DW Finds Israeli Forces 'Appear' to Kill Surrendering Palestinians
Deutsche Welle runs with a headline detailing how Israeli forces killed two Palestinians after an 'apparent surrender.' The story, sourced from their Jerusalem bureau, meticulously avoids calling this an execution, despite video evidence circulating widely on social media showing the men stripped and clearly attempting to surrender before being shot. This 'apparent surrender' framing is a classic
media maneuver, reducing potential war crimes into a matter of interpretation, mirroring the language used to describe the 2016 extrajudicial killing of Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, shot in the head while incapacitated, which was also debated endlessly in Israeli courts as a 'mistake.' While DW ponders the optics, the US Congress continues to rubber-stamp unconditional aid. Just last week, the House
passed HR 8035, sending another $17 billion to Israel, with nary a glance at human rights concerns. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), who has received over $408,000 from pro-Israel PACs since 1990 (OpenSecrets.org), called the aid 'critical.' Apparently, the 'critical' part doesn't include demanding accountability for soldiers executing unarmed men. One wonders how many more 'apparent' surrenders it will
take before Washington 'appears' to notice.