Friday, March 13, 2009

U.S. Citizen shot in head by Israeli army in West Bank

Please pray for Tristan Andersen, from the Oakland, California area, as well as for his family and friends. Tristan is in a hospital near Tel Aviv in extremely critical condition after being shot in the head with a high-velocity tear gas canister by the Israeli Defense Forces while participating in a demonstration against the construction of the wall in the West Bank village of Ni'lin.

An updated press release is available from the website of the International Solidarity Movement. This press release contains links to other media reports and updates on Tristan's condition. PLEASE NOTE that the video footage included on these sites is graphic.

This incident comes almost exactly six years after the Israeli military killed American nonviolent activist Rachel Corrie by crushing her with a Caterpillar D-9 bulldozer on March 16, 2003.

Ni'lin has been the site of regular weekly protests against the Wall. Since 2008, four Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army while demonstrating against the Wall in Ni'lin:

Ahmed Mousa (10) was shot in the forehead with live ammunition on 29th July 2008. The following day, Yousef Amira (17) was shot twice with rubber-coated steel bullets, leaving him brain dead. He died a week later on 4 August 2008. Arafat Rateb Khawaje (22), was the third Ni’lin resident to be killed by Israeli forces. He was shot in the back with live ammunition on 28 December 2008. That same day, Mohammed Khawaje (20), was shot in the head with live ammunition, leaving him brain dead. He died three days later in a Ramallah hospital.

Please pray for their families and for the family of Tristan Andersen.

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