What happens when “real people”, like Israelis and Americans, get caught in the crossfire, or are killed in an “escalation of force incident” at a checkpoint by a panicked or psychotic soldier? When it happens to Afghans, Iraqis or Palestinians, it’s collateral damage. Untold thousands–perhaps tens of thousands–of them have already died in such incidents, with little investigation and a flaccid shrug of war machine shoulders. Hey, it’s the cost of doing business, right?
But when it happens to an armed Israeli militia-man? Stop the presses:
According to an IDF initial investigation, three vehicles containing Breslev worshipers entered the tomb in violation of a decree by the IDF’s Central Command prohibiting entry of Israelis into Area A without prior coordination. A verbal confrontation ensued between the worshipers and the Palestinian policemen, who called on them to leave the area. The Breslev vehicles failed to stop at a checkpoint outside of the religious site, the investigation found. The policemen then fired shots in the air. The worshipers tried to flee the area, and their vehicles came under fire, killing Livnat, 24, father of four, and wounding four others.
Livnat will most likely be remembered as a political football launched into the air by his cynical aunt, the ever important Minister of Culture and Sports, Limor Livnat. Livnat wasted not one moment politicizing her nephew’s death. Although she lives in a regime where the similar deaths of unarmed Palestinians at Israeli checkpoints is a common occurrence, Livnat called the death “cold blooded murder” and the PA security officer, a “terrorist disguised as a policeman.” at her relative’s wake.
We’ll see how the American media, and Congressional Propaganda Devices react.
Gator90
April 25, 2011
This post reminded me of an article I read a long time ago, during a period of post-Vietnam American angst about a small number of POW/MIA remains that the Vietnamese allegedly were withholding or not trying hard enough to find. The article was by a retired US Army colonel who made the point that, during the war, we used to bulldoze Vietnamese dead by the hundreds into unmarked mass graves, essentially creating human landfills. Therefore, he felt we should quit squawking about a handful of dead US soldiers. But that type of fair-minded reflectiveness is rare in America, and no doubt elsewhere as well.
Along similar lines, I’ve long felt that Israeli/Jewish angst about Gilead Shalit is a little bit unseemly under the circumstances.
omooex
April 25, 2011
It’s the one constant of US discourse. One of ours equals thousands of theirs.
pete feltman
April 25, 2011
I appreciate your use of quotes re: real people. The current american mentality concerning the rest of the world has to change. Hopefully, I think more and more people are shifting away from indifference to this kind of stuff.
And wasn’t Obama just trying to re-open some Palestine/Israel peace talks? Has there been anything going on in that regard yet?
omooex
April 25, 2011
Do you mean the never-ending spectacle of Peace Talks? That’s on hold until it can be milked for political advantage most likely. We’ll see what Abbas’ UN declaration is about, and what effect it has. I’ve a feeling it’s little more than a cynical bit of theater.