Israel's Violent, Ugly Nature

This week we learn that Israel is moving toward a full, no-holes barred policy of smashing tourists in the face with rifle stocks.

Frame from video shows Danish activist Andreas Ias being smashed in the face with a rifle by an Israeli soldier.

(SALEM) - Be forewarned, when you watch this video, and see Danish activist Andreas Ias smashed in the face with a rifle by an Israeli soldier, the cracking sound is both unmistakable and very disturbing.

'Jewish only roads' are at the center of this example of Israel's ugly, brutal militant position toward foreign nationals. These cyclists were demonstrating against Israeli apartheid policies in the Jordan Valley, which limit Palestinian access to roadways as part of an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing against the indigenous Bedouin communities of the Valley.

Last week we learned that Israel is forcing Swiss tourists to sign a contract stating that they will not have contact with anyone from the pro-Palestine movement.

This week we learn that Israel is moving toward a full, no-holes barred policy of smashing tourists in the face with rifle stocks.

In this specific debacle, Palestinian and international cyclists were brutally attacked by the Israeli occupation forces on Saturday as they attempted to bike up Route 90, the main North-South highway running through the Jordan Valley.

For attempting to bicycle where people who aren't Jewish aren't supposed to go, they were attacked and when protesting the soldiers, Ias is brutally struck by the Israeli soldier. If a U.S. soldier were recorded in Afghanistan, doing this to an unarmed non-militant, the entire world would come unglued.

But Israel has a pass. To our own great shame, that pass is that nation that would not get away with the same behavior; the United States.

U.S. officials know that they can fund this brutality in Israel. At the same time, in spite of their ignorance, real or not real, they know Israel is totally racist and that it has apartheid laws long banished even in South Africa, that greatly favor Jews and place others in real real legal jeopardy for crimes that a Jew will not even be arrested for.

And also, know in advance that we expect criticism of this behavior to lead to unkind accusations of 'antisemitism' and this is a terrible, unfounded, conceited, ridiculous, untrue reaction to those of us who don't grant a special pass to any religion group that violates human rights.

The Zionist supporters of Israel say it is about Israel's 'right to defend itself'. This cracking of a cyclist in the face with a heavy object is absolutely fascist in nature, and of all examples, few illustrate with such shocking clarity, the real face of Israel. Notice how no soldiers correct this one, none step forward and say, 'stop'.

So when the 'antisemitic' accusations begin, remember that this is not about religion, it is about human rights, genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid laws, brutality against unarmed people, suppression of free speech, Darwinian 'thought police' persecutions, illegal incarcerations, sniper towers, separation walls,

Also see: Israel's "Grave Incident": And Let's Not Forget All the Other Ones by Abby Zimet - Common Dreams

Tim King in 2008, covering the Iraq War

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King has more than twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. Tim is Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. His background includes covering the war in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and reporting from the Iraq war in 2008. Tim is a former U.S. Marine.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing from The Associated Press the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs, Electronic Media Association and The Red Cross In a personal capacity, Tim has written 2,026 articles as of March 2012 for Salem-News.com since the new format designed by Matt Lintz was launched in December, 2005.

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