Wednesday, July 20, 2016

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 19: Israel returns the body of a young husband it killed [Graphic]

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 19: Israel returns the body of a young husband it killed [Graphic]

The body of Anwar al-Salaymeh, killed by Israel's occupation forces on a 'flying checkpoint' in al-Ram during a dawn raid on July 13th, was returned by the Israeli occupation on July 19th. He was 22 or 24.

Anwar al-Salaymeh had married two months before Israel's occupation soldiers opened fire at the car he was with two friends, of whom Mahmoud Resheq(22) was shot in head seriously wounded. Anwar al-Salaymeh himself was shot three times in his back.

Israeli occupation claimed that the youths had "tried to ram" occupation soldiers. In reality, they had been unaware of the ongoing raid, during which Israel's occupation forces destroyed a blacksmith's shop.

Soon after Anwar al-Salaymeh's body had been returned, Israel's occupation forces killed 12 y/o child Muhye al-Tabbakhi also in al-Ram. They were both buried this morning.

SOURCES:

Funeral held for Palestinian killed by Israeli troops during al-Ram raid
http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772316

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 19: Israel returns the body of a young husband it killed [Graphic]

ARMED GROUP BEHEADED PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CHILD IN SYRIA [GRAPHIC]

(We only publish the following photographs to show the faces of the people who committed this war crime and help to bring them to justice.)

11 y/o Palestinian refugee child named Abdullah Issa has been beheaded in the town of Handarat in Syria by a relatively minor rebel group, the Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement which controls part of the Aleppo countryside. [Later news articles said the murder happened in Mashhad.] 

Handarat, north of Aleppo, is the site of the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein El Tal. An approximate 7000 people have lived in the refugee camp.

Abdullah Issa was captured there [and taken as he apparently received medical care], beaten and possibly tortured, publicly mocked and forced to say that he was a 'fighter' for pro-regime forces and then beheaded.

His treatment and murder was photographed and videotaped.

It seems he was targeted because he was recognized as being a Palestinian.

His killers claimed that he would been a 'fighter' for Liwa al-Quds, a minor pro-regime Palestinian armed group. Although the use of child soldiers is common, use of children of his age is still relatively rare and Liwa al-Quds has operated mainly south of Aleppo but allegedly has presence in the area, taking part in regime efforts to recapture Handarat. 

Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement has been backed by France, Great Britain, Turkey, United States and the Gulf monarchies. It has been part in various shifting alliances including with Free Syrian Army and the Islamic Front of which the former claims to be studying the boy's murder.

Few days ago a Palestinian activist belonging to Fatah was shot dead near a bakery in the Yarmouk refugee camp. The area he was killed is under the control of the Islamic State, which had imprisoned him several times in the past.

(Thanks to Younes Arar for bringing this to our attention.)

SOURCES:

And these are the 'good guys'! Sickening video shows US-backed Syrian rebels taunting and then brutally beheading a young boy because he was a 'spy'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3697770/US-backed-Nour-al-Din-al-Zenki-behead-boy-accused-al-Quds-spy-Assad.html

Syria battle: Rebels filmed ‘beheading boy’ in Aleppo
http://www.news3.rizlys.com/2016/07/19/syria-battle-rebels-filmed-beheading-boy-in-aleppo/

Syria conflict: Rebels 'filmed beheading boy' in Aleppo
https://www.facebook.com/I-am-Palestinian-I-am-not-a-terrorist-146535155527394/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

'UK-backed Syrian rebels behead 11-year-old boy they claim is pro-government fighter'
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/uk-backed-syrian-rebels-behead-8451881?ICID=FB_mirror_main

ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION FORCES SHOT, KILLED 12 Y/O CHILD TODAY

ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION FORCES SHOT, KILLED 12 Y/O CHILD TODAY

Israel's occupation forces raided the town of al-Ram northeast of East Jerusalem this evening, killing a 12 y/o boy.

There doesn't seem to have been any specific reason for the invasion except harassment in the aftermath of the killing of Anwar Falah Salaymeh(24) six days ago, whose body was returned today. 

Local youths responded to the invasion with throwing rocks and empty bottles at the occupation forces, which started to fire live bullets, rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters.

It was one of the rubber-coated steel bullets which hit 12 y/o Muhye Muhammad Sidqi al-Tabbakhi. According to one source he was pronounced dead on arrival to a medical centre, according to another he died there after attempts to save his life failed.

SOURCES:

Israeli soldiers kill 12-year-old Palestinian with rubber bullet during clashes in central West Bank
http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772305

استشهاد فتى بنيران الاحتلال في بلدة الرام
http://pnn.ps/2016/07/19/%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%89-%D8%A8%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84/

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

MAN SHOT YESTERDAY HAS DIED - ISRAEL KILLED HIS BROTHER ON THE SAME SPOT THREE MONTHS AGO

MAN SHOT YESTERDAY HAS DIED - ISRAEL KILLED HIS BROTHER ON THE SAME SPOT THREE MONTHS AGO

Mustafa Baradiyya, shot at the entrance to al-Arroub refugee camp by Israel's occupation forces yesterday, has died of his wounds which included being shot in stomach. He was 48 or 51 according to different sources.

Israeli occupation claims he attacked and 'lightly injured' two occupation soldiers with 'a screwdriver' and published a photograph of a bloodless knife as 'an evidence'.  

Israel's occupation forces shot ten times and killed his brother Ibrahim al-Gharoz Baradiyya / Baradeah on exactly the same site on April 14th, claiming that he had supposedly tried to attack occupation soldiers with 'an ax'. No occupation soldiers were injured. Ibrahim Baradiyya was aged 50 or 54.

Both brothers were left to bleed by Israel's occupation soldiers.  

Ibrahim received no medical care at all, Mustafa received first aid only after a delay - Palestinian medics were not allowed to approach him and the 'lightly injured' Israeli occupation soldiers were treated while he bled.

The brothers' home town was Surif. Ibrahim was a former political prisoner and Mustafa was a member of Hamas' political wing.

SOURCES:

Hebron mourns Palestinian killed by Israeli forces
https://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=771157

Palestinian dies of wounds sustained following alleged stab attack
http://english.pnn.ps/2016/07/19/palestinian-dies-of-wounds-sustained-following-alleged-stab-attack/

Palestinian shot, killed by Israeli forces after attempted attack near Hebron
http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=771128

Thousands attend W.Bank funeral for slain Palestinian
http://www.worldbulletin.net/haberler/171656/thousands-attend-wbank-funeral-for-slain-palestinian

أخباراستشهاد منفذ عملية الطعن في الخلي
http://www.qudsn.ps/article/96841

DRIVING UNDER APARTHEID OCCUPATION: TWO INCIDENTS FROM MONDAY

DRIVING UNDER APARTHEID OCCUPATION: TWO INCIDENTS FROM MONDAY

HISHAM ABU AYYASH

Hisham Mahmoud Abu Ayyash from Beit Ummar survived an attack by Israel's occupation soldiers on Monday July 18th after they opened fire on his truck after it had a minor, accidental collision with a vehicle belonging to an illegal Israeli settler's car near Hebron.

Israeli occupation automatically considered him 'an attacker' and tried to kill him before ceasing fire and kidnapping him.

As a Palestinian he was considered automatically guilty under Israeli occupation.

HAMZA RABAEE

Just like the illegal Israeli settler who also on Monday injured a child in apparent vehicular attack is considered incident. 

Hamza Mahmoud Rabaee, aged 11 or 12, was hit by an illegal Israeli settler's car (recognized from the Israeli plates) on the outskirts of Yatta on Monday. The driver sped away and escaped from the scene of the incident.

Hamza Rabaee was taken to a hospital in Hebron, where he was found to have suffered a fracture in one leg, abdominal bleeding and bruises.

SOURCES:

Child Injured In Hebron After An Israeli Settler Rammed Him With Car And Fled The Scene

Israeli forces fire at Palestinian driver, detain him after apparent traffic accident

Jewish driver runs over Palestinian kid in Yatta town

Palestinian boy hurt in hit-and-run accident with suspected settler in Hebron

Soldiers shoot Palestinian and his car following traffic accident

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 18: Tunnel collapse leads to one death in besieged Gaza [Graphic]

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 18: Tunnel collapse leads to one death in besieged Gaza [Graphic]

Saleh al-Astal, aged 28 or 30, died in a tunnel collapse in besieged Gaza Strip's southern area of Khan Younis. Three others with him were able to be saved.

He was a member of Islamic Jihad's armed wing the al-Quds Brigades and the second member of that group to die in a tunnel collapse this month.

SOURCE:

Fighter Killed, Three Injured, In Tunnel Collapse Accident

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 17: Ahmed Dawabsheh visits al-Aqsa

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 17: Ahmed Dawabsheh visits al-Aqsa

Now 5 y/o Ahmed Dawabsheh suffered severe burns in 60 % in his body in the arson attack by illegal Israeli settlers which killed his both parents and brother baby Ali on July 31st 2015. 

On Sunday July 17th he visited the al-Aqsa mosque in Palestine's occupied East Jerusalem with his grandfather, who has been taking care of him.

ALLEGED 'ATTACK' AGAINST ISRAELI OCCUPATION LEAVES PALESTINIAN SERIOUSLY WOUNDED

ALLEGED 'ATTACK' AGAINST ISRAELI OCCUPATION LEAVES PALESTINIAN SERIOUSLY WOUNDED

SCREW-DRIVER AGAINST OCCUPATION?

Two Israeli occupation soldiers have been allegedly stabbed and 'lightly' injured with a screw-driver at the entrance to the al-Arroub refugee camp north of Hebron on Palestine's occupied West Bank.

The alleged 'attacker' was shot and wounded. He has been identified as Mustafa Bardiyya, from the village of Surif, and he has been said to have been seriously wounded and left to lay on ground bleeding for some time. 

Israel's occupation forces didn't allow Palestinian ambulance crew access to Bardiyya, but an illegally operating Israeli ambulance has taken him away now.

THURSDAY'S SHOOTING OF YEHYA HIJAZI

Caution must be taken towards claims of Israeli occupation when it comes to 'stabbings'. An example is the shooting of Yehya Hijazi(24) on Thursday, who according to the Israeli occupation claims - then spread by Zionist media - supposedly tried to stab occupation soldiers at a checkpoint near the Shuafat refugee camp.

Israeli occupation has now admitted that shooting of Hijazi by civilian clothes' occupation soldiers was 'a mistake'. Hijazi was taking an axe and a knife off from a drug addict when shot. Nine shots hit one leg, another was fractured. He was stripped naked and kicked while laying on the ground bleeding. Today he is free, but doesn't know when he will walk again.

SOURCES:

Palestinian shot and severely injured after alleged stab attack, injuring 2 Israeli soldiers

Releasing the injured Yehya Hijazi…and the police admit shooting him by mistake

Sunday, July 17, 2016

STONE-THROWING UNDER APARTHEID: THE LAW ISN'T THE SAME

STONE-THROWING UNDER APARTHEID: THE LAW ISN'T THE SAME

Minimum sentence for a Palestinian who throws a stone towards an Israeli is three years in prison according to Israeli law. If "necessary", the accused Palestinian is tortured under he or she confesses - like happened to the Hares Boys.

In practice, the maximum sentence for an Israeli who throws and hits a Palestinian with a stone is zero days in jail.

ON THE WADI QANA ROAD

Today we learn that illegal Israeli settlers have stoned - like they do on each and every day in the occupied territories - Palestinian vehicles on the Wadi Qana road between Salfit and Qalqiliya, damaging a bus and an another car, breaking it's windshield.

Israeli occupation shot bystander Mahmoud Badran(15) dead and wounded four other youths when illegal Israeli settlers' vehicles were stoned three months ago, but in these cases they just look on and intervene only if Palestinians respond.

If a Palestinian would have thrown a stone breaking the windshield of a car driven by an illegal Israeli settler, the charge from Israeli occupation would have been "Attempted murder".

THE LAW OF BEN HUR

On Thursday June 14th Israeli occupation district court sentenced Palestinian youth Ahmad Yasser Baraghithi(21) to 8 years in prison after already keeping him imprisoned for 2 years.

The charge? Throwing a stone that injured Israel's occupation forces' officer in Palestine's East Jerusalem.

According to Israel's law, intent doesn't matter when a stone thrown by a Palestinian injures an Israeli.

Basically Israeli law could be lifted out of Lew Wallace's much filmed epic historical novel Ben Hur(1880): A native accidentally injuring or a killing an occupier is guilty and much be punished based not on intention, but solely results.

APARTHEID LAW SYSTEM AND THOSE WHO EXCUSE IT

Israel, with the support of 'Western' governments and especially that of the United States, has created an Apartheid law system where the ethnic-religious background of a person decides whether an act is a crime and also the punishment, if it is.

Millions of otherwise supposedly decent people know what is going on, yet they continue to support what is going on.

Like the British priest and social activist Giles Fraser, they frame the current Apartheid and ethnic cleansing practiced by Israel in a big enough historical context to include the Holocaust, and then justify occupation and killing of tens of thousands as a "lesser evil" compared to it.

But what couldn't be 'justified' as a 'mere' 'lesser evil' compared to Holocaust and pushed under a carpet if this is accepted as valid?

A SHIELD OF CADAVERS FOR ISRAEL

The torture and imprisonment of the Hares Boys and Ahmad Baraghithi disappear from the vision of people like Giles Fraser, as they bring to use their 'comforting' Holocaust comparison, which 'allows' them to declare that they still support Israel and Zionism:

Jews need to be protected from a German crime that happened 75 years ago and Palestinians must continue to suffer because of it. A price the Giles Frasers of the world are more than happy to pay after they have silenced their conscience with the Holocaust.

The deaths of long-gone victims of the Nazis are used to make a shield of cadavers to protect Israel, so that it can itself go on turning living Palestinians into corpses and to entomb children alive in it's archipelago of jails and prison camps.

THE COUNTRY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING

It's deeply sad and ironic that the first African-American president of the United States has presided over seven and a half years of increased support for Israel as this system has deepened and become more severe.

Barack Obama's reward has been disrespect and opposition at every step by the regime of Israel which he so lavishly and unconditionally has supported, allowing it to continue to bleed occupied Palestine.

To Palestinians' his presidency, which promised so much, has been an extreme disappointment and the main candidates for succession try to out-do each other in declaring their allegiance to Israel and support for it's war crimes and human rights violations.

Fifty years after United States' own Jim Crow -system broke down, the country of Martin Luther King has made every effort to help to first install and then keep up a similar system in occupied Palestine.

(The accompanying photograph is used for illustrative purposes and is not connected to any cases mentioned in the article.)

SOURCES:

Arrests…prison sentences…extensions of arrest…and conditional releases

Israeli settlers throw rocks at Palestinian vehicles in northern West Bank

Palestinian sentenced to 8 years in prison for throwing stones at Israeli officer

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 16: Israel kidnaps brother of Down Syndrome youth it killed

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 16: Israel kidnaps brother of Down Syndrome youth it killed

Israel's occupation forces kidnapped on Saturday morning Hayran Jaradat, a member of Palestinian security forces, from his home in Sa'ir in the Hebron district of West Bank.

Israel's occupation forces wounded Hayran's younger brother Areef Jaradat(21) during an invasion of Sa'ir on May 4th. Aref, who had Down's Syndrome, died of his
wounds on June 19th.

Israeli occupation had kidnapped and detained a third brother, Mohammed, often and Areef always became scared when he saw occupation soldiers, fearing that they would take Mohammed away again and shouted: "No, my brother Mohammed!"

So it was also on the day he was fatally wounded. On Saturday, the Israeli occupiers came for Hayran. We can only imagine how he feels now, imprisoned and interrogated by those who killed his helpless brother who couldn't defend himself.

PHOTO: @PalinfoAr 

SOURCES:

Army Kidnaps Five Palestinians In Hebron
http://imemc.org/article/army-kidnaps-five-palestinians-in-hebron/

Israeli forces detain 5 in Hebron, nearby village remains partially blockaded
http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772257

Thursday, July 14, 2016

ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION FORCES WOUND YOUTH, STRIP HIM NAKED IN EAST JERUSALEM'S SHUAFAT REFUGEE CAMP

ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION FORCES WOUND YOUTH, STRIP HIM NAKED IN EAST JERUSALEM'S SHUAFAT REFUGEE CAMP

Israel's occupation forces shot and wounded a youth at a checkpoint near the Shuafat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem today, stripping him naked while he lay on the ground bleeding.

Israeli occupation claims that the wounded youth would have been "suspicious" and been approaching occupation soldiers "with a knife" when shot. 

Apparently the youth would have tried to stop the occupation soldiers from arresting another youth when he was shot, although there's confusion whether the helper or an another person nearby was the one who was wounded. 

According to the occupation, the youth was wounded "lightly", but photos show extensive amount of blood on the ground beside him in photos. Israeli occupation stopped Palestinian medics from reaching him and he was left without medical aid an extensive period.

SOURCES:

Army Injures One Palestinian, Kidnaps Another, In Jerusalem
http://imemc.org/article/army-injures-one-palestinian-kidnaps-another-in-jerusalem/

Israeli forces shoot Palestinian youth attempting to prevent another's detention
http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772240

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

ISRAELI OCCUPATION ATTACKS CAR IN AL-RAM, KILLS ONE YOUTH AND CRITICALLY WOUNDS ANOTHER

ISRAELI OCCUPATION ATTACKS CAR IN AL-RAM, KILLS ONE YOUTH AND CRITICALLY WOUNDS ANOTHER

Israel's occupation forces conducting a raid in the town of al-Ram in East Jerusalem at dawn today attacked a civilian car with deadly gunfire.

THE ATTACK AGAINST THE YOUTHS

At least one paramilitary Border Guard on a "flying" impromptu checkpoint in al-Ram shot from a short distance at the vehicle with three youths in it.

One youth was killed by the Israeli occupation gunfire which wounded another on. Israel's occupation forces kidnapped the third passenger of the vehicle in the aftermath of the shooting.

Israeli occupation also stopped Palestinian ambulances from reaching the victims, as usual, which is likely to have played a role in the death of Anwar al-Salaymeh(22). 

Fares Khadr al-Rishq(20) was critically wounded and his life remains in danger. Muhammad Nassar(20) was kidnapped by Israel's occupation soldiers. 

USUAL EXCUSE GIVEN

Israeli occupation has made the usual claim that the car, neatly stopped in photos without any other damage than bullet holes, would have been "speeding" towards the occupation forces' soldiers of whom at least one shot at it, supposedly for "feeling danger". 

Eye-witness reports contradict that, as does the condition of the car. It was clearly driven at a slow speed and according to eyewitnesses its driver seemed to be unaware of the ongoing occupation forces' raid and the checkpoint they had put up during it.

SOURCES:

Israeli forces kill 1 Palestinian youth, injure 1, and detain 1 other
http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772219

IOF shoot dead Palestinian for alleged car attack
http://english.pnn.ps/2016/07/13/iof-shoot-dead-palestinian-for-alleged-car-attack/

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

THE WHITEWASHING OF THE KILLINGS OF MAHMOUD BADRAN(15) AND MOHAMMED KOSBA(17)

THE WHITEWASHING OF THE KILLINGS OF MAHMOUD BADRAN(15) AND MOHAMMED KOSBA(17)

This is how the Israeli occupation works, taking the lives of Palestinian children and whitewashing their murders:

15 year old Mahmoud Badran was killed by Israel's occupation forces while returning from late swimming trip with his brothers and friends on June 20th.

The car on which he was on as a passenger was shot 15 times and the teenagers in it were denied medical care for an extended period. The others in the car were all seriously wounded.

According to Israel's occupation forces, his killing was "a mistake". 

"The internal inquiry into the incident was conducted by none other
than the commander of the Binyamin Brigade, Col. Yisrael Shomer. About a year ago, this same Colonel Shomer shot teenager Mohammad Kosba because he suspected the boy of having thrown stones at his vehicle. He chased Kosba, shot him three times from behind, hitting him in the upper body each time, and killing him. The IDF decided not to put him on trial, or even to remove him from his post."

Haaretz editorial, June 24th 2016.

Mohammed Kosba was 17 years old. Israel's occupation forces already had killed two of his brothers, Yasser(10) and Samer(15).

We must wonder when those now whitewashed by Yisrael Shomer - who lives in an illegal colony on the occupied West Bank - will themselves be called to whitewash another fellow killer or killers in Israel's occupation forces uniform?

SOURCES:

‘Death penalty for stone throwing’ — how three brothers from the same Palestinian family were shot by Israeli forces http://mondoweiss.net/2015/07/throwing-brothers-palestinian/#sthash.bVjR3vLP.dpuf

The Killing of Mahmoud Badran: The IOF's Excessive Use of Force and Shoot to Kill Policy
http://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/topics/right-to-life-and-body-integrity/1055-the-killing-of-mahmoud-badran-the-iofs-excessive-use-of-force-and-shoot-to-kill-policy

The Military Police’s Test: Indict the Israeli Officer Who Shot Mahmoud Badran
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.726817
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.726817

Video shows that Israelis shot Palestinian boy Mohammed Ali-Kosba in the back
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/video-shows-that-israelis-shot-palestinian-boy-mohammed-ali-kosba-in-the-back-10386468.html

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 10: Resistance member dies in tunnel collapse in besieged Gaza

IPNOT PICTURE OF THE DAY from July 10: Resistance member dies in tunnel collapse in besieged Gaza

Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, announced on Sunday July 10th that it's member Ibrahim Hasan al-Masri, aged 25 or 28, had died in a tunnel accident in northern part of the besieged Gaza Strip.

Ibrahim al-Masri, from Beit Hanoun, was part of a group al-Quds members when a tunnel collapsed on them. The others in his groups were successfully evacuated from the collapsed tunnel.

SOURCES:

Palestinian Fighter Killed In Tunnel Accident In Gaza
http://imemc.org/article/palestinian-fighter-killed-in-tunnel-accident-in-gaza/

Palestinian fighter killed in tunnel collapse in northern Gaza
http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772171

Monday, July 11, 2016

FIRST PHILISTINE CEMETERY EXCAVATED OUTSIDE ASHKELON RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT MATERIAL CULTURE AND ETHNICITY

FIRST PHILISTINE CEMETERY EXCAVATED OUTSIDE ASHKELON RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT MATERIAL CULTURE AND ETHNICITY


A DISCOVERY IN ASHKELON


Israeli archaeologists have excavated a 'Philistine' cemetery just outside Palestine 1948's ethnically cleansed Ashkelon. 


It's claimed to be the first 'certain' cemetery identified to hold the graves, remains and grave goods of 'Philistines' and holds the promise of answering questions about their origin. (But, as we shall see, we need to approach this possibility with some caution.)


The graves of 150 mostly adult persons - out of possibly thousands still unexcavated - are, in the manner of the burials, seen to strengthen the case for an Aegean origin for the Philistines by some (and denied by others). The oldest graves are from the eleventh to the tenth centuries, the youngest from the eight or the seventh century. 


This is reported mostly in inane terms in popular media, using anachronisms about 'ancient Israel' and claims of possibility of solving 'a Biblical mystery', but it's an important archaeological find. It's also important in reminding us that Palestine had a history outside and before the Bible.


If genetic material is recovered from the remains, the results could also have political implications. Archaeological and historical research in the area of historical Palestine is always political, whether intentional or not. We already see this in the way discovery is being reported - no mention of Palestine or Palestinians.


The Bible is constantly used as a 'title deed' as are 'shrines' and 'graves' of dubious provenance and same will, almost certainly, hold true of these old bones one way or another. Any genetic results will be reflected through political lenses.


IN SHADOW OF THE BIBLE


Too often the history of Palestine is defined by the Bible. Many modern historical accounts basically leap from the immensely old remains of Jericho to naively repeating the Bible's much later version of events that would have started in the late Bronze Age and were, by the time they were written down, distorted by perhaps six or seven centuries of oral transmission.


According to the traditional claim, the 'Biblical archaeology' is practiced with a shovel in one hand and a Bible in the other hand. Too much objectivity or critical thinking has never been a problem in the field of Biblical archaeology.


This find can help to raise the ancient Philistines from the 'shadow' of the Biblical account and help to make their culture both a subject of a more objective historical research and give it a more firm independent standing. This way the graves in this cemetery can help to 'resurrect' both Philistines and the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age history of Palestine, 'saving' it from the Bible.


IS MATERIAL CULTURE PROOF OF ETHNICITY?


1
This comes as a not so minor caveat: All the news articles and based on them, the Israeli archaeologists who have done the excavation, identify material culture and ethnic background.


Meaning that when bodies with objects usually found in the context of known Philistine population centres are found, the bodies are those of 'ethnic' Philistines and possibly still hold their genetic code which would show where their ancestors came from and which is their connection to later populations.


The problem with this is apparent if we look at the later Hellenistic era. The material and cultural evidence of Hellenism in Palestine is strong, especially in urban environments.


Both the coastal city states and the Hasmonean and Herodean dynasties were strongly hellenized: Herodes is not a Jewish name nor an Edomite one, but a Greek one as was his father's name, Antipater. The preceding Hasmonean dynasty had as one of its rulers namesake of the 'Great' Macedonian: Alexander Jannaeus.


Palestine during the Hellenistic and Roman periods - which in the eastern Roman empire was just a continuation of old Hellenistic culture under Roman political control - was a part of the larger cultural sphere originating in Greece which expanded after the conquests of Alexander the Great of Macedon and his successors. But this didn't mean that the population would have been Greek.


Instead Hellenism largely represented the adoption of the Greek culture by first local elites and then urban populations. There were Greek and Macedonian immigrants, those numerous new cities called Alexandria and garrison towns like Nablus, but the immigrants, few in comparison to the existing populations, soon mingled with the original, now increasingly Hellenized population which could hold several different 'identities' for different social contexts.


Adoption of a material culture and use of Greek language did not have to mean and often did not mean giving up previously existing identity. Instead the process of Hellenization was helped by the fact that co-existence of different identities was possible. People could have different names in different languages. Same could have hold true previously during a theoretical 'Philistinization'.


If we excavate mid- to late-Hellenistic cemeteries even in the capitols of the Macedonian dynasties (say Seleucia in current Iraq), and take those graves which seem, based on material goods and orientation of bodies, most Greek then we still can't expect to find many ethnically Greeks or Macedonian remains. What we would find would be mostly both the remains of people both genetically native and 'mixed'.

This in mind, we can say that material culture is no proof of ethnicity, nor belonging to a certain religious or linguistic group. Material culture in this case shows that the people buried in the graves in ethnically cleansed Ashkelon had Philistine material culture. At this point we can't know more. 


2
Considering the possible evidence of Mycenean and/or Philistine-connected architecture from the early Iron Age as far as the Jordan Valley, the likely reach of Philistines or their ancestors, whether that solely cultural or also political reach, was larger than the areas usually considered to have been under their rule.

Borders didn't really exist in the modern sense during this period nor long afterwards. When one moved away from political centres, their power was slowly diluted the farther one went and in the end intermingled with those of other polities. Even geographical landmarks were at best nominal lines of political control, subject to lose their meaning based on almost seasonal warfare.

Most people ending up living under the core area of now considered to have been Philistines would have likely been descended from pre-Philistine populations, who would have been with time mixed with the 'ethnic' Philistines whose genetic contribution would have been slowly diluted. The same effect as later in Hellenization would have been at work.

Like political 'borders', also identities could have been fluid. People buried in the graves in the cemetery just outside Ashkelon (and just outside besieged Gaza Strip, where Philistines also were present based on archaeological evidence) could have considered them 'Philistines'. It might have been their only identity, but it might not have.


3
The effect we are talking about was probably at work even earlier. 


The Philistines are considered to have been descendants of the Sea Peoples, and based on aspects of their material culture, possibly Myceneans from Greece who would have joined the Sea Peoples.


But the Sea Peoples seem to have been a loose alliance of people from a large swath of the lands and islands of the Mediterranean (possibly as far as Sardinia and Sicily) and its quite likely that those ending settled in Palestine after their defeat by Egypt would not have come solely from one source population - and even that source population would have likely been mixed, if that was the case.


4
Mycenean Greeks had both the original inhabitants of mainland Greece, who are largely a mystery to us still, with only a small amount of seemingly Indo-European words left to us from them and the Minoans of Crete (whom they conquered in around 1400 BCE) as their neighbours and subjects. 


'Myceneans' joining Sea Peoples could well have come from Crete. Surviving Linear B tablets show naval activity but can be interpreted in two different ways: Either the Myceneans of Crete were patrolling the coasts in fear of a Sea People attack or they were themselves part of the Sea Peoples in fear of an Egyptian naval force - which, according to Egyptian sources, was supposedly sent to do a retaliatory attack against the Sea Peoples in their homelands.


But if 'Myceneans' from Crete were among the Sea Peoples, by then they were results of two centuries of mixing of Minoan natives (whose writing system they used) and mainland Myceneans, who would themselves have been to some extent mixed with the pre-Greek population which gave them and the later Greeks some of their own gods.


Again we have left with the observation that material culture and ethnicity are not the same thing and is in fact a dangerous connection to make when other evidence is slim.


COINAGE AS A WARNING


If we would not have good written records from Anglo-Saxon England, the coins of king Offa II(757-796) of Mercia with their Islamic texts could be claimed as a sign that he was a Muslim ruler instead of his kingdom's mints just using Islamic coins as models.


In the same manner the mints in the early Muslim Caliphate just copied East Roman coins until the early 8th century when changes in the imagery of East Roman coinage distasteful for the Caliphate is though to have led to the start of minting of independently designed coins. These copied coins, if we would lack written sources, could lead us to consider some kind of East Roman political control over the Caliphate. 


Offa II was not a Muslim, the Caliphate was not under Eastern Roman Empire's political control and we need to approach carefully the idea that the graves in Ashkelon represent 'pure' Philistine material culture and that the bodies in them could hold the 'pure' genetic code of the Philistines and give us clear answer of the origin of the Philistines, allowing us to neatly label them in manner of "Mycenean, Indo-European".


CONCLUSIONS


The graves excavated outside ethnically cleansed Ashkelon in Palestine 1948, just outside besieged Gaza Strip, hold the promise of opening a new window into the history of Palestine outside the limited, constraining scope set by the Bible.


Based on this now have hope that the Philistines can escape the confines of Biblical Archaeology and be studied in the context of their own time and in the larger context of the history of Palestine and the eastern Mediterranean without the shadow of the much later texts of the Bible falling over them and making research on them footnotes on those.


Still, we need to be cautious. What we have are people buried with objects known from Philistine material culture, excavated from a cemetery located in what is considered core Philistine area. We can expect that these people would have considered themselves 'Philistines' but we can't be certain of it nor of that they represent genetically 'pure' Philistines.


They could be 'only' a population that would have adopted Philistine material culture and perhaps identity, as adoption of material culture doesn't necessarily mean accepting an identity with it. More likely we will found out that the remains belong to people with a complex genetic background from possibly greatly varied geographic locations. 


Because of the exceptional circumstances in Palestine, the future study of the genes of the remains in the graves will not be only a scientific, but also a political issue. We can expect politics to play a role the way they will be interpreted by various parties, as political bias has already impacted the reporting of the discovery.


NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT THE DISCOVERY:


Ancient philistine cemetery discovered in Israel could solve one of the Bible’s biggest mysteries
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/ancient-philistine-cemetery-in-israel-could-solve-one-of-the-bible-s-biggest-mysteries-a7129601.html


Archaeologists find first-ever Philistine cemetery in Israel
read more: http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/1.729879
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/archaeology/1.729879


Discovery of Philistine cemetery in Israel could unravel Biblical mystery
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/07/10/Discovery-of-Philistine-cemetery-in-Israel-could-unravel-Biblical-mystery/9151468166178/?spt=su&or=btn_tw


First-ever Philistine cemetery found, offers unique glimpse of Israelites’ biblical enemy
http://www.timesofisrael.com/philistine-cemetery-find-offers-glimpse-of-deaths-and-lives-of-biblical-enemy/


First-Ever Philistine Cemetery Unearthed at Ashkelon
http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/first-ever-philistine-cemetery-unearthed-at-ashkelon/


Has proof been found of Goliath’s people? Cemetery discovered in Israeli city with remains of up to 150 people could help solve biblical mystery 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3683674/The-Philistines-Cemetery-discovered-Israeli-city-remains-150-people-help-solve-biblical-mystery.html#ixzz4E6Yhf8rJ 


Researchers make 'first discovery' of Philistine cemetery
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36759340


Story of Philistines Could Be Reshaped by Ancient Cemetery
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/11/science/possible-philistine-cemetery-discovered.html?_r=0