The father of a British peace activist who was killed by an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) sniper has cautioned that Western governments are promoting the targeting of women and children in Gaza, as they are unwilling to dispute Israel’s version of the conflict.
Tom Hurndall, the son of Anthony Hurndall, was assisting Palestinian children in Rafah in April 2003 when he was fatally shot in the head.
Anthony Hurndall resigned from his position as a lawyer in the city to focus on a probe into the shooting incident. He then launched a global movement for fairness as Israeli officials initially refused to launch an investigation into the matter.
He identified himself as a strong advocate for Israel, but stated that his past efforts revealed a pattern of ignoring consequences and concealing information about civilian casualties, which he believes is now being repeated in the attacks on Gaza.
In a statement regarding the war, he wrote that the IDF often inaccurately portrays civilians and children as militants or armed individuals, and creates false narratives of events to justify their killings.
“These assertions seem to mirror the justifications given by the IDF for their airstrikes, missile launches, and other assaults on civilian areas and hospitals in Gaza.”
His meticulous dossier was critical to creating international pressure that led to the arrest and trial of the sniper, who was sentenced to eight years for manslaughter. Hurndall said that Palestinians in Gaza do not have the resources to investigate the death of civilian relatives in the same way.
He stated that the Israeli military only acknowledged and took responsibility when faced with undeniable proof and under the constant pressure from the UK government and media. Regrettably, Palestinian civilians lack the means and assistance to defend themselves in a similar manner.
He urged the UK government and opposition to thoroughly investigate the validity of Israeli claims regarding civilian casualties in Gaza.
“Western governments and media appear overly willing to accept Israeli accounts and narratives and repeat them,” he wrote. “In doing so they actively encourage the killing of women and children, and are, in my view, themselves complicit in, or at least condoning, the deliberate killing of civilians and war crimes.
“I have noticed a decline in the situation since our involvement, as Israeli policies have become increasingly extreme. I urge both the government and opposition in this country to carefully evaluate their stances regarding current events and the situation in Israel and the occupied territories.”
He expressed his long-standing support for Israel and was hesitant to share his thoughts. He only did so when prompted, hoping it would aid in promoting understanding and finding a solution.
He stated that he hopes Israel has a joyful, safe, and successful future. However, they must stop implementing actions that hinder the possibility of achieving such a future.
The IDF has been reached out to for a response.
Source: theguardian.com
