There are certainly no excuses for the behavior, filmed on video, of IDF soldiers whooping in celebration as a Palestinian is shot near Gaza’s border fence. As the IDF itself announced in reference to, “the unauthorized filming of an operational event, the distribution of the filmed material and the statements made there, it should be noted that these do not suit the degree of restraint expected of IDF soldiers and will be dealt by commanders accordingly.”
That it turned into an international story is, in part, a result of recent confrontations at the Gaza border, which have resulted in Palestinian casualties and severe criticism aimed at Israel for using force to prevent rioting Palestinians from breaching the fence.
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Perhaps the media could argue that the video of the IDF soldiers is newsworthy precisely because it is unusual and does not represent the ethos of Israel’s army. Or perhaps the media saw an opportunity to do what so many journalists enjoy doing – presenting Israel and the IDF in the worst possible light.
After all, how often do we see news reports of the sadly representative antisemitic and violent incitement from Palestinian leaders or the celebrations and distribution of candies after Israeli children are murdered in terrorist attacks?
The Daily Telegraph‘s coverage included a quote from senior Palestinian official and serial liar Saeb Erekat:
This documented case of extrajudicial killing demands the world to end Israel’s impunity and highlights a further urgency for the International Criminal Court to open an immediate investigation.
Erekat has previous form when it comes to butchering the truth.
- Most (in)famously in 2002, as Israel mounted Operation Defensive Shield in response to the Palestinian terror campaign, Erekat falsely accused Israel of carrying out a “massacre” in the Jenin refugee camp.
- That same year Erekat, claimed in a live interview on CNN that Israeli forces were attacking Yasser Arafat’s Ramallah compound, describing the shooting, shelling and the injury to a Palestinian policeman that the Israelis were preventing from being evacuated by ambulance. During the interview, CNN crossed over live to its correspondent some 200 meters from the Ramallah compound to find out what was going on there … absolutely nothing.
- Invented history by claiming the Palestinians are descended from the Canaanites.
Indeed, Saeb Erekat is an habitual liar and offers a prime example of how the media favors charismatic personalities at the expense of integrity and credibility.
As for this video, the IDF’s initial investigation determined that it was not from the recent Gaza confrontations but instead from December 2017 during a violent riot that lasted about two hours and included attempts to sabotage the security fence. According to the IDF, following unsuccessful riot dispersal measures:
a single bullet was fired towards one of the Palestinians who is suspected of organizing and leading this incident, while he was a few meters from the fence. He was hit in the leg and injured.
The video was not filmed from the position of the shooting, and was filmed by a soldier who was not part of the unit of the soldiers who fired.
An “extrajudicial killing?”
There’s a significant difference between being shot in the leg and Saeb Erekat’s claim.
While the Daily Telegraph’s story quoted the IDF, it failed to include the statement that the Palestinian had been hit in the leg and injured.
So Telegraph readers, with no information to suggest otherwise, and aided by Saeb Erekat’s quote, would have assumed that the Palestinian in the video was now well and truly dead.
We pointed this out to the Telegraph and shortly afterwards, an important sentence was added.
Indeed, Erekat’s latest lie has now been exposed. Contrary to a “documented case” of a death, the shot Palestinian has been identified, is very much alive and has spoken to the media. While he has, predictably, denied giving the IDF any reason for his shooting, he has, at least, confirmed that he was shot in the leg.
We thank the Daily Telegraph for taking prompt action when notified of the missing information but question why any credible media is still prepared to publish any quotes from Saeb Erekat given his long history of blatant lies.
Image of Erekat via YouTube/AP Archive;
