<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[TRY TO IMAGINE THE FOLLOWING … BET YOU&nbsp;CAN’T]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p class="byline"><small> Posted  			by desertpeace			at PS.HADNEWS.COM on Tuesday, 			March 29, 			2011 			at 11:05 am. </small></p>
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<h3><span style="color:#808000;font-family:Verdana;font-size:large;">Imagine If…</span></h3>
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<div id="attachment_3597"><a href="http://notesfromamedinah.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/struck.jpg"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"><img title="Struck" src="https://notesfromamedinah.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/struck.jpg?w=450&#038;h=350" alt="" width="450" height="350" /></span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Struck smiles as he is charged with  torturing a Palestinian youth</span></div>
<p><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">If a  15-year-old African-American minor was  abducted by a 28 year white man –  after chasing the youth down in an open field  in an ATV; if the man  had stripped the youth and beat him with the butt of a  rifle; if all  this happened after the same white man slapped the youth and  killed the  newborn puppy of the black youth in a separate incident; if such a   heinous, racially motivated crime occurred in the United States –  reminiscent of  the darkest times of Jim Crow – the American people  would react with complete  disgust, anger and bewilderment that such  racist cruelty could still exist.  Presumably, the man would be thrown  in jail for a long time:</span></p>
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<li><a href="http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/felony-offense/felony-class-maine.htm"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Kidnapping in the first degree</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> is a class A felony and brings a punishment of up to 30 years in  prison</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-offense/maine-aggravated-assault-laws"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Aggravated battery</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> is a  class B felony and can result in a fine of $20,000 and probation  or up to 10  years in prison. Elevated aggravated assault would earn up  to 40 years in prison  and a fine of $50,000</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/aggravated-battery.htm"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Intent to cause grievous bodily harm</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> brings a prison sentence of between 6-30  years, a fine of  up to $10,000 and up to five year probation</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/aggravated-battery.htm"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Three counts of assault</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> – a class D felony – would land the man in prison for three years and slap him  with a $30,000 fine.</span></li>
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<p><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">All told the  maximum sentence could be somewhere  around 100 years in prison and a  fine of over $100,000. Now imagine that the  youth woke up woke up –  after being beaten unconscious – and found himself  naked, bound,  injured and alone in the middle of a field. Presumably, such   disgusting, racially motivated crimes would be harshly punished in the  United  States. As a democracy that holds equality as a core principle,  such crimes  would be universally condemned and the perpetrator would  likely face the maximum  sentence.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Now flash to Israel, where a 28 year old settler  named Zvi Struck was </span><a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4048471,00.html"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">convicted of this exact crime</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">.  In an initial confrontation, Struck slapped the 15-year-old Palestinian   victim and killed the boy’s baby goat by kicking the animal. In a  subsequent  confrontation – on Palestinian land – Struck chased down the  boy from the  village of Kusra in his All-Terrain Vehicle and kidnapped  him, beat him and left  him unconscious and tied up in a field. The  judge in the case noted that Struck  undoubtedly harmed the 15-year-old  in a “grievous manner” and that he “reviewed  the medical records and  the difficult photographs that were taken of the  complainant  immediately after the event, and I cannot avoid expressing disgust  and  deep shock over the signs of terrible trauma that the minor  suffered.”</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?ID=214032&amp;R=R1"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">After being convicted of these crimes</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">,  Struck requested a lenient sentence from the judge because  the man who  kidnapped, beat and tortured a 15-year-old Palestinian claimed to be  a  “law-abiding citizen with no prior convictions.” The judge after being   overwhelmed by the physical evidence pointing at Struck handed down a  sentence –  not of 100 years in prison and not a $100,000 fine – of 18  months imprisonment,  1 year of probation and a fine of 50,000 NIS  ($14,100).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">In the United  States, such a crime would be met  with a public outcry demanding  justice for the assaulted and tortured boy. The  criminal responsible  would see his face and name rightfully tarnished for years  behind the  bars of an unforgiving jail cell. In the United States, 18 months in   prison is hardly fair for one of the charges that Struck was charged  with, much  less all four. But Struck did not commit his racially  motivated crimes in the  United States. He is a settler in Palestine,  convicted by Israeli courts that  rarely convict settlers of any crimes.  Yesh Din, an Israeli Human Rights  Organization, recently reported that  90% of complaints filed by Palestinians  against Israeli citizens are  dismissed. In this context, it is a miracle that  Struck was convicted  at all.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=373048"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Unfortunately</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">, Struck </span><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=372980"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">is </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">not </span><a href="http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7I39BSoRx6fG%2bYku%2bEIonXdpUgD2aY2%2bGkUY8aKC0PkCBTPjBL7x9y02Pj%2bfdEshGbBEo%2f24ajnzqbBPCKmMplOD2KbrZ%2f5RsxUU0F%2f4%2fKV0%3d"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">the </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">only </span><a href="http://cpt.org/index.php?q=gallery&amp;g2_itemId=22477"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">case</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">. Settler </span><a href="http://cpt.org/index.php?q=gallery&amp;g2_itemId=22535"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">violence</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> is </span><a href="http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/display/ContentDetails/i/15600/pid/897"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">common</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> and </span><a href="http://blog.thejerusalemfund.org/2011/03/israeli-settler-violence-not-even.html"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">unlimited</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">. Moreover, </span><a href="http://mondoweiss.net/2011/03/israels-racist-response-to-itamar-murders-would-be-unthinkable-in-the-u-s.html"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">this </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">sort </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwfaY0sTIGg"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">of </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">settler </span><a href="http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7kZDq%2f9i7dDU1lDQRsSdpY6QlKhidvxamCsjcGZp8TebJf0vZi7qJPM01cCni6gLJ66rbQCkEjTqcfF2bEfQeLVdx%2fU6L6hdUcLXNYA7ToCA%3d"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">terrorism </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">is not </span><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=369629"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">only </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">granted </span><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=369219"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">general</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> immunity </span><a href="http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7akwktln0gz81l4lrY9N5ow2Uwmq3Okl3Ujgm1N9Qc9sgaLDQkiFPuY%2fhQp7TPupOX3vOA8T%2buOmTQyDuLNKDYJ7qtCQkmLahdMbKTr05xqg%3d"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">by </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">the </span><a href="http://palsolidarity.org/2010/11/15554/"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Israeli</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> courts (</span><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=333963"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Struck’s </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">rare </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRhRCAforUk"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">case </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">aside), </span><a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4048907,00.html"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">but it</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> is </span><a href="http://972mag.com/this-is-what-grassroots-jewish-violence-looks-like/"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">committed </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">under the </span><a href="http://blog.thejerusalemfund.org/2011/03/hebron-ground-zero-for-israeli-settler.html"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">watchful eyes of the Israeli military</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> and is </span><a href="https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/%E2%80%98price-tag-terror%E2%80%99-becoming-the-norm-in-israeli-society/"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">becoming increasingly popular among Israelis</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">. In a </span><a href="http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4045372,00.html"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Ynet-Gersher</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> survey, </span><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=301809"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">46%</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> of the </span><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=301901"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">504 </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Israelis </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhvE1YkbdPU"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">polled </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">supported </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNXKiONkYEk&amp;feature=related"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">settler </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">terrorism </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYu9eSOhf7M&amp;feature=related"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">under </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">the </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymUKpyr2o9Y&amp;feature=related"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">guise </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">of ‘</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byFljikpVb8&amp;feature=related"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">price </span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">tag </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wnJ2UPpea4&amp;feature=related"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">violence</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">;’ only </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBIcdoOKB9c&amp;feature=related"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">33</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">% said </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2AaDg7-zD0&amp;feature=related"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">that</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> such </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSDC_xUtf8o"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">terror</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"> was never </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa3tXiVr5iE"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">acceptable</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Imagine if  this happened in your town and you saw  the perpetrator that tortured a  youth smiling in the paper. What would your  reaction be, knowing that  this smiling, smug terrorist would soon be released  back into the  community? If it was your son that was kidnapped and tortured,  and you  saw this man smiling in the courtroom, would you consider 18 months in   prison to be an appropriate sentence?</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Photo from </span><a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4048471,00.html"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;">Ynet</span></a></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:medium;"><br />
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<p><a href="http://ps.hadnews.com/try-to-imagine-the-following-%e2%80%a6-bet-you-can%e2%80%99t.htm">Source</a></p>
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