He filmed a killing. Now hes in danger.
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 30 March 2016 12:00
- Written by editor
Emad Abu Shamsiya filmed an extrajudicial killing by the IDF. Now he's being threatened for speaking out.
Emad Abu Shamsiya filmed an extrajudicial killing by the IDF. Now he's being threatened for speaking out. Sign our open letter, and stand with this brave whistleblower.
. TAKE ACTION . . .Last week, Jews around the world (including many of us here at JVP) celebrated the festival of Purim with songs, and spiels, and costumes. But as Purim parties went on in Jewish-only neighborhoods of the occupied Palestinian city of Hebron, an extrajudicial killing took place just streets away.
Abed al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif, a young man of just 21 years old, was the suspect in a stabbing. But he wasn’t arrested, and he’ll never be tried. He was shot, at point-blank range, while lying wounded on the ground. There were IDF medical teams right there, but they gave him no attention. Instead, while bleeding profusely, he was shot again.
These extrajudicial killings are a near-daily occurrence in Israel/Palestine, but this time was different: a video was recorded, and it’s gone viral. The video is gruesome and deeply upsetting, but it proves beyond all doubt that an IDF soldier killed a wounded man lying on the ground. If Emad Abu Shamsiya, a shoemaker and human-rights worker, hadn’t grabbed his camera, we might never have known the truth.
But many in Israel are deeply invested in preventing the truth from being heard. They know that their racist policies and human rights abuses depend on a code of silence within Israel, and unquestioning support outside it.
So they’re threatening Emad Abu Shamsiya, and trying to send a chilling message: don’t speak up. Don’t capture evidence. Don’t prove to the world what’s happening in your communities.
Settlers are protesting outside his house, and sending him death threats. Meanwhile, over 50,000 Israelis have signed a petition in support of the soldier who performed the killing. They’re standing up for extrajudicial killings. We’re standing up for justice.
This video is shocking, but the killing it captured shouldn’t be.
For Palestinians, extrajudicial killings are a part of the daily violence of occupation. For those of us in the US, and indeed for Israeli Jews living in segregated compounds just a few miles away, this violence is invisible. But just because it isn’t on our TV screens or in our newspapers doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Emad Abu Shamsiya’s bravery changed that. His video brought the horrifying reality of Israel’s occupation onto our screens, and into the headlines -- so he’s being threatened. Defenders of Israel’s racist policies are trying to silence him, because his videos bear witness to what he saw happen right in front of him.
The occupation thrives on silence. Our opponents love it when no one is looking, and they can violate human rights and muzzle those who speak out.
So let’s show them that we’re looking. Let’s send a message that can’t be ignored: we stand with whistleblowers like Emad Abu Shamsiya.
The truth must be heard -- and seen.
Onwards,
Granate
Granate Sosnoff
Social Media and Communications Strategist
Jewish Voice for Peace is a national membership organization inspired by Jewish tradition to work for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all the people of Israel and Palestine. Become a JVP Member today.
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