The firing Incident at Betunia

A DCI-Palestine spokesperson said the videos clearly show two kids being hit directly with something other than a rubber bullet, a narrative repeated by pro-Palestinian activists, and many in the mainstream media.Naturally, the Guardians Peter Beaumont intworeportshes filed since the incident seems to have no doubt whatsoever that Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition at the two Palestinians, killing them both, and has indeed all but mocked Israeli denials.Both reports by Beaumont (Video footage indicates killed Palestinian youths posed no threat, May 20, and Footage of Palestinian boys being shot is genuine, says Israeli rights group, May 20) primarily focus on the narrow question raised by some (including the IDF and some critical commentators) regarding whether the original CCT footage was manipulated to distortwhat really happenedin Betunia. However, he significantly downplays what has emerged as the central element of the story:the dearth of any evidence whatsoever indicating that Israeli soldiers used live fire (real bullets) as opposed to rubber bullets, as the latter could all but certainly could not have killed Palestinians in a manner described by Palestinian sources. Beaumonts May 20th report does note that apreliminary investigation determined that live fire was not used by security forces, but argues that the composite picture presentedby theevidence points to the conclusion that the two teenagers were indeed shot with live fire. His May 22nd report is even more tendentious, leading off by citing a statement by Btselem contradicting Israeli army claims that the footage is likely to have been forged, and mocking the Israeli response.Additionally, though he cites the new CNN video purporting to corroborate Palestinian accounts, he simply ignores two important take-aways from the clip: that, based on a careful review of the video, the Israelis were certainlyfiring non-lethal rubber bulletsat the Palestinians, and that the bullet produced by the father of one of the victims did not at all look like it could have been the bullet which passed through his sons body.Before viewing the CNN video, here are the two relevant stills:1. Was the bullet recovered?First, at 3:22 of the clip, heres the bullet produced by the victims father which he claimed killed his son:

However, as Vic Rosenthalnotedafter consulting a firearms expert:The bullet that the father of the victim said had been removed from the backpack was a 5.56 mm bullet such as is used by the IDF. But it was only slightly deformed. If it had passed through a persons chest and then was stopped by books in a backpack, it would have been completely crushed. That bullet looks like it was fired into sand, the expert said.Additionally, as CAMERAs Dexter Van Zilenoted:Appearing [yesterday] on Israels Channel Two, [Israeli weapons expert] Yosef Yekutielstatedthat if the bullet actually went through the victims body the way Palestinian doctors say it did, it would look entirely differently from the one displayed by the boys father.2. Did Israelis use live-fire or non-lethal rubber bullets on rioters?Heres a still (at 1:53 of the video) of the Israelis who were allegedly firing at one of the Palestinians who was killed:Firearms experts cited by Vic Rosenthal, experts consulted byIsraeli Channel 2andothershavenoted that the weapon used by soldier in the clip clearly appears to have the rubber bullet extension by virtue of the thickening in the barrel (again suggesting that they couldnt have used live fire). Additionally, the manner in which thevictims fell, the absence of blood at the scene,and thelack of entry or exit wounds, experts have noted, are all inconsistent with being shot with live ammunition. One big question remains that those accepting the Guardian/ MSM narrative of the shooting must answer:How can they assert that live fire was used by Israeli soldiers when NO evidence has emerged to buttress this claim, and when all the evidence to date suggests that only rubber bullets were used non-lethal fire which couldnt have caused the damage claimed?Further, if no live fire was used by Israeli forces, the narrative advanced by Palestinians and their media supporters is almost fatally undermined.Whilst its too soon to say if this is an instance oflethal journalismin the spirit ofAl Durah, the failure of journalists like Beaumont to ask important questions about the shooting suggests that, once again, the bulk of the work in critically examining Palestinian claims will fall on media watchdog groups, citizen journalists and analysts not compromised by the pack mentality and the immediate presumption of Israeli guilt.AdamMAY 23, 2014@5:38 AM15 VotesWhen was the last time someone,having been SHOT THROUGH THE HEART, falls forward with arms outstretched to break his fall and pushes himselfto theleft? even if he was to survive the initial impact the first reaction would be to clutch the chest. It just does not add up. Lucky also, that there were lots of people with video cameras to run to him when he fell. and finally, the passer-by just after the body was taken away walks right past the scene of the alleged shooting without a care in the world. If it was me next to a spot where a sniper was active then I would run the hell out of the way.Simon BMAY 23, 2014@7:35 AM10 VotesJimmyTwo points firstly, it appears to me (correct me if Im wrong) that the bodies are not in Israels hands, suggesting that they have no control over whether there can be a proper investigation. Furthermore, given that the father of one of the dead men has apparently got hold of the bullet which supposedly killed his son, any proper forensic investigation has already been compromised.Secondly, and more importantly, in what alternative dimension would an Israeli investigation be considered reliable by the MSM unless it totally condemns the soldiers involved? If the soldiers were acquitted it would be rejected outright by the Guardian etc as being a whitewash. In fact, even if the PA etc were to declare themselves that the Israelis hadnt killed them, that still would not be enough to convince most of the Guardian lot (e.g. the blockade is still regarded as illegal, despite the fact that the only body with the power to make that decision, the UN, has said it isnt).Israel should just reject this and move on.What.about.the.Arab.lobby?MAY 23, 2014@2:06 PM2 VotesThere were not two teenaged boys shot. Mohammed abu Dhaher was 20 years old.There is no indication anyone responded to LIVE BULLETS by avoiding that spot or taking cover in the gas station. Why?The body is carried right away INTO the direction that fire came from; why arent they worried about a second deadly shot? Which never comes.Nahim Nawara has one of the strangest falls (in the first video). He stops on one foot and falls with straight legs catching himself with both arms extended. It looks planned. I say that because the Palestinians have admitted to and been caught faking the deaths of children to blame on the IDF.