Video: Israel Lures Protesters Into Trap

By Jonathan Cook
 

 

October 08, 2015 "Information Clearing House" -  This two-minute video, taken on October 7 in the West Bank near Ramallah, is worth studying carefully to understand how Israel has become so adept at managing the Palestinian population under occupation and at foiling their efforts at resistance.

We can see about 20 men, faces concealed, who look like they are Palestinian protesters throwing stones at the army. In fact, they are what are called “mistaravim”: Israeli security forces in disguise as Palestinian youths.

According to those who witnessed this incident (see update below), the mistaravim began throwing stones at the army in a piece of theatre to lure other Palestinians to the protest.

Then, as we can see in the video, when a few Palestinian protesters separate themselves from the main body of the crowd they are picked off by the mistaravim, like lions going after a gazelle.

Notice, once they have grabbed the main Palestinian in this video, they shoot him in the knee and take turns kicking him.

We can’t see what happens next, but the routine is well known.

He will be taken off to a Shin Bet interrogation (torture) cell, where he will be made to give up the names of anyone he can think off who was there (and very possibly those who weren’t).

Then the Israeli army will make night raids to grab those who were named, or arrest them when they try to cross one of the many checkpoints and roadblocks Israel operates in the occupied territories.

At some point later he will be released. The Shin Bet will use his “confession” as blackmail to get him to serve as an informer.

This has been going on for nearly five decades in the occupied territories. It has created an awful lot of Palestinians trapped in a vicious cycle of collaboration, and a very effective system of control for Israel.

Sam Bahour makes the point that the drama playing out here illustrates the way young Palestinians are being drawn not into an organised intifada but into futile bursts of anger against Israel.

He says it more eloquently than I can:

UPDATE:

Here is another video of the same incident, showing what happens earlier when the mistaravim are throwing stones and then switch sides.

 

Jonathan Cook is a Nazareth- based journalist and winner of the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism

Copyright © Jonathan Cook 2000-2015