Tag: Ramallah

Northern command chief suspends senior officer following shooting of bound Palestinian in during anti-fence rally, citing ‘moral and authoritative failure’

By Hanan Greenberg

To view original article, published by Ynet on the 29th July, click here

Northern Command Chief Major-General Gadi Eisenkot ordered Battalion 71 Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Omri to go on a 10-day leave of absence Tuesday following the incident in the West Bank Palestinian village of Naalin, in which a soldier under his command fired a rubber bullet at a bound Palestinian detainee during an anti-fence rally.

Staff Sgt. filmed shooting rubber bullet towards bound Palestinian detainee found to have testified truthfully about in second lie detector test. But his commander, whom he accuses of ordering him to shoot, found to have lied

Major-General Eisenkot noted that the incident indicated a severe lapse in judgment and a “moral and authoritative failure” on the commander’s part.

The Lt. Col. continues to maintain that the soldier acted independently, however Ynet has learned that he recently failed the polygraph test he was subjected to.

The soldier told military investigators that Lieutenant-Colonel Omri gave him a direct order to shoot one of the Palestinians, whose arms and legs were bound.

A video of the incident was circulated by B’Tselem and was aired first on Ynet.

On Tuesday morning materials pertaining to the case compiled were handed over to the Military Prosecution, which is expected to decide on the next legal steps against the commander and soldier.

Sources familiar with the investigation said indictments may be filed in the affair, but added that a final decision has yet to be reached.

Meanwhile, the IDF received another complaint from a Palestinian who claimed that Lieutenant-Colonel Omri and another officer physically assaulted him. The complaint was filed through B’Tselem.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation says volunteer detained while taking photos of IDF soldiers during rally against security barrier in Naalin, to detention center for people facing deportation. Father: I’m angry at human rights abuses in the West Bank

To view original article, published by Ynet on the 26th July, click here

A Canadian student who took part in a protest against the West Bank security barrier in the Palestinian village of Naalin has been arrested and faces deportation from Israel, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported on its website over the weekend.

According to the report, Victor McDiarmid, a volunteer for the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), was detained on Wednesday at a demonstration by women from Naalin, where Israel plans to build the next section of its security barrier.

CBC News said McDiarmid, 23, was arrested after taking photographs of Israeli soldiers who were breaking up the protest by villagers, who say the barrier will separate them from their farmland.

“He was taken by Israeli soldiers whilst at the front of the demonstration and was taken off towards the jeep. And then he has reported to us that for 20 minutes they were punching, kicking and spitting in his face,” Adam Taylor, ISM’s media co-ordinator was quoted by CBC News as saying.

‘Resisting Israeli occupation’

The organization’s lawyers told CBC News that McDiarmid, who is from Kingston, Ont., has been transferred to a detention center for people facing deportation.

His parents told CBC News they support their son and the work he was doing in Israel to expose human rights violations.

Robert McDiarmid said he is outraged his son could still be sitting in a detention center.

“I’m angry at the human rights abuses in the West Bank. I’m angry that the Canadian government’s aborting,” McDiarmid told CBC News, adding that his son has said he wants to stay in Israel and fight his deportation.

The International Solidarity Movement describes itself on its website as a “Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles.”

Residents of West Bank village say will continue to protest construction of Israeli security fence

By Ali Waked

To view original article, published by Ynet on the 8th July, click here

Residents of the West Bank village of Na’alin near Ramallah vowed Tuesday to continue their protest against Israel’s construction of the security fence.

Monday evening the Israeli army lifted a curfew it had imposed on the village over the weekend due to violent rallies that were recently

held there in protest of the fence. Earlier in the day some 200 Palestinians, left-wing activists and foreign citizens held rallied against the curfew. Security forces dispersed the demonstrators with the use of rubber bullets and tear gas. Three protestors were detained during the clashes.

Following the demonstration officers from the IDF Coordination and Liaison Office held a meeting with representatives of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, after which it was decided that the army would lift the curfew. The committee members, however, said they would continue protesting against the fence’s construction.

“The curfew and siege only made us more united,” said committee member Ibrahim Amira, “we told the officers we wouldn’t stop our struggle if they don’t halt the construction and reroute the fence to the Green Line.”