Justice For The Abu Rahmahs?

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Bassem ’Pheel’ Abu Rahmah leading a demonstration

Every Friday, armed with banners, cameras and activists from around the world, the people of Bil’in march peacefully to the separation barrier which cuts them off from their land. They repeat a singular demand: The Wall must fall. 15 months ago, on Friday 17 April 2009, an Israeli soldier fired a teargas cannon horizontally at close range into the chest of Bassem Abu Rahmah. He died almost immediately.

Because of the known lethal impact of teargas cannons, horizontal firing is prohibited by the military. Instead, the army requires that the crowd-control device be launched into the air so that it arcs down onto its targets. Bassem’s death was documented on video from multiple angles, proving beyond doubt this protocol was not followed.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Pheel’s last moments

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Despite the video and photographic record, the Israeli military refused to see or hear any evidence other than the testimony of its soldiers, in an ‘operational debriefing’ inadmissible to any court. The army quickly determined its soldiers had acted properly, the protest had been violent, and Bassem’s death was an accident. They decided against an investigation until now, some 15 months later.

What changed?

“In this case, there was all the media, showing Bassem didn’t do anything (wrong),” explains Professor Rateb Abu Rahmah of Al Quds Open University and resident of Bil’in. “There were Israeli and international activists. They were all witnesses who supported this case.”

With dogged perseverance, Israeli lawyer Michael Sfard and human rights groups B’Tselem and Yesh Din compiled witness testimony and independent expert forensic analysis of the videos and photos. The Military Advocate General (MAG) could not ignore their calls for justice forever.

“Our demonstrations are non-violent. The only violence is Israeli violence,” says Rateb. The professor is involved with the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil’in, one of several Popular Committees across the West Bank and Gaza, all dedicated to peaceful resistance.

Rateb’s brother is Abdullah Abu Rahmah, the leader of Bil’in’s Popular Committee, who remains incarcerated in an Israeli prison for his peaceful resistance. The late Bassem was another prominent member of the Popular Committee, well-known and liked by many internationals, including prominent politicians and members of the press.

Video evidence showing Bassem’s death from three different angles is key to the military’s decision to launch the investigation. It also shows the protest in Bil‘in was entirely non-violent.

The professor continues, “Now there is popular struggle in the West Bank and in Gaza. There is a popular struggle against the settlements, the wall, and occupation. And this is a good strategy for the Palestinians, a good solution. We think that it’s best, because we aren’t alone when we struggle this way. The international friends struggle with us. The Israeli activists struggle with us. But if there is violent struggle, then Palestinians struggle alone.”

Photo: Michael Carpenter

Popular Committee HQ, Bil’in

Ahmad Abu Rahmah, brother of the late Bassem, says that the popular struggle is not a perfect solution because it is slow to produce results, but he adds that it is the only way to build international support. “The first thing is to change the idea around the world about the Palestinian people,” he says. “We’re not terrorists or violent people. We are just hoping to live peacefully.”

While the investigation represents a small victory, there remains no guarantee of justice. “I think maybe nothing will happen,” Ahmad admits. “The Israeli army is making a judgment on Israeli soldiers, so it is always against the Palestinians.”

Professor Rateb shares this view. “There isn’t good trust in this court,” he says. “They don’t make judgments based on the law. All the time they support the army.”

Whatever the outcome of the investigation, many Palestinians feel a growing sense that something is happening, something is changing.

“You saw what happened in the Mediterranean against the international ships,” Rateb says, referring to Israel’s deadly assault on a Gaza-bound aid convoy. “All over the world, all the media condemned it, and now you see in Palestine, there are thousands, or hundreds of thousands of internationals, coming here to see what is happening.”

The waves of criticism that Israel received for its flotilla assault have given fresh hope to the Palestinian struggle.

Raja, a university student and daughter of another imprisoned leader of Bil’in’s Popular Committee Adeeb Abu Rahmah, believes change is happening. “The Freedom Flotilla had an effective role in making worldwide opinion question Israel and its sunny image of a peaceful democracy,” she says. “So maybe Israel will be scared enough to reduce the threat against Palestinians, to make its threat less ugly, and maybe to make some deals.”

Supporting her optimism, the Israeli military announced the outcome of a separate investigation on Thursday. A soldier and a commanding officer were convicted of shooting a bound and defenceless Palestinian in the foot, another incident that was caught on video. The victim was Ashraf Abu Rahmah, brother of the late Bassem. With Ashraf’s non-lethal case resulting in convictions for the Israeli army, the Abu Rahmahs feel more confident that Bassem’s murderers may yet face justice.

So what is the common denominator between these apparent examples of accountability, from the strengthening of the flotilla investigation and the adjustment of the Gaza embargo to the prospect of justice for the victims of Bil’in? The answer is pressure. In its many forms – international, domestic, legal, political – pressure has the capacity to affect Israeli policy. But these small victories remain rare, and they come only as a result of countless hours of hard work from activists, lawyers, and human rights groups.

Any such optimism, however, ignores Israel’s campaign of ethnic cleansing in occupied East Jerusalem. Following a new Master Plan, the city’s right-wing Municipality continues its aggressive policy of demolishing Palestinian homes and housing thousands of Israeli residents on the Palestinian side of the city. Over the past week, several Palestinian buildings were destroyed in Jerusalem, leaving families homeless and inciting international condemnation.

Some critics suggest that the apparent concessions made over issues such as the Gaza embargo have been made to distract attention from Israel’s Machiavellian lunge for the real prize: Jerusalem. But if pressure has the power to affect Israeli policy, how has Judaisation of the capital continued, despite public condemnation from the most powerful pressure-player around, the US? Because unlike Bil’in’s representatives, their statements do not translate to action.

Verbal rebuke is an old and meaningless game between Washington and Israel. The actual lever is the endless well of economic and military aid. Tighten these pipes, and Israel will feel the pressure. Until Washington decides to stop bankrolling injustices, the people of Bil’in and across the occupied Palestinian territories will keep fighting for small victories, hoping they continue to grow with the successes of the popular non-violent movement.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Bassem’s funeral