![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.antiwar.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/boy_in_crosshairs.jpg\")
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Electronic Intifada with the backstory<\/a>:<\/p>\n This disturbing image shows the back of the head of a child or young man as seen in the crosshairs of a rifle. The photo was\u00a0posted<\/a>\u00a0on the\u00a0personal Instagram account of Mor Ostrovski<\/a>, a 20-year old Israeli soldier in a sniper unit.<\/p>\n The context \u2013 particularly the character of the buildings seen in the background of the image \u2013 strongly suggests the child could be Palestinian.<\/p>\n There are no other images to suggest that the photographer actually fired at the person in the image in this case. The image is simply tasteless and dehumanizing. It embodies the idea that Palestinian children are targets.<\/p>\n It reminded me of a\u00a0chilling account another Israeli soldier gave to the group Breaking the Silence<\/a>\u00a0about how Israeli soldiers in Nablus in 2006-2007 would deliberately fire at children, sometimes using live ammunition and sometimes rubber-coated steel bullets:<\/p>\n Where do you aim? Do you choose some kid at random?<\/strong><\/em> The Israeli army has called<\/a> this “a severe incident,” promising it “will be examined and properly handled.”<\/p>\n Somehow I’m doubtful. Palestinian children are frequently shot and killed by Israeli soldiers. In fact, such an incident<\/a> is what ultimately led to the 2012 November-December Israeli assault on Gaza. In the days leading up to the pummeling of Gazans that winter,\u00a0Israeli forces\u00a0shot and killed 23 year old\u00a0Ahmad Nabhani<\/a>\u00a0for daring to \u201capproach the border fence with Israel.\u201d According to at least one account, Nabhani was mentally challenged.<\/p>\n Three days later, Israeli forces shot and killed\u00a0a 13-year old boy<\/a> who was reportedly playing soccer near his home.<\/p>\n Just one month ago, the IDF\u00a0shot a 16-year-old Palestinian boy<\/a> in the West Bank in the back as he was retreating<\/a> and killed him.\u00a0\u00a0His name was Samir Awad.\u00a0The IDF claimed Awad tried to breach the separation barrier Israel has built to help fortify their system of apartheid and land theft.\u00a0However, Ayeed Mora, a member of the Budrus Popular Committee, told Haaretz<\/a> at the time “that near the separation barrier that Israel built, IDF soldiers ambushed the youths and opened fire.\u00a0There was no just cause to open fire, he asserts.”<\/p>\n What the Instagram picture represents is, unfortunately, an ordinary facet of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Dehumanization of “the other” is so deep and so pervasive, and the Israeli system of domination and abuse is so permeating, that horrors like this seem routine.<\/p>\n
\nYes. Choose someone, aim at his body.<\/em>
\nBody?<\/strong><\/em>
\nCenter of mass.<\/em>
\n10 meters\u2019 range at the center of mass?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI remember one time we put a kid down. We didn\u2019t kill him but someone hit the kid in the chest and he fell and probably lost consciousness, or at least, it was pretty close. About 10 meters.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n