Israel's Ben Gvir salutes officer who shot and killed Palestinian child
Middle East EyeMar 13
West Bank: Several Dead in Israeli Raids
Image copyright: Maja Hitij/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Israeli forces conducted multiple raids across the West Bank on Wednesday, killing at least four Palestinians. One incident occurred at the Shu’fat refugee camp, where Israel said Rami al-Halhuli, 13, shot fireworks at them, prompting them to shoot and kill him.
Witnesses, however, told Al Jazeera that the boy was not firing the fireworks at the soldiers but rather up in the air. They reportedly showed the outlet video footage confirming this series of events.
The Spin
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israeli troops have no care for the lives of Palestinians, even children, and their government has no desire to hold them accountable. This was shown by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's praising of the soldier who killed the 13-year-old boy and arguing that he should not be investigated for his actions. Even with video footage debunking the claim that the boy shot fireworks at Israeli forces, those who killed him will face no punishment. The international community must start holding Israel accountable for its crimes.
Pro-Israel narrative
The Israeli government is not lying about terrorist threats in the West Bank. Ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which has since begun, a spokesman for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad called for this year's holiday to be a "month of terror" and for terror groups to "unify" against Israel. Palestinian terrorists have certainly heeded this message, returning to old tactics of suicide bombings in civilian venues such as buses and cafes. Israeli forces are responding to militants, not innocent civilians, pointing weapons at them.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that there will be at least 724 Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank caused by Israeli forces before July 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
