Posted on 11/30/2004 12:49:03 PM PST by yonif
Findings of the Investigation regarding the incident of the Palestinian playing a violin at a checkpoint near Nablus Soldiers did not ask the Palestinian to play the violin.
"Mahsom Watch" confirm soldiers' version of the event.
This morning, November 30, 2004, an investigation was conducted by the head of the central command, Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinski, regarding the documented incident at the Beit Iba checkpoint, in which a Palestinian man is shown playing a violin. The investigation found that the Palestinian arrived at the checkpoint and was asked by the soldiers to open the violin case. The Palestinian opened the case and started to play the violin of his own volition. Several moments later, the Palestinian was asked by the Liaison officer to stop playing.
The investigation was based on testimony of the soldiers who were at the checkpoint at the time of the incident, footage filmed by the women of "Mahsom Watch" and a letter written by the women of "Mahsom Watch" which supports the soldiers' testimony, pointing out that the Palestinians was not asked to play the violin.
The Liaison officer who checked the Palestinian has been performing his duties professionally over a long period of time. His commanding officers and the Palestinians with whom he works have often praised his work.
The investigation was conducted a week after the incident occurred, since the IDF wished to conduct a thorough investigation which would include all relevant testimony.
The GOC Central Command accepted the findings of the investigation conducted by the brigade, which notes that the incident appears to show lack of sensitivity, but in fact there was no intention to dishonor or disrespect the Palestinian.
IDF activity at checkpoints is complex and difficult, and it poses numerous dilemmas for all personnel involved. The checkpoints are a necessity for security, and are designed to prevent terrorists, weapons and ammunition from entering Israel. The checkpoints have been proven effective on numerous occasions, especially the ones around Nablus.
IDF soldiers come in contact with the Palestinian population on a daily basis, and any contact with this civilian population raises complex dilemmas for those conducting the check, the checkpoint commander, and IDF forces. The challenge is for the IDF to carry out thorough checks in the interest of Israel's security, while preserving the Palestinians' dignity.
The IDF sees the operational investigations at the territorial command level as vital, especially for incidents which include moral issues. The IDF will continue carrying out all security operations necessary to providing the citizens of Israel with security. These activities include operations in crossings that are designed to prevent terror attacks within the State of Israel.
Ping.
what's the big deal if he was asked to play the violin?
Even the LIE was not worth reading if it were true.
So F'n what?
When they cannot find anything to complain about, they just make it up. Evil men have no problem with lying.
was the violin player crazy?
You say this guy was forced to play the violin with panties over his head?
Sounds like a set up.
This smacks of Occidental-centric, Orientalist thinking.
What you need to understand is that Arab-Muslim culture is a "face culture". You see, in Arab-Muslim culture, being asked to play a violin is one of the most Humiliating things a man can endure. He would rather have his ears cut off and shoved up his nose, then his hands and feet dipped in acid, then drawn and quartered by rhinos, and go down a martyr in the eyes of Allah, than to be asked to play a violin - which will make Allah hate and spit upon him for all eternity. Women will shun him and deny him their favors, even his wives. Children will burst into tears at the very sight of him. Even in the afterlife.
To make an Arab-Muslim go through this experience, therefore - even if it didn't actually happen but the story is merely being perpetuated that it happened - is akin to declaring open, genocidal war upon all Arabs and/or Muslims the world over, from the Phillipines to Finland. There is no better way to Inflame the Muslim World AND the Arab Street (both!). It is a clear and overt Provocation that no one in his right mind can expect Muslims and Arabs the world over NOT to get Inflamed, and kill others, over.
The Arab-Muslim world simply has a different way of doing things than you are used to. And you need to start learning to respect that. As long as you don't, it's no wonder that They Hate You.
/sarcasm
When I flew to Turkey to go to my assigned base there in the USAF, I took my banjo with me. As a bluegrass banjo player, I was pretty lousy, but I was learning.
So, I went through Turkish customs at the airport in Instanbul, carrying my banjo case. Whoops! Three armed, uniformed guys run up and made me open my banjo case. A little embarrassing, really, because I had packed underwear in the case to make room in the suitcase (2 bags only).
So, I opened the case, and the guards, who had probably never seen a banjo in their lives, made me take it out of the case and hand it to them. They looked at the thing for about five minutes, then handed it back to me.
One of them, probably the only one who spoke English, said, "You play now." So I did. After running through the Jed Clampett theme and part of Arkansas Traveler, a crowd had gathered. I stopped, but all those Turks insisted that I play some more. So, I played all the tunes I knew.
Finally, I gave a final "shave and a haircut" lick and put the banjo back in its case. The little crowd applauded, and I went on to get a cab to the hotel I was billeted in that night.
The year: 1966
At least there was no sex and violins.
Cool story. My question: Did you lodge a complaint with the UN over the obvious human-rights violation you endured? ;-)
Actually asking him to play would have accomplished two things
-that the man actually was a violinist
-that the violin actually was a working violin and not filled with semtex
Had he not been able to play the violin would have no doubt been shot open from a distance
just to see what might be in it...
imo
"Did you lodge a complaint with the UN over the obvious human-rights violation you endured?"
Hmm...nope. Actually, that was my introduction to the country. I made many Turkish friends while I was stationed there. Some of them were musicians, and I played music with them sometimes. You should have seen me trying to play Turkish music on that banjo.
Just a fun story from my younger days...one I'll keep in my memory always.
That's SAX and violins, the scourge of our society.One of the last president's worst sins was the bad sax.
And the lesson here for everyone is that TURKS ARE NOT ARABS!
"And the lesson here for everyone is that TURKS ARE NOT ARABS!"
Nope. They're Muslims, though. I highly value my 15 months stationed there. I had lots of time to explore and met a lot of really nice people in Turkey.
I later found out that the reason they wanted me to play at the airport was to prevent illegal importation of the instrument. By playing it, I demonstrated that it was for my own use.
Now, when I left, I certainly exported a bunch of Turkish musical instruments, most of which I still have.
This article fails to mention that the violinist was ineligible to pass the checkpoint, for a fiddle lesson or anything else. The IDF cut him a break by inspecting his violin case. Next time they should follow the rules and just turn him around.
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