Our Friend Bassam Killed in Bilin, Palestine, April 17th

By Mary Anne Grady Flores

I was deeply saddened to see that it was our friend Bassam Abu Rahmah that was killed this past Friday, April 17th, 2009, in the village of Bil’in, Palestine. He was killed by an Israeli soldier firing a high velocity tear gas canister into his chest from only 100 feet away!  This happened during a non-violent protest at the illegal barrier fence which cut off Bassam’s village land by 60%, so that an Israeli settlement can be built on it.

We, Americans, just paid for this crime when we paid our taxes last Wed, April 15th, with $10 million a day that we give Israel! We, Americans, must inform our leaders of these crimes and re-direct our money to peace making, to building schools and hospitals, and to our own infrastructure. We should not be paying for racist policies of Israel to wantonly kill Palestinians, as was done under “Operation Lead Cast”, killing 1,400 in Gaza, and as was done to Bassam, and many others in the West Bank.  I plead, too, with Israeli soldiers to please gain courage to say no to the illegal and racist commands of the Israeli Military.

In 2007, three Puerto Rican activists, including Tito Kayak, Dara Guadalupe and Ivan Torres and I met Bassam in Bilin, Palestine. He was an enthusiastic, gentle big man with a warm smile and an eagerness to reach out to us internationals. Bassam traded t-shirts with Tito in the patio of the international house. Tito wore the Gush Shalom shirt which has a circle with both the Palestinian and Israeli flags within its circumference, signifying the two peoples living in peace side by side. Tito wore that shirt as he climbed the Israeli surveillance tower unfurling a Palestinian flag that very day.   Bassam wore a shirt from our Catholic community in Puerto Rico, the Community of Jesus the Mediator, commemorating the Feast of the Three Kings.
Bassam Abu Rahmah and Dara Guadalupe in the yard where we stayed. Bassam is wearing the t-shirt of the three kings.

Another time with the Gush Shalom t-shirt that he gave to Tito.

I’d like to briefly tell of these three kings who came to Jerusalem from foreign lands to ask where to find the new born king Jesus, that they learned of from the bright star they had followed. The local King Herod, a puppet of the Roman empire, was surprised and jealous to learn of the birth of a new king and asked the three kings to return and inform him of his where abouts, so he, too, could give homage to the child. After seeing the baby, the three kings were visited by an angel who warned them not to return because Herod wanted to kill the child, so they took a different route home.

There is great significance to this feast in that it is a signal to turn another way, the non-violent way, which is what Bassam and the people of Bil’in have chosen, and as people throughout all of Palestine have chosen in their struggle against the Israeli occupation for the last 60 years. There are brave Israelis and Internationals standing with our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Bil’in and in many other villages that are under attack, under seige, having their lands taken bit by bit. The US must stop supporting Israel’s racist policies.

We must continue non-violent resistance here in our streets, in our congressional and senate offices, in our local newspaper offices demanding that the story be covered,and in front of our Israeli embassies. We must not let business go on as usual. No more military aid to Israel. We must hold citizen tribunals on the war crimes of Israel in Gaza and the West Bank and expose the truth to our own citizens, as we all pay for these crimes.

Our delegation, three Puerto Ricans and one Irish, were apart of the peaceful demonstration with Israelis, Internationals, media and with the Palestinian people who live in Bil’in, who’s land has been stolen. The Israeli High Court ruled that the barrier fence must be moved to give back the land to the people of Bil’in. We demonstrated to have the land returned peacefully, marching, chanting, singing and holding banners. There is no need for Israeli guns, tear gas or their live bullets. Bassem wore the Gush Shalom t-shirt with the hope of peace for both peoples.

This shooting will not bring peace. Only justice and peaceful tactics will bring peace. Keep on struggling for Peace in Palestine.  Please read below and look at other photos of Bassam when he was shot in Friday’s protest.

Salaam, Shalom,
Mary Anne Grady Flores

Palestinian killed in Bilin protest

Local demonstrator seriously injured by tear gas canister hit to his chest during anti-fence rally, dies of wounds shortly after reaching hospital. IDF says protest was violent. Demonstrators: We’re like sitting ducks; soldiers fire at anything that moves; army, PA investigating

Ali Waked and Anat Shalev Palestinian sources reported Friday that a local demonstrator was killed after being hit in the chest by a tear gas canister during a protest against the separation fence in the West Bank village of Bilin. The man, 30-year-old Bassem Ibrahim Abu-Rahma from Bilin, was evacuated to a Ramallah hospital in serious condition, where he then died of his wounds. The army confirmed the report of Abu-Rahma’s death. Representatives of the IDF and the Coordination and Liaison Authority met with Palestinian officials later in the day as part of the joint investigation into the incident. Palestinians reported that IDF and Border Guard officers used live fire, rubber bullets and tear gas against the protesters, and claimed that the shooting began while those present were in the middle of their Friday prayers.

A left wing-activist who took part in the demonstration called the IDF’s conduct “murderous,” adding “we are like sitting ducks.” Roni Barkan, a member of the “Anarchists Against the Fence” group, told Ynet that the rally was peaceful and that “no stones were thrown.” “The soldiers, who were standing less than 30 meters (about 100 feet) from us, immediately began to throw stun grenades in our direction,” he said. “A few minutes later I overheard the commander tell the soldiers to prepare to throw tear gas canisters. There were two or three shots, and then Abu-Rahma was hit. I tried to stop the bleeding.”

‘I tried to stop the bleeding.’ Abu-Rahma after being hit (Photo: Lazar Simeonov)

According to Barkan, “it seems that since Operation Cast Lead IDF soldiers and commanders have been conducting themselves in an even less moral and humane manner; they are firing at anything that moves.”