Posted on 03/23/2009 10:36:46 AM PDT by SmithL
The parents of an American peace activist who was severely injured by Israeli forces at a demonstration in the occupied West Bank called on the Israeli government today to take "full responsibility" for the shooting.
Tristan Anderson, 38, was hit in the forehead by a high-velocity teargas canister fired by an Israeli border policeman in the village of Nilin earlier this month. The incident came after a demonstration against Israel's West Bank barrier, which as elsewhere has cut off a large slice of the village's agricultural land.
Since last July, four Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in similar demonstrations in the village.
Anderson was rushed to the Tel Hashomer hospital in Israel, where he has already had three operations. He lost the sight in his right eye and doctors had to remove portions of his frontal lobe. It is not clear if he will survive, or how much brain damage he may have suffered.
His parents, Nancy and Michael, who flew out from their home near Sacramento in California to be at his bedside, said he remained in a "very critical condition" in a medically induced coma.
"We are horrified and overwhelmed," said Nancy Anderson. "We are scared and really still in shock. To shoot peaceful demonstrators is really horrifying to us. What we want to ask is that the Israeli government publicly take full responsibility for the shooting of our son."
She said no Israeli official, from either the government or the military, had contacted the couple since their son was hurt. "I don't carry any negative feelings towards the soldier who shot our son," she said. "All I feel is love for Tristan and fear for his recovery."
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
I learned that over 40 years ago, when I lived & worked (briefly) in Berkeley.
When 'peaceful demonstration' (riot, to any sane person) is here, best to be over yonder...and UP WIND!
Just intercepting the tear gas canisters Palestinians don’t want to intercept.
Before he went to Israel, he was a tree sitter in Berkeley, with a group trying to save trees from being cut down to make way for an athletic facility in Berkeley. He apparently didn’t have to work for a living.
Ya, remember Rachel Corrie getting run over by a bulldozer. We were supposed to be sad that she was killed by an evil Israeli dozer, when she was out there trying to keep the dozer from bulldozing a terrorist hang out.
Would they have been more sympathetic (ala Berg) if they had beheaded him?
Yeah but it was a evil Israeli SUV assault dozer. It probably had a detachable troop carrier that carried more than 10 men /s
OH COME ON NOW! Of course he’s a jerk. But I still hope he makes a complete recovery. A little charity. PLEASE!
Excellent rant, and the above line is way better than any Road Map or Arab plan or Camp David idea.
I'd add, sit together for a week, agree on whatever you can about Koranic breakfast foods, then agree to disagree about the rest. Then go home, eat your proper breakfast , etc, and spend the rest of the day starting businesses, building schools and hospitals, and working for a better life for your kids.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.