Re: The Shooting Back Campaign
There’s alot more info on the b’tselem organisation on this campaign, in the link below. This campaign in particular has been quite effective in that any abuse and maltreatment from israeli soldiers and jewish settlers is recorded on video by local palestinians, and then presented as hard core evidence to israeli authorities.
Normally such accusations of abuse is normally deliberately dismissed on the basis of lack of evidence and a general mistrust of palestinians, but since b’tselem has been providing these videos, the authorities have had a hard time ignoring it and are pretty much forced to face up to the truth, not least because these videos are then picked up and circulated in the international and local israeli media.
Isreali public are generally kept in a bubble about the general situation in occupied territories and these videos tend to burst those bubbles.
It is an excellent way imo, to fight back. Recently, after a video was handed in by b’tselem (Israeli human rights group), the military police were forced to investigate and charge soldiers involved in the shooting of a blindfolded and hand bound teenager, at close range. The video footage was recorded by a young school girl from her apartment nearby.
The footage and background story can be seen here:
**(http://www.btselem.org/english/Firearms/20080721_Nilin_Shooting.asp)
Many similar cases of abuse have been recorded and exposed by b’tselem, locally and internationally. The organisation is dedicated to record and educate isreal on human right abuses in the occupied territories. It has won awards for its work and is seen as credible internationally and localy by isreali authorities.
This is the sole project imo that has already made an impact so far in getting justice to the victims. But it requires all the support it can to take it along much further, so that more palestinians can use videos to document thier daily lives under the occupation.
If you want to help the shooting back campaign, i.e. by raising awareness, volunteer groups, writing letter, donating, etc. the info can be found on the link below.
**(http://www.btselem.org/English/About_BTselem/Make_a_Difference.asp)
just FYI, a mini VD, batteries, tripod that b’tselem provide cost around £340 each. Project staff, distributing, infastructure and training also requires general financial donation. Details are on the link above. :-)****