World Foreign Policy Top News

Israel Allows Lethal Force Against Stone Throwers

Israeli police were authorized to strike back against stone throwing Palestinians by using lethal force.

According to Al Jazeera, Palestinians were throwing stones, firebombs, and fireworks in a recent onslaught against the Israelis. The latest regulations for the Israeli police on how to handle these kinds of attacks allow them to use live ammunition against the Palestinians, even if those they are firing at are minors. The language even allows them to fire on anyone who seems likely to commit an attack like throwing stones, or anyone who is threatening to commit such an act. Police officers are authorized to use force up to the lethal level in these situations. This could be a glimpse into the rapidly approaching police state future of the US. 

The chances that actions such as stone throwing or shooting of fireworks would present a life-threatening danger are extremely slim and there is no doubt that it is possible to handle such situations using non-lethal means,” stated Mohammed Bassam Mahajna, an attorney for the human rights group Adalah, in an interview with Al Jazeera. The new regulations contradict existing general guidelines according to which the use of a deadly weapon by officers is permitted only when there is substantiated fear of danger to the life of an officer or other individual, and only if there is no other means by which this danger may be prevented.




Israeli soldiers and police have often been criticized regarding how they interpret danger, and the amount of lethal force that they use in many cases when those they are fighting against are virtually unarmed. When contacted for comment about these harsh new regulations, the spokesperson for the Israeli police declined to comment. However, it is a known fact that these new regulations have been in place, and have been implemented, since September 2015.

The war between Israel and Palestine continues to rage, and it should be noted that as long as a nation is considered an “ally,” such as in this case, or more to the point, the daily cruelty and abuse carried out by Saudi Arabia, then it seems their atrocities go unnoticed and undiscussed by mainstream media. Yet those deemed “enemies” of the western powers are all too quickly highlighted and publicly condemned for the very same actions taken. As long as excessive force and violence like this is being permitted to continue, it does not appear the war will end any time soon.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/israel-lethal-force-stone-throwers-report-160704134708993.html

Avatar
Addison Herron-Wheeler
Addison is a Managing Editor of Colorado for CULTURE Magazine, and a freelance music writer for Denver Westword. She is a published fiction author and has a self-published book for sale on women in heavy metal entitled Wicked Woman. Addison covers topics from cannabis law reform and heavy metal, to women's rights and social justice issues. She lives in Denver, Colorado.
https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *