of Foxes.
Supporters of the decision in the US suggest to conclude otherwise would be anti-Foxism.
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