On Abu Ein martyrdom

Stephen Lendman:

On Wednesday, Israeli soldiers murdered Palestinian legislator/Settlements and Annexation Wall minister Ziad Abu Ein, using rifle butts, helmets, tear gas, and a chokehold as weapons.

Widespread outrage followed, justifiably. Abu Ein was widely respected; on the front lines for Palestinian justice; imprisoned by Israel earlier for doing the right thing.

Israeli brutality killed him, while planting olive saplings on privately owned Palestinian land, stolen for settlement development.

With dozens of volunteers. Farmers. Solidarity activists. In Termis'ia village. North of Ramallah. On Human Rights Day.

Demonstrating to regain access to land rightfully theirs. After numerous other efforts proved futile. Including letters to authorities. Legal action.

Involvement of international organizations. Media reports. Much more. To no avail. Dispossessed landowners acted justifiably on their own behalf. Taking Abu Ein's life.

Israel calls legitimate nonviolent Palestinian protests "terrorism." Participants are ordered to disperse on command. Resisters are violently attacked. Deaths, injuries and arrests follow.

Free expression, assembly and nonviolent resistance are universal rights. Israel prohibits them lawlessly. Revealing its dark side. B'Tselem saying this "is what…occupation looks like. Ruthlessness writ large.

Premeditated brutal force is longstanding Israeli policy. Abu Ein supporters demand justice. Wanting those responsible held accountable. Virtually never. No matter how heinous the crime.

On arriving to plant seeds, Israeli forces preemptively attacked. Without just cause. Using tear gas. Other repressive methods.

Abu Ein approached a soldier. Violence followed. H lost consciousness. Shortly later died at Ramallah's medical complex.

Supporters strongly condemned his death. So did human rights groups. Murdered by Israeli brutality. Martyred in Palestine's long struggle for justice.

Israel dispossesses Palestinians lawlessly. Bulldozes their homes. Revokes their legitimate residency rights. Brazenly violate international law. Accountably. Western leaders able to intervene responsibly sit on their hands.

Stay silent. Support Israel's worst crimes. Numerous ones occur regularly.