The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) published a shocking new video on Sunday, July 30. ISM is an organization of activists, both international and Palestinian, devoted to standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation. The video, filmed in Hebron in the West Bank, was taken on Saturday during a demonstration of solidarity with the protestors at Al-Aqsa mosque.
In the video, there are scenes of soldiers kicking a prone teenager, appearing to shoot the driver of a passing car, and slamming a small child onto the ground before attempting to arrest him.
“There is more than is shown in the video,” a British ISMer told me. “The army seemed out of control at times, vandalizing shops, beating children and assaulting journalists.”
“The soldiers broke into and trashed a small shop, left a note in Hebrew saying ‘Israel lives,’ followed by an expletive,” said a Danish activist.
“The scary thing is that the presence of internationals usually has a moderating effect on the army. The IDF is very conscious about its image. What would they have done had we not been there?” the British activist wondered. “I don’t even want to think about it.”