He was less than 3 years old.   This Palestinian child was deliberately shot to death by an Israeli soldier in Nabi Saleh on June 1, 2023.  His name was Mohammed Tamimi.  His father who was also shot says he had left his home and put the toddler in his car and then the two were shot.  The Israeli army said snipers were returning fire from Palestinians, and that they regret the child’s death.  The Israeli army story is almost certainly a lie.  Who would take his infant out for a drive in the middle of a gun battle?

 

Israeli columnist Gideon Levy wrote this on June 6 , "Eighty percent of Mohammed’s tiny brain was damaged by the lethal bullet that exploded in his head, destroying it. He was a fair-haired child, like most of the children of this special village. Like them he was born into a prison village, with a fortified guard tower at its entrance. "

 

The Israeli government has closed its initial investigation after admitting one of its soldiers killed the child.  Their story is that soldiers heard gunfire, saw a "suspicious car', heard more gunfire and thought it was coming from the car and so shot into the car.  Most likely this is a series lies used to cover up this terrible crime.

 

On June 15 Haaretz reported that the soldier who shot Mohammed Tamimi will not face any disciplinary punishment from the army.

 

A report by Israeli rights group Yesh Din based on military data from 2017 to 2021 found that Israeli soldiers were prosecuted in less than 1% of hundreds of complaints filed against them on alleged offences against Palestinians.

 

These are outstanding articles about the killing in the Israeli paper Haaretz by its reporter/columnist Gideon Levy.  They are probably behind a paywall.  Perhaps you can access them at your local library.  At any rate read over these headlines.

 

Few Have Heard of Baby Mohammed. Fewer Will Hear About His Killers - Opinion - Haaretz.com  (June 4)

 

A Father Puts His Young Child in the Car, and Then Forced to Say Goodbye Forever - Twilight Zone - Haaretz.com

 

A Dead Palestinian Child Forgotten Again by Israel's Media - Opinion - Haaretz.com

 

A Wail of Pain Pierced the Silence. Mohammed, Two and a Half, Was Fatally Shot. To Israel's Army, It’s Just a Mistake - Israel News - Haaretz.com

 

Two Palestinians, Aged 2 and 80, Dead: Case Closed - Opinion - Haaretz.com   (June 18)

 

Mariam Barghouti speaks about Mohammed's murder in this portion of Democracy Now on 6/23/23

Click here to see it.

 

What Can Be Done?

We don't expect justice for the Israeli government or from the U.S. politicians who see Israel and a key bully boy in their international security apparatus.  Public pressure needs to be applied.

  • Make signs about Mohammed Tamimi and include his photo
  • Bring his name up at demonstrations
  • Use social media to talk about this crime.
  • Continue to support BDS to pressure Israel.
  • Come up with your own ideas and send them to us.