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<font size=3>Another muted scream <br><br>
<a href="http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10476.shtml" eudora="autourl">
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10476.shtml<br>
</a>Sayed Mohamed Dhansay, <i>The Electronic Intifada,</i> 21 April 2009
<br><br>
<img src="http://electronicintifada.net/artman2/uploads/2/090421-dhansay.jpg" width=483 height=292 alt="[]">
<br>
Basem Ibrahim Abu Rahme in a Ramallah hospital after he was killed on 17
April 2009. (<a href="http://activestills.org/">activestills.org</a>)
<br><br>
He stands on a small sandy hilltop wearing a bright yellow t-shirt,
cigarette in hand. He is calling out to the soldiers on the other side of
the fence "Do not shoot, do not shoot. There are children and
internationals here, do not shoot." Thin white wisps of tear gas
linger in the gentle breeze, a moment of calm in the
confrontation.<br><br>
Suddenly a tear gas canister whizzes past the camera making an audible
"clunk" as it hits something to the right. He tries to let out
a scream, but all he manages is a stifled yelp. One can almost hear his
breath being cut short as the projectile punctures his chest. Another
muted scream of pain. He falls to the ground then jumps up quickly,
running a few steps before collapsing again.<br><br>
His body rolls a few times as he hits the ground, his limbs flapping
loosely underneath him. Two fellow demonstrators run to him, looking
almost surprised and unsure of what has just happened. They turn him
over, lifting his shirt and calling his name. But he is unresponsive. His
eyes are open but his body lies motionless. His bright yellow shirt now
quickly growing a wet red stain over his heart.<br><br>
And so the occupied people of Palestine sacrifice yet another one of
their young men. Another one. Again. Just like that. In an instant.
Caught live on camera for the world to see. Twenty-nine-year-old Basem
Ibrahim Abu Rahme was later pronounced dead at Ramallah hospital on
Friday 17 April 2009 after being shot in the chest with a high-velocity
tear gas canister by an Israeli soldier. A faceless, nameless soldier who
will likely never have to explain or account for taking the life of
another human being.<br><br>
Basem posed no threat to the security of Israel as he stood atop that
hill. He was not armed, nor was he throwing stones. Ironically, he was
calling out to the Israeli forces to hold their fire because children and
internationals were present, when he was shot. He was involved in a
nonviolent demonstration when his own life was so violently taken. Basem
is the 18th Palestinian to be killed in nonviolent anti-wall protests in
the West Bank since 2004.<br><br>
For four years now the residents of Bilin have nonviolently protested the
annexation of their land by Israel's wall. This barrier has effectively
annexed roughly 60 percent of Bilin's farming land to the Israeli side.
As this village is almost exclusively sustained by agriculture, it's no
exaggeration to say that at least 60 percent of its economy has
disappeared, with dire consequences for the community's socio-economic
welfare.<br><br>
In 2005 the International Court of Justice ruled that the barrier in its
entirety is illegal under international law, recommending that Israel
halt its construction and demolish the parts that had already been
completed.<br><br>
In addition, the Israeli high court has ruled on three separate occasions
that the route of the barrier in Bilin is illegal under Israeli law. The
Israeli army has been ordered more than once to reroute the barrier in
order that it not usurp such large tracts of Bilin's land. To date, not a
single meter has been removed in Bilin, or anywhere else in the West Bank
for that matter.<br><br>
The Israeli army's claim that the wall is a security measure is simply
preposterous. One doesn't have to look far across the barrier in Bilin to
see what the land is being stolen for -- the extension of yet another
illegal settlement. In this case, the beneficiary of Bilin's land is the
Matityahu East neighborhood of the Modi'in Ilit settlement.<br><br>
Bilin has become somewhat of an inspiration and example in the West Bank
for its now famous weekly protests. The small village has also gained
international recognition for its steadfastness and commitment to
nonviolent protest, as documented in the award-winning film, <i>Bil'in My
Love.<br><br>
</i>The villagers, along with international and even Israeli
demonstrators, have faithfully upheld their weekly protests every single
Friday, without exception, for the last four years. While these
demonstrations are strictly nonviolent and consist mainly of chanting,
waving the Palestinian flag and attempting to access the confiscated
land, the response from Israeli forces is always harsh.<br><br>
Every week demonstrators are showered with copious amounts of rubber
coated steel bullets and tear gas. Last year, Israeli soldiers killed
four youths in separate incidents in the West Bank village of Nilin, who
were also participating in nonviolent protests against the barrier in
their village.<br><br>
Lately, however, Israeli troops have employed a new and deadly tactic in
an effort to quell protest. This involves the use of a new, high-velocity
tear gas canister that is being shot directly at protestors. These
canisters are relatively quiet when fired, emitting only a faint smoke
trail, which makes them difficult to detect. In addition, their 400-meter
range makes them lethal when fired directly at people.<br><br>
This is the same type of tear gas canister that nearly killed 37-year-old
American activist Tristan Anderson in Nilin on 13 March when he was shot
directly in the face from 60 meters away. He remains in a coma in a Tel
Aviv hospital.<br><br>
Designed to be fired upwards in an arc-like projection, Israeli soldiers
have realized the deadly potential of these canisters and are using them
as bullets. It is likely yet another attempt by the Israeli army to
attempt disguise their intentions by not shooting ordinary
ammunition.<br><br>
While Tristan Anderson remains in a serious coma, he was lucky to escape
with his life. Basem, however, was not as fortunate. And because he is
Palestinian, the mainstream international media will not be interested in
his case. He is simply not important enough.<br><br>
His story will be relegated to the bottom corner of a back page of a
newspaper somewhere, probably in biased language that blames him for his
own death -- if even that. As the haunting sound of his last painful
screams play over in my head, I wonder just how much more the collective
Palestinian spirit can take before another mass uprising.<br><br>
For now, the resilience of Bilin lives on. The next day, hundreds turned
out for Basem's funeral. His body, draped in the Palestinian flag, Basem
was held aloft by mourners as they chanted, "The martyr is beloved
by God," eventually bringing him to the final resting place where so
many have been taken before.<br><br>
And while Palestine waits patiently for the international community to
stand by its side, the fearless people of Bilin will be out again this
Friday. Ready to sacrifice their blood and their souls for something very
simple -- just to have returned what has, and always will rightfully be
theirs.<br><br>
<i>Sayed Mohamed Dhansay is a South African who volunteered with the
International Solidarity Movement in the West Bank in 2006-07.</i>
<br><br>
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