Israeli Troops Open Fire on Unarmed Palestinian Men

A new "law" allows Israel to enhance its apartheid government's racist policies, and they keep shooting unarmed people.

(SALEM / GAZA STRIP ) - America has its share of problems, but if police and military behavior here came even remotely close to Israel's daily policing techniques, particularly toward local, native Palestinian people, it would end almost immediately.

Americans were slave owners until the Civil War (1861-1865) and maintained clear racist policies with the U.S. military until 1947, but the yanks do have over sixty years of law designed to protect people from being abused or mistreated over race or religion.

Israel in an American context, (dog years?) is poised where this nation was in about 1860. There isn't even talk of freeing the Palestinians in Israel; Netanyahu's government simply continues to enact more laws and policies to further dehumanize and restrict these people. In turn, the resilient Palestinians have no intention of bowing down to the oppressive Israeli government, though the protests have moved toward non violence. Still, Israel kills and kills, injures and maims, takes people away in the middle of the night, etc.

The Palestinians stopped shooting, instead of backing off, Israel is pushing harder than ever.

In the latest case, Israeli troops inured two Palestinian men while they were protesting at the Erez crossing on Tuesday, the International Middle East Media Center reports (IMEMC).

Ahmad Abu Salaf and Mahmoud Sha’baan were deported to the Gaza Strip last month after Israel enforced law #1650 on them. Both are married to Palestinian women that hold Israeli citizenship^[1].

As he was cut down by Israel's trigger happy soldiers, Abu Salaf was holding pictures of his children and wife. His demand, the reason Israel deemed him an enemy target worthy of gunfire? He was asking to be allowed to return to his family, nothing more. This was the reason troops opened fire on him and his friend Sha’baan.

#1650 injuction, which took effect last month, essentially gives the Israeli military the full control to detain and deport any Palestinian in the West Bank who does not hold a permit from Israel to live in the West Bank^[2].

It came just before Arizona's recent move to begin pulling over "suspected illegal immigrants" which American media is comparing to acts that took place under Nazi Germany.

This new "law" affects tens of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, as well as those who returned to the West Bank and decided to stay. It equally affects Gazans who are married to Arab residents of Israel, and live in Israel.

The order also includes non-Palestinians who are married to Palestinian citizens but do not have Israel's approval to stay in the West Bank, IMEMC tells us.

It is the world's biggest problem, and Israel simply must be stopped. If they, along with the U.S. government, continue to ignore, deflect and otherwise minimize charges of serious War Crimes connected to the Israel attack on civilian targets in already besieged Gaza in 2008 and early 2009, then it will be up to other governments to intervene^[3]. The U.S. hung up its 'good guy' hat long ago. The majority of American Congress recently signed a document pledging unwavering support to Israel; it leaves Americans highly compromised, and Palestinians in great danger from Israel's terrorist tactics and genocidal bent^[4].

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

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gp May 10, 2010 12:22 pm (Pacific time)

Abu Salaf died of blood loss when his femoral artery was destroyed by the gunshot. Opening his pants, thereby releasing the de facto turniquet, probably sped his death. It is a simple first aid fact that few people know, don't take off the trousers or loosen them on a person bleeding profusely from a lower extremity.

Anonymous May 6, 2010 5:19 pm (Pacific time)

Hell, Vic, I can't even see our own mayor giving a rip about the citizens of Salem. So I can't see anyone at a higher level really doing what the taxpayers and voters want. I witnessed a police officer harm a citizen and went to the police and the mayor about it. I was told to mind my own business and then, after being asked personal questions (indicative that my background was checked) I was told to "back off" with an implicit threat that something would happen. Will anything happen, ever, to make the police and "system" honor the promise to protect and serve? Not in my lifetime.

Natalie May 6, 2010 3:11 pm (Pacific time)

Yeah, I know. I was wondering if you would notice that detail. I should've put 'a house fire'. You do it your way, and I'll have my own extinguisher and hose ready just in case you'll be among the firefighters responding to my 911 call.:)

Vic May 6, 2010 6:26 am (Pacific time)

Natalie...as a former forest firefighter,I can say that you certainly can put out fire with fire...it is called a backburn. I dont recall ever calling myself a pacifist. I think the "peace movement" has shown itself to be utterly impotent. I used to attend all the protests but after a while I realized that it was a feel-good, slap each other on the back charade with the same players for the most part.I want peace, but what do you do when change is denied? "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." John F. Kennedy, 1962. I hate violence of all kinds...but I also hate to see good people crushed, stepped on, their sweat and labor extorted and stolen, their dreams denied and their children used and abused or so squeezed economically that they have to go to war to feed their families. So I am no pacifist..not yet. Our forefathers were terribly outgunned by the British, yet they too chose to try to change their lots in life. They were not pacifists. I cannot say that I have any solutions, but pressure needs to be ramped up on our so-called "representatives". They need to understand that they work for Americans, not the other way around. So few Americans actually vote, the ballot box has been rendered ineffectual. In "democratic" Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain and the US, a large majority have wanted the wars to end for some time...why havent they? What options are left for those of us who think things are terribly wrong and who care about the future we leave our children and their children? Natalie, I really appreciate your level-headed and thoughtful comments. You seem to have a wisdom about you that transcends emotion...I tend to dwell and act on emotion. Not always the best idea, but makes for an interesting life...!

Natalie May 6, 2010 1:24 am (Pacific time)

Vic: I noticed that, but you seem to cross that fine line a few times. Anger is like alcohol for drunks. "It's just one shot, well, I can still talk, mmmm.. still walk, ha.. still see the road ahead, ooops and out". For the pacifist, you claim to be, it's really impossible to put out a fire with a fire.

Vic May 5, 2010 10:27 pm (Pacific time)

Natalie..thank you for your suggestion! I know that you are absolutely right. I would clarify though, that I said I am angry, not full of hate. I hate injustice and oppression and the strong picking on the weak, so I guess that makes me angry when I see it happening, but I love people and want the best for all the people on this earth. I know that it is an easy step from anger to hatred though...I do not want to cross that line.

Dexter May 5, 2010 9:24 pm (Pacific time)

QUOTE: Anonymous: "Mexico is another country and we fairly control our land" Um, I thought the Mexican police and army are pretty well trained in the arts of kidnapping and torturing. Even though the American police are not perfect, at least I do not have to worry about the secret police, or draconian questioning methods that basically scare the hell out the locals.

Natalie May 5, 2010 8:21 pm (Pacific time)

Vic: an advise that might help: ask to volunteer at your local cancer center for children. Ask to show you those who were abandoned by their parents because they can't afford a sick child. Look them in the eyes and tell me you would still feel hate. Showing mercy to others will help you. Trust me on this one.

Jon May 5, 2010 6:46 pm (Pacific time)

Hey Vic, how would you rate this idea, we r....

Editor (Tim King) Jon today eh? Well you worthless POS, nobody cares what you think and you are in flush it city from this point forward, and your name is 'flush man' because that is where I equate you. You know not to bring your bag of schizo activity over here with your different names and genders, God only knows what you are, other than a paid GOP shill, though even they would probably reject you too.

Vic May 5, 2010 5:22 pm (Pacific time)

Anonymous..you are right..I am very angry...about a lot of things. I am angry that the huge majority of people on this earth are good, decent people, but somehow the evil minority remains in control. And as a result,the good people suffer, struggle, are killed and beat down. It is not fair and not right. Evil and hate thrive in this world and the meek inherit nothing but misery and grief. I will be angry for the rest of my life unless things change, which I doubt. I do not know how to shut off my conscience, nor would I if I could.

Anonymous May 5, 2010 3:43 pm (Pacific time)

I meant that they ARE mutually exclusive...

Anonymous May 5, 2010 3:15 pm (Pacific time)

Vic, you seem angry to me. Where did anything get said about hate towards the illegals? Further, where did you surmise that people do not have any issues regarding the cost of wars? These are not mutually exclusive...

Vic May 5, 2010 12:21 pm (Pacific time)

Wow...so people are concerned about the costs of the "illegals"...but no problems with the wars which put us in debt to the tune of 5 billion per week and have made us the most hated country on earth, or the bankers with their multi-billion handouts that have plundered what remained of our economy...It makes me think that the issue is not "the economic and social cost", but pure racism. Why is it OK to spend billions/trillions on killing, invading and stealing, but God forbid some Mexican kid should get a free school lunch? The bible talks of hypocrites who "strain at a gnat, but easily swallow a camel"....need I say more...All tyrannical governments have known the value of having a target population for people to vent their anger against instead of towards their real enemy, the govt. Hitler had the Jews and gypsies, now America has the "illegals". Hate on !

Anonymous May 5, 2010 10:28 am (Pacific time)

gp, I disagree. Mexico is another country and we fairly control our land. People are afraid of the economic and social costs of the illegal situation. They are mad. But along with many issues, I know that once someone has formed their opinion, it is worthless trying to discuss the matter.

gp May 5, 2010 5:44 am (Pacific time)

It frightens me to think that we are building walls, one on our southern border and another in front of our thinking minds. The new Arizona law is somewhat the same really, double standards depending on the color of your skin. Surely when the Israelis went down the road to ruin with their progrom in Palestine,there were good people who were afraid, now the good people are trapped within the stupidity and monstrosity of the subordination,intimidation and cruelty to the Palestinians by the construction of their own minds. They have forgotten to see that we are all born naked and equal on this fragile planet. US citizens should look closely at what Israel has constructed and beware. It can happen in the US. It has happened before more than once. As resources and jobs become more and more difficult, the only thing we can do is promote just and peaceful society. The wall at the southern border and the new Arizona law both only make matters worse.

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Israeli Troops Open Fire on Unarmed Palestinian Men

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