Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, October 2014, pp. 21
Special Report
From Ferguson to Palestine: “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!”
By Delinda C. Hanley
WITNESSES SAYMichael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old African American, was shot to death by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9 after raising his hands and surrendering. The following night a candlelight vigil turned violent and local police responded by sending in dogs and riot squads. Every day it got worse—Americans were horrified to see images of armored vehicles and SWAT teams firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters in Ferguson.
“Hands up, don’t shoot,” has become a slogan of moral outrage and what it means to be African American—just as Palestinian protesters shout,“No justice, no peace.” The symbol for surrender is now shorthand to protest a long history of police brutality against blacks in American cities.
“When their hands are up, you don’t shoot,” the Rev. Al Sharpton told an anguished crowd in Ferguson on Aug. 19. “If you’re angry, throw your arms up. If you want justice, throw your arms up. If you want answers, throw your arms up.”
It just so happened that while Missouri protesters faced police in helmets and armored vehicles, Palestinians in Gaza were enduring Israel’s latest attack, “Operation Protective Edge.” Israeli troops and tanks spilled onto Gaza’s impoverished streets as war planes unleashed massive firepower.
Protesters in Missouri yelled at police, “You gonna shoot us? Is this the Gaza Strip?” They were right to be concerned. Thousands of U.S. law enforcement officers have trained in Israel or attended Israeli government-sponsored conferences to learn how Israel’s police and security forces prevent “terror attacks.” (Two law enforcement agencies deployed in Ferguson took courses in Israel, according to the Anti-Defamation League.) Israel can teach many lessons on how to dehumanize neighbors and crush dissent.
Palestinians sent solidarity messages to Ferguson protesters and tweeted advice on how to deal with tear gas. #Ferguson: “Always make sure to run against the wind/to keep calm when you’re teargassed, the pain will pass, don’t rub your eyes,” #Palestine. Or #Ferguson: “The Tear Gas used against you was probably tested on us first by Israel. No worries, Stay Strong.” Love #Palestine.
Sadly, Palestinians were right about the armaments endangering both populations. Since 2006, the Pentagon’s military surplus program has transfered $4.3 billion worth of military gear—including armored vehicles, planes, machine guns, mine-resistant armored trucks, riot gear, night-vision equipment and tear gas—to local and state police departments across the U.S.
It turns out that during the height of Israel’s recent attacks on Gaza, its Defense Ministry struck a deal with friends on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon to use a special stockpile of U.S. military hardware already stashed in Israel. So as the State Department and White House warned Israel to stop using heavy-handed battlefield tactics, the U.S. was supplying illuminating tank rounds, mortar shells and equipment worth between $1 billion and $1.2 billion. It was likely an American shell that struck a U.N. school in Jabaliya, sheltering 3,000 people on July 30. Since then, according to The Wall Street Journal, the Obama administration has tightened its control on arms transfers to Israel. It’s decided to require White House and State Department approval for even routine munitions requests by Israel.
Israel is growing more racist by the day. African refugees are called “infiltrators” or “a cancer in our body” and attacked when they protest on the streets of Tel Aviv. Israel’s racist treatment of Palestinians is well-documented (see pp. 14 and 16). Civilians under occupation are shot, arrested and imprisoned without charge. Their land, businesses and homes are confiscated, bombed or bulldozed. They are denied their human rights, including access to clean water, food, health care, jobs or education. African Americans living in cities like Ferguson and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have a lot in common.
It’s time for all Americans to say, “Hands up, don’t shoot,” and shame Israelis and Americans who target innocent civilians.
Delinda C. Hanley is news editor of the Washington Report.
