martedì 23 ottobre 2007

What is not being said about the Ketziot prison raid provoking a dead

ISM Media Group. On October 22nd, at two in the morning, Israeli prison guards from Ketziot prison in the Negev desert began searching the tents and belongings of Palestinian inmates. Searching prisoners' tents in the middle of the night is a usual form of harassment; keeping people from sleeping. Some prisoners resisted the search due to the early hour and the army responded by throwing sounds grenades and shooting tear gas canisters into the tents of prisoners and at prisoners themselves.

It has been reported in the news that between 30 and 250 inmates have been injured, and that the Israeli forces used 'non-lethal' methods to subdue the prisoners. It has also been reported in Israeli and international news that in the 'riot' that the prisoners created, the Palestinian prisoners burned their own tents. When tear gas is shot the canisters are extremely hot, they frequently start fires when landing near grass or trees. More likely than Palestinians burning the tents in which they sleep, with their possessions, is that the tear gas canisters or the explosions from sound grenades started the fire.

The information that the Israeli military unit Nahashon have used only
'non-lethal' methods has also proved to be misleading, or to use
another word, false. What has gone unreported in Israeli and
international news is that one inmate, Mohammed Al-Ashkar, was shot in
the head and died at Soroka Medical Center, in Israel. Al-Ashkar was
twenty-five and had only one month left on his term. Sources are
mixed, some people say it was a rubber-coated steel bullet, some
people say it was live ammunition. Regardless of the type of bullet, a
man died, so it was clearly a lethal weapon which killed him.

If live ammunition was used, one must wonder why prison guards would
find the need to open fire on their unarmed inmates. If it was rubber-
coated steel bullets that killed Mohammed Al-Ashkar, then the farce of
calling such bullets 'non-lethal' must end.

For more information call:
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The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a Palestinian-led non-violent resistance movement committed to ending Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian land. We call for full compliance with all relevant UN resolutions and international law.

For specific media inquires such as interview requests, photo usage, etc. please email the ISM Media Office at media@palsolidarity.org

Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent, 23.10.07. The IPS refused to allow journalists to enter the ward or interview prisoners yesterday, saying it feared the media's
presence could reignite the riots. Photographers were barred for the same reason. The crowd dispersal sachets were fired by members of the IPS's Massada Unit, which is considered one of Israel's leading riot dispersal and hostage rescue units. The army and police have often borrowed its services. The PA denounced what it termed an Israeli assault against Palestinian prisoners and accused the IPS of using clubs, gas grenades and rubber bullets against the inmates. It put the number of wounded
prisoners at about 50.

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