Palestinian-American boy, 14, locked up in Israeli military jail

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

For US citizens who actually care to express concern about the abuse of a Palestinian-American child in foreign custody:

http://www.aaiusa.org/blog/entry/take-action-14-year-old-arab-american-imprisoned-by-israeli-authorities/

[JstaRebel 48]

Unless you are really trying to equate the Israeli legal system to China's, the pertinent question actually is: how are Jewish children who are accused of the same crime of throwing stones treated by Israel's legal system ?

Are they arrested at their homes between midnight and 5:00 am by heavily armed soldiers? Are they blindfolded and restrained with plastic ties ? Are they physically and verbally abused during transfer to an interrogation site, including the use of painful restraints ? Are they denied access to water, food, toilet facilities and medical care ? Are they interrogated using physical violence and threats ? Are they subjected to coerced confessions, and the lack of access to lawyers or family members during interrogation ? Are they shackled during court appearances ? Are they denied bail ? If they were, would it violate their rights ?

As the OP article stated:

There are countless incidents of Jewish settler children caught on camera throwing stones at Palestinians, even while Israeli soldiers stand by and do nothing. None of them are subjected to the type of abuses that the Israeli military justice system routinely commits against Palestinian children - in fact, Jewish settler children are rarely even "questioned." I challenge you to find any documented instance of this type of treatment of Jewish children in Israeli military or civil courts.

These are not isolated incidents.

Thank you for posting the video clips of Israelis throwing stones at Palestinians. I found these to be a stepping stone (pun intended) to some other very interesting videos. You are very passionate regarding your beliefs and given the Palestinian circumstance, your passion is warranted. I learn a lot from your posts, and enjoy reading the factual information that usually accompanies your posts..

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

No I'm not trying to equate the two.

I was speaking more to this point

I assumed this was to show that the American government was more lenient to the Israelis. My thought was that if a similar situation happened in China, the American govt would do little to support a citizen accused of breaking another country's law.

In Singapore he would be caned

[Darnell 8,479]

I assumed this was to show that the American government was more lenient to the Israelis. My thought was that if a similar situation happened in China, the American govt would do little to support a citizen accused of breaking another country's law.

Interesting analogy !

The kid in the article is an 'anchor baby' - his parents will 'use him' to immigrate legally into the USA after they have retired,

in the exact same fashion the Chinese make 'anchor babies' in the USA.

So, if it was an 'anchor baby' in China, would it get the same news coverage? Is that what yer asking?

Anchor babies in China are raised Chinese. I have to assume (rightly or wrongly) that anchor babies in Palestine are raised Palestinian.

[himher 634]

What do you think would happen to an American child arrested for throwing rocks at cars in China? Shackles and beatings are WAY too far I agree. But I bet you would get similar treatment in China depending on your level of resistance.

Even China does not use combat troops to arrest kids and enforce local laws but it is appropriate that you found a hardline, oppressive commie country to compare the actions of these brave heroes to.

I don't give a %@$#% what that kid did. He can be afforded the same rights that israeli citizens are afforded and he is entitled to those rights.

Here is the difference:

Penalty for a 14-yr-old Palestinian rock-thrower: (he's 14, but he's in the military court system and therefore classified as a "young adult")

Mohammad Khaleq, an honours student in the ninth grade, is one of 236 Palestinian children in Israeli jails, according to UNICEF. Having a foreign passport in addition to his Palestinian identity papers does not grant Mohammad any special treatment, and he is set to be tried in a military court that does not fully differentiate between children and adults.

So, in the case of Mohammad, who is being charged with throwing stones at a moving vehicle, the maximum penalty is 20 years - so, theoretically, he can be sentenced to the maximum penalty of 20 years."

Penalty for a 16-yr-old Isreali murderer: (he's a minor, so his name is "protected")

Sentence issued to a 16-year-old boy convicted of killing fellow teen Philip Geller in Beersheba.

The defendant, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Beersheba District Juvenile Court earlier this year, after agreeing to plead guilty to manslaughter charges in January

So the issue is not guilt or innocence. The issue is equal protection under their own, Israeli, laws. One goes to a military court, the other goes to a juvenile court. One is facing 8 years, the other is facing 20 years. Were this kid offered equal treatment or equal protection I would think that the potential sentence would be lighter than had he stabbed someone to death.

So, in this case, if he isn't entitled to the same protection and the same court system as an out and out confessed murderer and is classified as an "adult" in his case when the 16-yr-old murderer was classified as a juvenile in a worse case then something is badly wrong.

So screw a country where a murderer is given a lighter sentence than a rock-thrower just because he is of a different background or religion. Let 'em hang out in the wind.

Edited April 15, 2013 by himher

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Thank you for posting the video clips of Israelis throwing stones at Palestinians. I found these to be a stepping stone (pun intended) to some other very interesting videos. You are very passionate regarding your beliefs and given the Palestinian circumstance, your passion is warranted. I learn a lot from your posts, and enjoy reading the factual information that usually accompanies your posts..

Thank you. I am glad someone appreciates at least hearing the other side of the story, because it has not been given much attention in US media.

There are countless videos, and they are shocking and disgusting. Cameras are a huge threat to Israeli occupation forces, because they don't want the rest of the world to see the reality. And they often specifically target photographers and filmmakers.

Israeli soldier: 'Cameras are our kryptonite'

They shot this filmmaker/photographer in the face just last week.

Mohammad Al-Azza rests in the hospital the morning after being shot in the face with a rubber-coated steel bullet by Israeli forces in Aida Refguee Camp. Beit Jala, West Bank, April 9, 2013. Al-Azza underwent two surgeries to remove the bullet, which lodged in his cheek below his right eye and fractured his skull. He is expected to make a full recovery. (photo by: Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Activestills.org)

At about 5:30 p.m. Monday, Israeli soldiers entered Aida Refugee Camp through a gate in the separation wall dividing Rachel’s Tomb from Bethlehem. There were no clashes at the time, and their presence in the camp was not provoked, but was itself a provocation.

Israeli troops approach Aida Refugee Camp from their base behind the separation wall near Rachel’s Tomb. (photo by: Guest photographer Mohammad Al-Azza)

Mohammad Al-Azza began photographing the advancing soldiers from the second-floor balcony of the Lajee Center, a children’s center near the camp entrance where he has long volunteered in the media unit. He was eager to use the center’s new camera, a Canon 600D with a 50-250mm zoom lens.

As he was photographing, one of the soldiers shouted at him in Arabic to “Go home!” Mohammad replied, “Why? I’m only taking pictures!” The soldiers continued shouting at him, “Go inside! Go inside!”

Mohammad replied, “No, I will not go! As you have a gun and shoot at children, I have a camera and I’m taking pictures—I do nothing to you!”

The soldiers, who became angrier continued threatening Mohammad with their guns. Mohammad decided to go inside, but continued taking photos through the window and through the doorway opened just wide enough for his camera lens to fit through.

...

The last photo taken by Mohammad Al-Azza before he was shot in the face by the soldier pictured. (photo by: Guest photographer Mohammad Al-Azza)

About 10 minutes after Mohammad had exited the balcony, a soldier with a tear gas gun shouted again at Mohammad to stop taking photos through the partially opened door. His final photo, above, shows a soldier aiming an M16 rifle outfitted for rubber bullets. As Mohammad turned to leave the doorway, this soldier fired a rubber-coated steel bullet which penetrated Mohammad’s cheek below the right eye and fractured his skull.

http://972mag.com/photos-palestinian-photographer-shot-in-the-face-by-israeli-troops/68897/

[himher 634]

In Singapore he would be caned

In Singapore a citizen of Singapore would also be caned. Equal application of the law, yes?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Interesting analogy !

The kid in the article is an 'anchor baby' - his parents will 'use him' to immigrate legally into the USA after they have retired,

in the exact same fashion the Chinese make 'anchor babies' in the USA.

So, if it was an 'anchor baby' in China, would it get the same news coverage? Is that what yer asking?

Anchor babies in China are raised Chinese. I have to assume (rightly or wrongly) that anchor babies in Palestine are raised Palestinian.

Eh wot ? His parents already have legal residence in the US. (That's how he happened to be born in the US !)

[GandD 5,966]

In Singapore he would be caned

I was thinking of that earlier. US govt didn't do much

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I was thinking of that earlier. US govt didn't do much

Is there any international law that prohibits caning ? Also, as has already been pointed out:

In Singapore a citizen of Singapore would also be caned. Equal application of the law, yes?

[GandD 5,966]

Even China does not use combat troops to arrest kids and enforce local laws but it is appropriate that you found a hardline, oppressive commie country to compare the actions of these brave heroes to.

Um, yes they do. Beside, my point is that the US government isn't going to do anything regardless of the country.

[GandD 5,966]

Is there any international law that prohibits caning ? Also, as has already been pointed out:

Look, I'm not condoning anything Israel did. I've said that a few times. US govt isn't going to do anything. That's the point.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Um, yes they do. Beside, my point is that the US government isn't going to do anything regardless of the country.

You keep making this claim. Do you have any data to back it up ? I mean something that specifically documents that the US government never does anything on behalf of American citizens held in foreign custody.

[GandD 5,966]

You keep making this claim. Do you have any data to back it up ? I mean something that specifically documents that the US government never does anything on behalf of American citizens held in foreign custody.

Well I don't know that I said never. But the Singapore caning was a good example.

[GandD 5,966]

Well I don't know that I said never. But the Singapore caning was a good example.

Still in jail:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amir_Mirza_Hekmati