Ahmed Abu Hashem threaten by soldier for documenting occupation (photo: Palestine Solidarity Project)
The New York Times piece
on the Palestinian "rite of passage" of throwing stones in the West
Bank village of Beit Ummar has gotten a lot of criticism, but one thing
the critics have missed is the piece's misrepresentation of
Jewish settlers who were targeted by Palestinian boys throwing stones.
In one case, the settlers were "tending trees."
In another case, they were just passing by a Palestinian funeral when
kids targeted their cars. "Whack." The settlers then got out to shout at
the Palestinians, and soldiers arrived, with guns.
Israeli forces detained Mohammad Al-Alami outside funeral August 1, 2013
(photo: Alwatan)
Is that the full context? No. Settlers have been trying to take Beit
Ummar's land, settlements virtually surround the Palestinian village and
choke it because it is prized territory in land the settlers want to
annex.
Judge for yourself from these recent accounts of settler attacks on Palestinians in Beit Ummar that the New York Times left out:
Ma'an News reports on Friday August 2, 2013 about an attack the day before: Settlers attack Palestinians at funeral near Hebron:
Clashes broke out after Israeli forces along with settlers attacked a Palestinian funeral in Beit Ummar north of Hebron on Thursday, a local activist said.
Forces detained Mohammad Al-Alami, 23, according to Mohammad Ayyad
Awad, spokesman of the popular committee to resist the wall and the
settlements in Beit Ummar.
He said that that Palestinians were participating in a funeral when
a settler parked near the Islamic cemetery struck one of the attendants.
Fighting broke out and Israeli forces arrived to help the settlers.
Ayyad said journalists were not allowed to film the incident.
The International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) reported on that same attack in Beit Ummar on Thursday August 1st: Several Palestinians Injured Near Hebron:
Palestinian medical sources in Hebron, in the southern part of the
occupied West Bank, have reported Thursday [August 1, 2013] that several
Palestinians have been injured, and one has been kidnapped, after
Israeli soldiers and settlers attacked a funeral procession in Beit Ummar town, north of the city.
Media spokesperson of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Beit
Ummar, Mohammad Awad, told the Radio Bethlehem 2000 that a number of
settlers attacked a funeral procession in the town, as they were leaving
a local graveyard, and also attacked a local reporter identified as
Nayef al-Hashlamon.
Israeli soldiers arrived at the scene and attacked the Palestinian instead of removing the settlers.
Awad also stated that he was also attacked by a settler woman who
tried to slap him in the face as he tried to take pictures of the
attack, and that the soldiers pushed him around causing his camera to
drop, and kidnapped one youth identified as Ahmad Younis Al-Allami, 23,
after violently beating him.
There have been numerous incidents of similar attacks against locals participating in burial ceremonies and funeral processions in Hebron leading to dozens of injuries and several arrests.
Now here is the Times's "rite of passage" article, covering a Palestinian rock thrower after that funeral. Notice how it brings in the cemetery as a site of Palestinian attacks.
And then there is the 200-year-old cemetery that slopes up from the road just north of the village entrance.
On Thursday, after the burial of a 63-year-old retired teacher, a
teenager hurled a rock at a passing car with yellow Israeli plates:
whack. Another teenager, two more stones: another direct hit.
The settlers stopped their car, got out, and began shouting at the
small crowd. Soon, there were soldiers, rifles raised and tear gas at
the ready, who eventually hauled a Palestinian taxi driver into a
waiting army jeep.
Which is rather curious reporting, given the earlier reports that
settlers attacked the funeral procession in Beit Ummar. The Times did
not offer any quotes from Mohammad Awad, the media spokesperson for Beit
Ummar's popular committee who was present during the attack that day,
nor did it point out that journalists were attacked by the settlers.
Further down in that article, the Times documents the arrest of Muhammad Abu Hashem (which we covered on July 8th, the day of the arrest):
It was the June funeral of a 2-year-old girl accidentally crushed by a
relative’s bulldozer that led to his most recent arrest. "They were
shooting gas, and I was with my mother in the car while the soldiers’
jeep was entering the town," Muhammad admitted to a police officer after
the arrest. "So I got out and threw stones at them."
......
Mr. Awad, like many here, views the stone throwers with a mixture of
pride at confronting Israel and fear for their safety. "Nobody dares to
criticize them and say, 'Why are you doing this?"
As the Times walks us thru rock throwing as a "rite of passage" does
it occur to the paper of record that Israeli forces shooting tear gas at
another funeral procession in June might be connected to the rock throwing?
In the same way the 'rock thrower' in the funeral on August 1st might
be connected to settler/Israeli forces assaulting mourners exiting a
funeral?
More Times:
For as long as anyone here can remember, the cemetery has been a field for that game. Residents
said it was often surrounded by soldiers and filled with tear gas,
though the military commander said he stations his troops across the
road and instructs them to unleash riot-control measures only if violence erupts.
Why do Palestinian mourners have to attended funerals with occupation
soldiers planted across the street from their cemeteries? In death and in birth they are never far away.
IMEMC's coverage
claims there have been "numerous incidents of similar attacks" against
Palestinians around Hebron participating in burial ceremonies and
funeral processions that have led to dozens of injuries and arrests.
Isn't that provocation? Is this a conscious plan by settlers to cause the arrests of Palestinians who resist? And why prevent the filming of these attacks on funeral goers?
Ahmed Abu Hashem and daughter (photo: PSP)
The Times does not explain why Ahmed Abu Hashem, Mohammed's father,
was arrested along with his son on July 8th. The brief video
'confession' provided by the New York Times doesn't explain why Ahmed
Abu Hashem was arrested either.
But Ahmed Abu Hashem is an activist member of the Beit Ommar Popular Committee. And to be clear, "Israeli army targets and arrests children in order to repress Palestinian dissent in the West Bank." There is ample documentation as well that "children are used to implicate the leaders of the Popular Committee for incitement in demonstrations."
Like Bassem Tamimi, the leader of the Popular Committee of Nabi Saleh ( 'They come for our woman and our children"),
Ahmed Abu Hashem works to document the occupation. Especially in towns
and villages across the West Bank involved in non-violent struggle where
village lands are targeted for annexation for nearby settlements and settlers are pushing Palestinians off their lands, Popular Committee members and their children are targeted.
That is the war for survival by humble villagers that the Times ignores, and reduces to a rite of passage of stonethrowing.
More context. Ahmed Abu Hashem's land is adjacent the Karmei Tsur settlement. Peace Now-reports 27 percent of Karmei Tzur is built on privately owned Palestinian land.
From the 2012 Campaign for the Release of Ahmed Abu Hashem and His Sons:
Ahmed is the father of eight children, and is the only source of
income for his family. Ahmed has a piece of land, about 3 dunams (3000
square meters), adjacent to Karmei Tsur settlement. The settlement is
illegal according to international law under the 4th Geneva Convention.
The Palestinian land near the settlement has been planted, uprooted and
cut by settlers, and replanted again many times. It is a constant effort
for Palestinians to keep their own land. Ahmed, who was arrested while
trying to defend his land, has been arrested several times in the last
few years. He has spent about four and a half years total in Israeli
jails. His sons have also been arrested several times since they were
children. Yousef (19 years old) was released on April 4th, 2012, after
spending about six months in jail. Emad (22 years old), who is married
with two infant children, was arrested on April 17th and is still in
detention, along with their 15 year-old brother Muhammad, who was taken
during a night raid on April 23rd.
This is not just about rock throwing. Take another look at B'Tselem's map provided by the New York Times and do some research on the pressure surrounding the little town of Beit Ummar, the kind of settlers who live there.
Settler led religious tour of Beit Ummar Cemetery
Oct 12, 2012(photo: ARIJ)
Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem (ARIJ) has documented several settler guided tours, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, roaming Beit Ummar. Two culminating in "religious rituals in a Muslims Cemetery."
Settler led religious tour of Beit Ummar
Oct 12, 2012(photo: ARIJ)
The Times account acknowledges that the stonethrowers use the
cemetery. But why are soldiers posted at the cemetery? Why are settlers
guiding tourists to pray at the Lady Najla altar? Do settlers want the Islamic cemetery land of Beit Ummar?
Ahmed Abu Hashem encountered the settlers on one of their guided tours last year, recorded by ARIJ: Provocative Tours in Beit Ummar town- Hebron Governorate
As soon as the Israeli Government announced its intention to expand
70 colonies in the West Bank; intensive activities of Israeli colonists
were reported in Beit Ummar. Ahmad abu Hashem, member of Beit Ummar
Popular Resistance Committee, staed that around 150 colonists organized
tours in Khirbat al Qarn and Khirbat wardan, eastern Beit Ummar, at the
beginning of February.
He said: 'a group of colonists headed to the mountain summits in Khirbat
al Qarn and Khirbat wardan and set a tent there. They stayed there for
two hours before leaving. It Is not the first time they do such a thing.
I headed up to the mountain when they were there and asked them what
they want. One of them simply answered that they want to take over the lands there.'
Settlers want the land of Beit Ummar, but not the people who live
there. Below is a list of arrests during a 5 month period last year. Are
these arrests primarily about 'rock throwing'? Surely not. From the 2012 Campaign for the Release of Ahmed Abu Hashem and His Sons:
"There have been 84
arrests from Beit Ommar so far this year in 2012. 56 of those arrested
are under 21, and 37 of them are under 18. Names, ages and dates of the
arrests can be found below. "
January 2012
1. Muhammad Jamal Alqam – 17 – Jan. 2, 2012
2. Moath Jamal Alqam – 16 – Jan. 2
3. Ibrahim Yousef Sabarna – 22 – Jan. 2
4. Hamza Noaf Sabarna – 23 – Jan. 3
5. Khadr Fathi Sabarna – 18 – Jan. 3
6. Mohammad Shokat Alqam – 23 – Jan. 3
7. Raid Mahmoud Sabarna – 28 – Jan. 8
8. Yousef Mahmoud Al Alamy – 23 – Jan. 8
9. Ahmad Yousef Sabarna – 23 – Jan. 9
10. Safwat Sameer Ikhlayl – 22 – Jan. 11
11. Hasan Shaheda Salaby – 20 – Jan. 11
12. Muhammad Haitham Salaby – 21 – Jan. 11
13. Firas Ibrahim Abu Maria – 20 – Jan. 21
14. Mamdoh Basem Alamy – 18 – Jan. 18
15. Yousef Ahmad Alamy – 17 – Jan. 20
16. Azmy Muhammad Ikhlayl – 16 – Jan. 21
17. Ameer Shokat Alqam – 16 – Jan. 21
18. Nasr Fathi Ikhlayl – 22 – Jan. 29
19. Montasr Fathi Ikhlayl – 18 – Jan. 29
20. Muhammad Nasr Al Alamy – 22 – Jan. 29
21. Hamza Muhammad Awad – 15 – Jan. 30
22. Moath Jamal Alqam – 18 – Jan. 30
23. Moayed Jowad Bahr – 18 – Jan. 30
February 2012
1. Muhammad Basem Al Alamy – 23 – Feb. ???
2. Nadeem Rasm Ikhlayl – 26 – Feb. 8
3. Rafat Muhammad Al Alamy – 24 – Feb. 8
4. Yousef Abdel Hamid Abu Maria – 38 – Feb. 11
5. Saqr Sadeq Abu Maria – 42 – Feb. 11
6. Ayesh Abdel Nasr Ikhlayl – 18 – Feb. 12
7. Ahmad Mahmoud Za’aqiq – 15 – Feb. 12
8. Ehab Muhammad Abu Fanoos – 15 – Feb. 12
9. Muhammad Ahmad Abu Hashem – 15 – Feb. 21
10. Muhab Sameer Abu Maria – 16 – Feb. 21
11. Muhammad Jameel Abu Maria – 16 – Feb. 21
March 2012
1. Naseem Khadr Al Alamy – 32 – Mar. 1
2. Hasan Saadi Al Alamy – 22 – Mar. 1
3. Malek Saadi Al Alamy – 23 – Mar. 1
4. Yousef Ibrahim Al Alamy – 36 – Mar. 1
5. Malek Mahmoud Al Alamy – 20 – Mar. 1
6. Abdel Aziz Al Hindi – 38 – Mar. 2
7. Ayesh Khalid Awad – 16 – Mar. 5
8. Mataz Khaled Awad – 18 – Mar. 5
9. Basel Khaled Abu Maria – 16 – Mar. 5
10. Ahmad Mahmoud Al Salaby – 16 – Mar. 7
11. Bilal Mahmoud Awad – 16 – Mar. 7
12. Muhammad Jawdat Ali – 14 – Mar. 7
13. Zain Hashem Abu Maria – 15 – Mar. 12
14. Sami Amer Abu Juda – 15 – Mar. 12
15. Sa’id Emad Salaby – 16 – Mar. 12
16. Omar Shokat Alqam – 16 – Mar. 12
17. Ismail Issa Salaby – 24 – Mar. 23
April 2012
1. Hossein Ramzy Al Alamy – 14 – April 1
2. Muhammad Ali Awad – 14 – April 2
3. Yousef Muhammad Awad – 17 – Apr. 2
4. Muhammad Mahmoud Awad – 20 – Apr. 2
5. Muhannad Zuhair Al Alamy – 14 – Apr. 2
6. Hamza Nasr Abu Maria – 17 – Apr. 11
7. Emad Ahmad Abu Hashem – 22 – Apr. 16
8. Muhammad Yasr Al Khatib – 18 – Apr. 16
9. Jihad Yousef Alqam – 17 – Apr. 20
10. Fady Muhammad Abu Fanoos – 16 – Apr. 20
11. Qasem Ahmad Abu Maria – 16 – Apr. 20
12. Ismail Ghalib Awad – 20 – Apr. 20
13. Alaa Mousa Za’aqiq – 23 – Apr. 20
14. Ahmad Abdel Jibar – 15 – Apr. 20
15. Tariq Jamal Abu Maria – 17 – Apr. 23
16. Badran Jalal Abu Ayesh – 16 – Apr. 23
17. Nabeel Mahmoud Al Alamy – 21 – Apr. 24
18. Muhammad Yousef Al Sabarna – 18 – Apr. 24
May 2012
1. Hamza Shahda Sabarna – 18 – May 2
2. Khaled Abdel Qadr Ikhlayl – 20 – May 2
3. Hamza Muhammad Abu Maria – 18 – May 3
4. Khalil Hamad Al Alamy – 15 – May 5
5. Ramzy Nasr Al Alamy – 14 – May 5
6. Yousef Ahmad Bahr – 21 – May 6
7. Ahmad Khalil Abu Hashem – 45 – May 11
8. Muhannad Mershad Awad – 12 – May 21
9. Alaa Yousef Abu Maria – 14 – May 21
10. Jowad Muhammad Za’aqiq – 15 – May 21
11. Alaa Fahmy Za’aqiq – 32 – May 23
12. Hamad Ahmad Abu Maria – 20 – May 23
13. Muhammad Ali Sabarna – 22 – May 23
14. Hossam Sabr Abu Maria – 16 – May 23
15. Muhammad Wajeh Abu Maria – 19 – May 23
(Update: Video of events outside funeral on Aug. 1, 2013 in Beit Ummar: Jodi Rudoren intentionally obscured reality in her recent piece on Beit Ommar)
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