“Criminalizing Resistance Violates
International Law” by Shawn Robinson, Media With A Conscience, 29 July 2015
Wednesday, 29 July 2015 16:03
By Shawn Robinson
The truth about stone throwing as a form of resistance is that it is not an equal encounter between the thrower and the thrower’s quarry. Do not however minimize the power of stone throwing as stones can gravely injure or kill their intended targets.
The truth about stone throwing as a form of resistance is that it is not an equal encounter between the thrower and the thrower’s quarry. Do not however minimize the power of stone throwing as stones can gravely injure or kill their intended targets.
With that said in all of the almost thirty years
that stone throwing has been officially utilized by Palestinians
as an active form of resistance, fortunately to date very
few Israelis have died from being hit with a stone (11 killed).
It is estimated that each year there are 3,500 to 4,500 stone
throwing incidents in the occupied territories.
Conversely, how many Palestinians have been
injured, killed or imprisoned because of stone throwing? Tens of
thousands in total. In fact the statistics vary as Israel does
not document effectively these demographics; however
organizations such as DCI-Palestine,
B’tselem and Addameer work hard to record
these crimes. The reality is that the statistics are so
disproportionate because of the incredible power the Israeli
military yields. Israeli soldiers are well-armed as well as
protected not just with kevlar and helmets, but also armoured
vehicles, tanks, air power etc.
Palestinians, with the majority being youth, throw
stones at the Israeli military occupying the Palestinian
territories and also at the illegal Israeli settlers who
frequently attack the native Palestinian population with no
consequences to their actions, do so out of frustration to their
situation.
As stated previously this is not an equal
encounter.
First the Israeli military and the settlers have
the power of Israeli justice that protects them with impunity.
Never is a soldier or settler held accountable for
their crimes against the unarmed Palestinian community. Israeli
soldiers and illegal Israeli Settlers are armed and with the
most advanced weaponry as well. Illegal Settlers are allowed to
wander anywhere with sophisticated semi-automatic assault rifles
while the Palestinians are not even allowed to carry a knife.
Stone-throwing by occupied Palestinian youth at
uniformed Israeli military members or illegal Israeli settlers
is a permissible form of legal resistance:
The 4th Geneva
Convention states unequivocally that those
under occupation have the right to resist their occupiers and
are able to do so with force.
The reality in the occupied territories is that
Palestinians live in punitive and claustrophobic conditions that
frequently put the native Palestinian population of having to
deal with persecutory behaviour from the illegal Settler
communities and the Israeli military. This leaves the native
Palestinians frustrated.
Each occupied territory experiences a different set
of circumstances that makes it near impossible for the native
Palestinian population to embrace basic rights such as family
unification, ease of mobility, the ability to access adequate
health care and education never mind basic security. This builds
on the frustration of being occupied and unable to control one’s
destiny.
When a state is occupied, under the Geneva
Conventions, the legalities of occupation and obligations of the
military occupiers for those living under the occupation are
specified and made clear. These include public order,
safety, provision of food and medical supplies, maintaining
medical services and other matters that are applicable in
everyday living.
With respect to the native population’s existing
public administration including justice and governing of its
people, the occupying power is to not interfere as also
stipulated under IHL and the Geneva
Conventions. But Israel does not allow the
Palestinians to administrate themselves or effectively handle
issues including adjudicating their
own justice system..
On July 23, 2015, Israel announced the
passing of a new law that mandates two levels of
sentencing for Palestinians regarding stone throwing at the
Israeli military or Israeli settlers:
- Defendants not accused of intending to cause harm can receive up to 10-years in prison.
- Defendants accused of intending to cause harm can receive up to 20-years in prison.
- The hidden third level is that anyone who interferes with the performance of the Israeli border police or other Israeli authority that prevent that authority from performing their “duties” could face up to five-years imprisonment.
If a person is being targeted for stone throwing,
such as a child which is a common situation, a parent or
anyone who tries to interfere with the arrest of that child
can also be punished with a punitive prison sentence.
Furthermore, if an Israeli settler throws stones at
the Palestinians, this law does not pertain to them.
Palestinian MK Hanin
Zoabi, said: “(w)e are not talking about a
law. We are talking about the occupation. If the law is meant
to protect the weak, it is also meant to protect those victims
who are killed every week by soldiers. Imagine a soldier with
a gun facing a teenager with a small stone. What symmetry is
there?”
The bottom line is that this new law has no legal
jurisdiction in the occupied territories. It is another tool to
compress the Palestinian will and to make life even more
untenable if that can even be possible.
Israel simply cannot inflict its version of justice
on the occupied Palestinian population; however is able to do so
as the world communities with their silence give way for
Israel’s continued violations of international law…
It is illegal for an occupying power to
criminalize resistance.
- See more at:
http://mwcnews.net/focus/
by Shawn Robinson
The truth about stone throwing as a form of resistance is that it is not an equal encounter between the thrower and the thrower’s quarry. Do not however minimize the power of stone throwing as stones can gravely injure or kill their intended targets.
With that said in all of the almost thirty years that stone throwing has been officially utilized by Palestinians as an active form of resistance, fortunately to date very few Israelis have died from being hit with a stone (11 killed). It is estimated that each year there are 3,500 to 4,500 stone throwing incidents in the occupied territories.
Conversely, how many Palestinians have been injured, killed or imprisoned because of stone throwing? Tens of thousands in total. In fact the statistics vary as Israel does not document effectively these demographics; however organizations such as DCI-Palestine, B’tselem and Addameer work hard to record these crimes. The reality is that the statistics are so disproportionate because of the incredible power the Israeli military yields. Israeli soldiers are well-armed as well as protected not just with kevlar and helmets, but also armoured vehicles, tanks, air power etc.
Palestinians, with the majority being youth, throw stones at the Israeli military occupying the Palestinian territories and also at the illegal Israeli settlers who frequently attack the native Palestinian population with no consequences to their actions, do so out of frustration to their situation.
As stated previously this is not an equal encounter.
First the Israeli military and the settlers have the power of Israeli justice that protects them with impunity.
Never is a soldier or settler held accountable for their crimes against the unarmed Palestinian community. Israeli soldiers and illegal Israeli Settlers are armed and with the most advanced weaponry as well. Illegal Settlers are allowed to wander anywhere with sophisticated semi-automatic assault rifles while the Palestinians are not even allowed to carry a knife.
Stone-throwing by occupied Palestinian youth at uniformed Israeli military members or illegal Israeli settlers is a permissible form of legal resistance:
The 4th Geneva Convention states unequivocally that those under occupation have the right to resist their occupiers and are able to do so with force.
The reality in the occupied territories is that Palestinians live in punitive and claustrophobic conditions that frequently put the native Palestinian population of having to deal with persecutory behaviour from the illegal Settler communities and the Israeli military. This leaves the native Palestinians frustrated.
Each occupied territory experiences a different set of circumstances that makes it near impossible for the native Palestinian population to embrace basic rights such as family unification, ease of mobility, the ability to access adequate health care and education never mind basic security. This builds on the frustration of being occupied and unable to control one’s destiny.
When a state is occupied, under the Geneva Conventions, the legalities of occupation and obligations of the military occupiers for those living under the occupation are specified and made clear. These include public order, safety, provision of food and medical supplies, maintaining medical services and other matters that are applicable in everyday living.
With respect to the native population’s existing public administration including justice and governing of its people, the occupying power is to not interfere as also stipulated under IHL and the Geneva Conventions. But Israel does not allow the Palestinians to administrate themselves or effectively handle issues including adjudicating their own justice system..
On July 23, 2015, Israel announced the passing of a new law that mandates two levels of sentencing for Palestinians regarding stone throwing at the Israeli military or Israeli settlers:
Furthermore, if an Israeli settler throws stones at the Palestinians, this law does not pertain to them.
Palestinian MK Hanin Zoabi, said: “(w)e are not talking about a law. We are talking about the occupation. If the law is meant to protect the weak, it is also meant to protect those victims who are killed every week by soldiers. Imagine a soldier with a gun facing a teenager with a small stone. What symmetry is there?”
The bottom line is that this new law has no legal jurisdiction in the occupied territories. It is another tool to compress the Palestinian will and to make life even more untenable if that can even be possible.
Israel simply cannot inflict its version of justice on the occupied Palestinian population; however is able to do so as the world communities with their silence give way for Israel’s continued violations of international law…
It is illegal for an occupying power to criminalize resistance.
- See more at: http://mwcnews.net/focus/
The truth about stone throwing as a form of resistance is that it is not an equal encounter between the thrower and the thrower’s quarry. Do not however minimize the power of stone throwing as stones can gravely injure or kill their intended targets.
With that said in all of the almost thirty years that stone throwing has been officially utilized by Palestinians as an active form of resistance, fortunately to date very few Israelis have died from being hit with a stone (11 killed). It is estimated that each year there are 3,500 to 4,500 stone throwing incidents in the occupied territories.
Conversely, how many Palestinians have been injured, killed or imprisoned because of stone throwing? Tens of thousands in total. In fact the statistics vary as Israel does not document effectively these demographics; however organizations such as DCI-Palestine, B’tselem and Addameer work hard to record these crimes. The reality is that the statistics are so disproportionate because of the incredible power the Israeli military yields. Israeli soldiers are well-armed as well as protected not just with kevlar and helmets, but also armoured vehicles, tanks, air power etc.
Palestinians, with the majority being youth, throw stones at the Israeli military occupying the Palestinian territories and also at the illegal Israeli settlers who frequently attack the native Palestinian population with no consequences to their actions, do so out of frustration to their situation.
As stated previously this is not an equal encounter.
First the Israeli military and the settlers have the power of Israeli justice that protects them with impunity.
Never is a soldier or settler held accountable for their crimes against the unarmed Palestinian community. Israeli soldiers and illegal Israeli Settlers are armed and with the most advanced weaponry as well. Illegal Settlers are allowed to wander anywhere with sophisticated semi-automatic assault rifles while the Palestinians are not even allowed to carry a knife.
Stone-throwing by occupied Palestinian youth at uniformed Israeli military members or illegal Israeli settlers is a permissible form of legal resistance:
The 4th Geneva Convention states unequivocally that those under occupation have the right to resist their occupiers and are able to do so with force.
The reality in the occupied territories is that Palestinians live in punitive and claustrophobic conditions that frequently put the native Palestinian population of having to deal with persecutory behaviour from the illegal Settler communities and the Israeli military. This leaves the native Palestinians frustrated.
Each occupied territory experiences a different set of circumstances that makes it near impossible for the native Palestinian population to embrace basic rights such as family unification, ease of mobility, the ability to access adequate health care and education never mind basic security. This builds on the frustration of being occupied and unable to control one’s destiny.
When a state is occupied, under the Geneva Conventions, the legalities of occupation and obligations of the military occupiers for those living under the occupation are specified and made clear. These include public order, safety, provision of food and medical supplies, maintaining medical services and other matters that are applicable in everyday living.
With respect to the native population’s existing public administration including justice and governing of its people, the occupying power is to not interfere as also stipulated under IHL and the Geneva Conventions. But Israel does not allow the Palestinians to administrate themselves or effectively handle issues including adjudicating their own justice system..
On July 23, 2015, Israel announced the passing of a new law that mandates two levels of sentencing for Palestinians regarding stone throwing at the Israeli military or Israeli settlers:
- Defendants not accused of intending to cause harm can receive up to 10-years in prison.
- Defendants accused of intending to cause harm can receive up to 20-years in prison.
- The hidden third level is that anyone who interferes with the performance of the Israeli border police or other Israeli authority that prevent that authority from performing their “duties” could face up to five-years imprisonment.
Furthermore, if an Israeli settler throws stones at the Palestinians, this law does not pertain to them.
Palestinian MK Hanin Zoabi, said: “(w)e are not talking about a law. We are talking about the occupation. If the law is meant to protect the weak, it is also meant to protect those victims who are killed every week by soldiers. Imagine a soldier with a gun facing a teenager with a small stone. What symmetry is there?”
The bottom line is that this new law has no legal jurisdiction in the occupied territories. It is another tool to compress the Palestinian will and to make life even more untenable if that can even be possible.
Israel simply cannot inflict its version of justice on the occupied Palestinian population; however is able to do so as the world communities with their silence give way for Israel’s continued violations of international law…
It is illegal for an occupying power to criminalize resistance.
- See more at: http://mwcnews.net/focus/
by Shawn Robinson
The truth about stone throwing as a form of resistance is that it is not an equal encounter between the thrower and the thrower’s quarry. Do not however minimize the power of stone throwing as stones can gravely injure or kill their intended targets.
With that said in all of the almost thirty years that stone throwing has been officially utilized by Palestinians as an active form of resistance, fortunately to date very few Israelis have died from being hit with a stone (11 killed). It is estimated that each year there are 3,500 to 4,500 stone throwing incidents in the occupied territories.
Conversely, how many Palestinians have been injured, killed or imprisoned because of stone throwing? Tens of thousands in total. In fact the statistics vary as Israel does not document effectively these demographics; however organizations such as DCI-Palestine, B’tselem and Addameer work hard to record these crimes. The reality is that the statistics are so disproportionate because of the incredible power the Israeli military yields. Israeli soldiers are well-armed as well as protected not just with kevlar and helmets, but also armoured vehicles, tanks, air power etc.
Palestinians, with the majority being youth, throw stones at the Israeli military occupying the Palestinian territories and also at the illegal Israeli settlers who frequently attack the native Palestinian population with no consequences to their actions, do so out of frustration to their situation.
As stated previously this is not an equal encounter.
First the Israeli military and the settlers have the power of Israeli justice that protects them with impunity.
Never is a soldier or settler held accountable for their crimes against the unarmed Palestinian community. Israeli soldiers and illegal Israeli Settlers are armed and with the most advanced weaponry as well. Illegal Settlers are allowed to wander anywhere with sophisticated semi-automatic assault rifles while the Palestinians are not even allowed to carry a knife.
Stone-throwing by occupied Palestinian youth at uniformed Israeli military members or illegal Israeli settlers is a permissible form of legal resistance:
The 4th Geneva Convention states unequivocally that those under occupation have the right to resist their occupiers and are able to do so with force.
The reality in the occupied territories is that Palestinians live in punitive and claustrophobic conditions that frequently put the native Palestinian population of having to deal with persecutory behaviour from the illegal Settler communities and the Israeli military. This leaves the native Palestinians frustrated.
Each occupied territory experiences a different set of circumstances that makes it near impossible for the native Palestinian population to embrace basic rights such as family unification, ease of mobility, the ability to access adequate health care and education never mind basic security. This builds on the frustration of being occupied and unable to control one’s destiny.
When a state is occupied, under the Geneva Conventions, the legalities of occupation and obligations of the military occupiers for those living under the occupation are specified and made clear. These include public order, safety, provision of food and medical supplies, maintaining medical services and other matters that are applicable in everyday living.
With respect to the native population’s existing public administration including justice and governing of its people, the occupying power is to not interfere as also stipulated under IHL and the Geneva Conventions. But Israel does not allow the Palestinians to administrate themselves or effectively handle issues including adjudicating their own justice system..
On July 23, 2015, Israel announced the passing of a new law that mandates two levels of sentencing for Palestinians regarding stone throwing at the Israeli military or Israeli settlers:
Furthermore, if an Israeli settler throws stones at the Palestinians, this law does not pertain to them.
Palestinian MK Hanin Zoabi, said: “(w)e are not talking about a law. We are talking about the occupation. If the law is meant to protect the weak, it is also meant to protect those victims who are killed every week by soldiers. Imagine a soldier with a gun facing a teenager with a small stone. What symmetry is there?”
The bottom line is that this new law has no legal jurisdiction in the occupied territories. It is another tool to compress the Palestinian will and to make life even more untenable if that can even be possible.
Israel simply cannot inflict its version of justice on the occupied Palestinian population; however is able to do so as the world communities with their silence give way for Israel’s continued violations of international law…
It is illegal for an occupying power to criminalize resistance.
- See more at: http://mwcnews.net/focus/
The truth about stone throwing as a form of resistance is that it is not an equal encounter between the thrower and the thrower’s quarry. Do not however minimize the power of stone throwing as stones can gravely injure or kill their intended targets.
With that said in all of the almost thirty years that stone throwing has been officially utilized by Palestinians as an active form of resistance, fortunately to date very few Israelis have died from being hit with a stone (11 killed). It is estimated that each year there are 3,500 to 4,500 stone throwing incidents in the occupied territories.
Conversely, how many Palestinians have been injured, killed or imprisoned because of stone throwing? Tens of thousands in total. In fact the statistics vary as Israel does not document effectively these demographics; however organizations such as DCI-Palestine, B’tselem and Addameer work hard to record these crimes. The reality is that the statistics are so disproportionate because of the incredible power the Israeli military yields. Israeli soldiers are well-armed as well as protected not just with kevlar and helmets, but also armoured vehicles, tanks, air power etc.
Palestinians, with the majority being youth, throw stones at the Israeli military occupying the Palestinian territories and also at the illegal Israeli settlers who frequently attack the native Palestinian population with no consequences to their actions, do so out of frustration to their situation.
As stated previously this is not an equal encounter.
First the Israeli military and the settlers have the power of Israeli justice that protects them with impunity.
Never is a soldier or settler held accountable for their crimes against the unarmed Palestinian community. Israeli soldiers and illegal Israeli Settlers are armed and with the most advanced weaponry as well. Illegal Settlers are allowed to wander anywhere with sophisticated semi-automatic assault rifles while the Palestinians are not even allowed to carry a knife.
Stone-throwing by occupied Palestinian youth at uniformed Israeli military members or illegal Israeli settlers is a permissible form of legal resistance:
The 4th Geneva Convention states unequivocally that those under occupation have the right to resist their occupiers and are able to do so with force.
The reality in the occupied territories is that Palestinians live in punitive and claustrophobic conditions that frequently put the native Palestinian population of having to deal with persecutory behaviour from the illegal Settler communities and the Israeli military. This leaves the native Palestinians frustrated.
Each occupied territory experiences a different set of circumstances that makes it near impossible for the native Palestinian population to embrace basic rights such as family unification, ease of mobility, the ability to access adequate health care and education never mind basic security. This builds on the frustration of being occupied and unable to control one’s destiny.
When a state is occupied, under the Geneva Conventions, the legalities of occupation and obligations of the military occupiers for those living under the occupation are specified and made clear. These include public order, safety, provision of food and medical supplies, maintaining medical services and other matters that are applicable in everyday living.
With respect to the native population’s existing public administration including justice and governing of its people, the occupying power is to not interfere as also stipulated under IHL and the Geneva Conventions. But Israel does not allow the Palestinians to administrate themselves or effectively handle issues including adjudicating their own justice system..
On July 23, 2015, Israel announced the passing of a new law that mandates two levels of sentencing for Palestinians regarding stone throwing at the Israeli military or Israeli settlers:
- Defendants not accused of intending to cause harm can receive up to 10-years in prison.
- Defendants accused of intending to cause harm can receive up to 20-years in prison.
- The hidden third level is that anyone who interferes with the performance of the Israeli border police or other Israeli authority that prevent that authority from performing their “duties” could face up to five-years imprisonment.
Furthermore, if an Israeli settler throws stones at the Palestinians, this law does not pertain to them.
Palestinian MK Hanin Zoabi, said: “(w)e are not talking about a law. We are talking about the occupation. If the law is meant to protect the weak, it is also meant to protect those victims who are killed every week by soldiers. Imagine a soldier with a gun facing a teenager with a small stone. What symmetry is there?”
The bottom line is that this new law has no legal jurisdiction in the occupied territories. It is another tool to compress the Palestinian will and to make life even more untenable if that can even be possible.
Israel simply cannot inflict its version of justice on the occupied Palestinian population; however is able to do so as the world communities with their silence give way for Israel’s continued violations of international law…
It is illegal for an occupying power to criminalize resistance.
- See more at: http://mwcnews.net/focus/
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