Round Up - Dehumanization Through Facebook: PCATI Speaks out on the Soldier's Pictures with detainee

24.08.2010

The Facebook pictures publicized last week reflect something very disturbing. The way that Israeli soldiers relate to detainees and the all too often instances in which detainees are subjected to physical abuse and humiliation, amounting to ill treatment and even torture is unacceptable, whether the soldiers pose for pictures with the victims or not. The tendency in Israel is to write off these episodes as "isolated" while we know that they are not Isolated and that what is all to isolated is a soldier being held accountable. PCATI's swift and reasoned reaction drew on our years of experience of handling complaints of soldier abuse from detainees.

Below find some some reactions from PCATI:

Ishai Menuchin, (PCATI exec. dir) was interviewed on Israel's Channel 1 TV news, Reuters, and the BBC's Arabic station where he said the pictures represent the dehumanization of Palestinians and their human rights. I think it safe to say that the pictures present us with a view of the tip of the iceberg. The problem is not the pictures, per say, but the fact that Israeli soldiers feel themselves to be privileged to relate to detainees as chattel, as tools for their amusement. PCATI regularly submits complaints based on detainee affidavits that speak of violence, cruelty and humiliation at their arrest. This soldier gave us a snapshot and insight into an attitude that allows this to continue.

We should ask the questions: Is this a case of one "bad apple"? How did the soldier get to the detainees? Did none of her commanders see her? did she not show the pictures previously to her buddies? Did they all keep silent? Is this acceptable?!? Clearly, as we and other NGOs pointed out, this is not one bad apple, but it is the 'tip of iceberg' as the organization Breaking the Silence said.

One of our programs, using film to discuss oppression and root it out and to develop a culture of human rights would be a welcomed learning tool for soldiers... It seems the army continues to fail in its obligation to teach human rights...

This is a sampling of some items in which PCATI's reaction was featured
TV Appearances:

PCATI Legal Department Director, Adv. Bana Shoughry-Badarne was interviewed for a number of media outlets, including Sky News, German TV and Aljazeera, Her interview in Arabic can be seen here

FRANCE 24 dedicated its show, The Debate to this topic and PCATI Attorney Nabeel Dakwar and International Advocay Director, Louis Frankenthaler participated in the show's French and English versions, respectively.