(Special to APN from Daniel Seidemann in Jerusalem and Lara Friedman)As most people probably know by now, early this morning (reportedly around 4am local time) an Israeli security guard working for the Silwan settlers shot and killed a Palestinian resident of Silwan and wounded two others, one seriously (Haaretz, Ynet, Maan).
The circumstances of the shooting are not clear. The Israeli security
guard claims that he was simply going to a gas station in the area and
he was "ambushed" by a group of stone-throwing Palestinians, forcing him
to use his weapon in self-defense.
This account raises immediate questions, including the most obvious one: why was he going alone, in the wee hours of the morning, to a small Palestinian gas station in this area - something that according to press reports his own security protocols forbid? His account is also challenged by reports from Palestinians on the ground that the guard actively pursued and only then shot the Palestinians who allegedly threw stones - an account that contradicts the claim that the use of lethal force was in self-defense.
Riots broke out in Silwan following the shooting and continue as of this writing. Reportedly the Israeli police fired tear gas at Palestinians heading from the Haram al Sharif, where they had gathered following the shooting, to the Bab al-Rahma cemetery. There are Palestinian reports that settlers fired on the funeral procession and other reports of settlers attacking Palestinians. Israeli vehicles have reportedly been stoned and burned. In short, the situation on the ground is extremely volatile. (The Silwan Information Center, which represents the local Palestinian population, is posting regular updates regarding events on the ground on its website; Peace Now's Hagit Ofran has posted an eye-witness report here).
At this writing Israeli security personnel have entered the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif and some Muslim worshippers are barricading themselves in certain areas on the site.
---
It has been clear for some time that there is already a mini-Intifada going on in Silwan, and that Silwan is on the brink of a much bigger and more dangerous eruption.
Today's shooting has the potential of turning into precisely this kind of eruption. It has the potential to become much more than a localized burst of violence, spreading to other areas of Jerusalem and beyond. Indeed, it is already spilling over to the Haram al-Sharif, where outraged Palestinians and mourners began gathering immediately after the shooting. The coming hours are going to be critical in determining if this event will be contained, or if it will detonate events that will be difficult to contain.
The stakes here are extremely high, and the reaction to this event must, accordingly, be extremely serious. This is a crisis that must be managed, and from the outset, by the most senior echelons in Israel, up to and including the Prime Minister. It is a crisis that has the potential to impact on vital national and regional interests and should be treated as such. Dealing with today's events cannot be left to the standard operating procedures and judgment of local or even senior police commanders - commanders whose integrity and credibility has been seriously compromised by their behavior and policies in Silwan.
---
The government of Israel needs to take several steps, urgently, to prevent this crisis from spinning out of control.
The government needs to communicate clearly with Israeli security forces on the ground in Silwan and make clear to their commanders that their goal must be to contain the event with minimal confrontation, and that use of force must be truly used only as a last resort.
Israeli security forces on the ground must intervene to ensure that Silwan settlers and their supporters (and their security personnel) do not act on the ground to increase tensions, particularly in light of this evening's Erev Sukkot celebrations at the Western Wall and in the Silwan settlements (the eve of the Sukkot is a major celebration).
The Prime Minster's office should go out swiftly and on the record expressing regret over the loss of life, and assuring a prompt impartial investigation. Given recent actions of the Israeli Police leadership and the Attorney General in Silwan, this cannot be another routine investigation and cannot be left in either of their hands. Rather, this must be an impartial, independent investigation will be genuine and address the fears and concerns of the Palestinian residents.
To be truly credible, such an investigation should go beyond just the events of this morning to look at the use and abuse of government authority in Silwan, including the operations of private Israeli security forces (often manifesting characteristics of private militias) employed by the settlers and working with the approval of and in coordination with Israeli police. Today's event was not an isolated incident and it cannot be denied its context. For more on this context, see ACRI's report, published earlier this month, "Unsafe Space: The Israeli Authorities' Failure to Protect Human Rights amid Settlements in East Jerusalem" (and especially the section entitled "Security Guards: Quick on the Trigger," pp. 15-20). This event would not have taken place, nor would it be so potentially explosive, were it not for the cumulative impact of governmental and private security personnel actively serving the settler agenda in Silwan, while treating the indigenous Palestinians as enemy aliens. Failure to address the underlying causes will make the next eruption only a matter of time.
This account raises immediate questions, including the most obvious one: why was he going alone, in the wee hours of the morning, to a small Palestinian gas station in this area - something that according to press reports his own security protocols forbid? His account is also challenged by reports from Palestinians on the ground that the guard actively pursued and only then shot the Palestinians who allegedly threw stones - an account that contradicts the claim that the use of lethal force was in self-defense.
Riots broke out in Silwan following the shooting and continue as of this writing. Reportedly the Israeli police fired tear gas at Palestinians heading from the Haram al Sharif, where they had gathered following the shooting, to the Bab al-Rahma cemetery. There are Palestinian reports that settlers fired on the funeral procession and other reports of settlers attacking Palestinians. Israeli vehicles have reportedly been stoned and burned. In short, the situation on the ground is extremely volatile. (The Silwan Information Center, which represents the local Palestinian population, is posting regular updates regarding events on the ground on its website; Peace Now's Hagit Ofran has posted an eye-witness report here).
At this writing Israeli security personnel have entered the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif and some Muslim worshippers are barricading themselves in certain areas on the site.
---
It has been clear for some time that there is already a mini-Intifada going on in Silwan, and that Silwan is on the brink of a much bigger and more dangerous eruption.
Today's shooting has the potential of turning into precisely this kind of eruption. It has the potential to become much more than a localized burst of violence, spreading to other areas of Jerusalem and beyond. Indeed, it is already spilling over to the Haram al-Sharif, where outraged Palestinians and mourners began gathering immediately after the shooting. The coming hours are going to be critical in determining if this event will be contained, or if it will detonate events that will be difficult to contain.
The stakes here are extremely high, and the reaction to this event must, accordingly, be extremely serious. This is a crisis that must be managed, and from the outset, by the most senior echelons in Israel, up to and including the Prime Minister. It is a crisis that has the potential to impact on vital national and regional interests and should be treated as such. Dealing with today's events cannot be left to the standard operating procedures and judgment of local or even senior police commanders - commanders whose integrity and credibility has been seriously compromised by their behavior and policies in Silwan.
---
The government of Israel needs to take several steps, urgently, to prevent this crisis from spinning out of control.
The government needs to communicate clearly with Israeli security forces on the ground in Silwan and make clear to their commanders that their goal must be to contain the event with minimal confrontation, and that use of force must be truly used only as a last resort.
Israeli security forces on the ground must intervene to ensure that Silwan settlers and their supporters (and their security personnel) do not act on the ground to increase tensions, particularly in light of this evening's Erev Sukkot celebrations at the Western Wall and in the Silwan settlements (the eve of the Sukkot is a major celebration).
The Prime Minster's office should go out swiftly and on the record expressing regret over the loss of life, and assuring a prompt impartial investigation. Given recent actions of the Israeli Police leadership and the Attorney General in Silwan, this cannot be another routine investigation and cannot be left in either of their hands. Rather, this must be an impartial, independent investigation will be genuine and address the fears and concerns of the Palestinian residents.
To be truly credible, such an investigation should go beyond just the events of this morning to look at the use and abuse of government authority in Silwan, including the operations of private Israeli security forces (often manifesting characteristics of private militias) employed by the settlers and working with the approval of and in coordination with Israeli police. Today's event was not an isolated incident and it cannot be denied its context. For more on this context, see ACRI's report, published earlier this month, "Unsafe Space: The Israeli Authorities' Failure to Protect Human Rights amid Settlements in East Jerusalem" (and especially the section entitled "Security Guards: Quick on the Trigger," pp. 15-20). This event would not have taken place, nor would it be so potentially explosive, were it not for the cumulative impact of governmental and private security personnel actively serving the settler agenda in Silwan, while treating the indigenous Palestinians as enemy aliens. Failure to address the underlying causes will make the next eruption only a matter of time.
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What a biased website this is. I thought this site was for peace promotion but it so Anti-Israel and it beggers belief. This article is stressing how this incident has to be investigated and the difficulties faced by the palastinians. The writer seems to forget that the Israelis face the same or even more difficulties, just some weeks ago, four Israeli residents lost their lives thanks to palastian gunmen. Did this site demand an investigation as it has done in this case. The writer forgets about motars and rockets raining daily on Israeli residents. This article talks about this incident sparking a mini intifada in this area and even beyond, surely the writer must have realised that when four Israelis were gunned down two weeks ago no mini or any intifadas were done by the Jews. The owners and writers of this site like all liberal mediums who have lost common sense and have been held hostage by these so called islamic intifadas. To stupid people like the writer of this article and owners of this site, JUSTICE OR INJUSTICE is now determined by intifadas. Just because Israelis don't do these intifadas doesn't mean that they are getting JUSTICE from the international community and the palastians and and on the contrary, because palastians do intifadas doesn't mean that they are getting INJUSTICE from the Israelis and the international community. So an intifada or these Islamic uprisings should not intimidate you, learn to look at the facts and stick on the facts. Don't be scared of islamists. If you are for peace as you call yourselves(APN), then learn to fair and balanced otherwise you end coming up as Americans for Palastians Now(APN) and no peace can be achieved by one side only. Peace is between two or more parties coming to an understanding. LEARN THIS APN.
Thank you, APN, for reporting on these very important events. Keep up the good work!
NKo does not seem to know that Zionist terrorists seized Palestine by force in 1947-48, finishing their conquest in 1967 with grabbing Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem/AlQuds). They are the daily attackers, thieves and colonists and if they want 'Peace Now', they should simply evacuate the whole of the West Bank, stop their siege of Gaza and allow the repatriation of all the refugees to their original towns and villages. The only ones needing JUSTICE are the indigenous Palestinians, not the foreigners occupying Palestine, who only understand their own selves and the power of WMDs.