Israeli Hasbara, the children and the wolf!

December 21, 2012 by abirkopty 1 Comment

Few days ago a spokesperson for the Israeli army propaganda tweeted a video documenting two Palestinian children in the village of Nabi Saleh throwing stones at Israeli soldiers with a comment saying:

Wow – some great parenting: “lets teach our kids to throw rocks at soldiers and then cry ‘wolf’”

 

First, it’s great that an Israeli official acknowledges the equation is between children and the ‘wolf’.

Second, what is Captain Barak trying to tell his followers? That these children deserve to be attacked by the ‘wolf’ because they are throwing stones at fully armed soldiers. Nothing new here, Israeli army always uses “throwing stones” as a justification to arrest, shoot or kill Palestinians including children.

Third, these children have either witnessed the Israeli army raiding their houses and terrorizing them, arresting their mother, father or brother, shooting at their house, at their friends, killing their relatives etc. etc. They need no parents or anyone to teach them anger; they see everything in their own eyes. They wouldn’t be normal children if they stay indifferent, right?

Fourth, our children are like any other children around the world, they want to have normal life, with freedom, justice and dignity, where they can plan their future and have dreams that can reach the sky. Personally I adore but at the same time worried of their courage.

Five, Palestinians are proud of throwing stones, we don’t hide it. Throwing stones is not only the symbol of the Palestinian resistance; it is also the minimum mean Palestinians have to kick out their occupiers in the face of the heavily armed military. In the case discussed, these are fully armed occupying militants raiding Nabi Saleh village, the people of Nabi Saleh have the right to defend themselves in any possible mean.

Six, reminder: Palestinians have the right, under international law, as a people under occupation to adopt any mean of resistance, whether armed or unarmed, see UN resolution 3070 article 2, (Armed of course requires not targeting civilians). Stones might be the most peaceful mean civilians under a military attack have.

So Israeli Hasbara can continue demonize our children and their parents. That doesn’t take from our humanity. Humanity is about seeking justice, not looking for reasons to shoot or arrest children.

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