SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST PALESTINIAN PROTESTS

On March 30 18 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military as they protested the continuing confiscation of their land. But according to the Zionist Federation of New Zealand those killed were 'terrorists'.  Or maybe the killings were 'staged'. Or was there a $3,000 'reward' for getting killed?

ON 30 MARCH, a day commemorated by Palestinians worldwide as Land Day, Israel launched a brutal military attack on Palestinian protesters in Gaza which killed 18 people. The protesters were marching to demand an end the expropriation of their land by the state of Israel, and for their right to return to their original villages. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, around 1000 protesters were injured by rubber bullets, live ammunition and tear gas.

But the Zionist Federation of New Zealand has an entirely different take on events. It has reposted on its Facebook page responses from the Israeli military justifying its actions. The military have claimed that sixteen of the Palestinians killed were 'terrorists'.

This contradicts the view of an pro-Israel propaganda website, israellycool, that claims that some of the killings never happened and were staged by the Palestinian people themselves. Under the headline 'Yet More Pallywood. The Magic Bullet Edition', 'Aussie Dave' writes "One bullet that can make multiple palestinians go down writhing in pain. Without any sign of blood, mind you."

The Zionist Federation of New Zealand posted this item on its Facebook page as well,adding "Lucky a fictitious Dr from Greys Anatomy is coming to treat the fake injuries!"

Juliet Moses:  Hamas rewarded Palestinians for getting killed or injured.

"Aussie Dave ' is one David Lange, an Israeli-Australian blogger who has a long history of conducting online harassment campaigns against Palestinians and Palestinian activists

Meanwhile Juliet Moses, last seen attacking singer Lorde for cancelling her scheduled Tel Aviv concert, retweeted a comment that also claims that sixteen of the Palestinians killed were terrorists.

But, apparently, the unfortunate Palestinians shot by Israeli soldiers wanted to be killed anyway. According to another tweet Moses retweeted to her followers, families of anyone prepared to 'die for the cause' would receive $3000 from Hamas while anyone injured would receive $200. Juliet Moses is a  member of the New Zealand Jewish Council.

The deliberate smear campaign aims to deflect attention from the fact that the Israeli regime regard any form of protest activity as a threat. In 1967 the Israeli government issued military orders categorising all forms of resistance as insurgency –including protests and other political meetings, raising flags or other national symbols, publishing or distributing articles or pictures with political connotations and singing or listening to nationalist songs.

Video footage has emerged that shows a group of men being shot in the back as they fled from the border where the March 30 protest took place. But if we are to believe  both the Zionist Federation of New Zealand and Juliet Moses of the New Zealand Jewish Council maybe they were terrorists. Or maybe the 'killings' were staged by the Palestinians themselves. Or maybe the families of the deceased are now $3,000 richer...