TEENAGER KILLED IN DISPUTED CIRCUMSTANCES IN OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM'S ABU DIS

Last night in occupied East Jerusalem's Abu Dis Mohammad Nabil Halabiyya, his age given in different circumstances between 16-18, died near Israeli occupation military outpost in disputed circumstances. Israel's occupation forces stopped Palestinian medics from reaching him.

MOLOTOV COCKTAIL?

Israeli occupation has put out an odd claim that the teenager would have "tried to plant a Molotov cocktail" and that the bottle used in it would have "exploded prematurely", which would have "severely mutilated him due to the blast".

As you can see, the description above doesn't sound at all like a Molotov cocktail. We assume Mohammed Halabiyya might have somehow suffered wounds from pieces of glass, but on a photograph showing him after his death his face, only part of his body clearly seen in photographs, shows no damage.

If a Molotov cocktail bottle would have been broken as Halabiyaa held it in his hands, we would assume that his face would have suffered burn injuries. Even if it would have been concealed by a piece of cloth etc.

But there is no evidence of a fire in the blurry photograph showing his body on the scene. So the the claim of a Molotov cocktail, we believe, can be closed out.

HOMEMADE BOMB?

Another Israeli occupation claim that sounds more likely, but perhaps partly because its vagueness leaves so much room for interpretation, is that the teenager would have had a "bomb hidden inside his clothes", apparently without suicide bombing being meant. One Palestinian news source mentions "homemade bomb", apparently based on Israeli occupation sources.

The use of a bomb - of whatever kind - would represent a new development in the uprising in on the part of East Jerusalem and West Bank.

The only photograph showing his body on the scene of his death is already blurry and his likely wounds have been further blurred by the media agency which published it. The blurred parts seem to indicate injuries to both hands, abdomen and left thigh.

There's no indication that there would have been explosion from inside his clothes based on what we can see, as bad as the photograph is. If something exploded, it would have exploded while held in hands, at waist level.

SHOT?

One Palestinian claim repeated in several news sources is that Mohammed Halabiyya would have been shot by Israel's occupation soldiers. Without seeing his wounds, its impossible to choose between the competing claims.

The only photograph showing his body on the scene of his death is already blurry and his likely wounds have been further blurred by the media agency which published it. The blurred parts seem to indicate injuries to both hands, abdomen and left thigh.

ISRAELI GRENADE?

One explanation, which hasn't been brought up anywhere else, is the explosion of a military grenade beside him. It could fit his apparent wounds, but is a remote possibility.

CONCLUSION

Its possible that he might have had a Molotov cocktail - but we can assume that one which didn't start a fire next to him - or a "bomb", and was shot while holding one, but he might also be a victim of just another killing excused with a fabricated story.

The idea that a Halabiyya would have made a simple homemade bomb on his own is, of course, not that far-fetched. The cruelty of the daily oppression can make people of all ages seek ways to counter the occupation violence. The existence of the internet brings all sorts of, more and less "trustworthy" material available to wide audiences, as governments have complained for the last two decades.

What we do know for certainty is that Mohammed Nabil Halabiyya, no matter the exact circumstances of his death, is another victim of the brutal Israeli occupation, his entire short life being lived under it, without him ever being free in his own land and in his own home city.

SOURCES:

Palestinian Teen Killed In Abu Dis
http://www.imemc.org/article/74708

Palestinian teen killed overnight in an alleged attempt to throw Molotov cocktail
http://english.pnn.ps/…/palestinian-teen-killed-overnight-…/

Un nouveau martyr palestinien à Abu Dis
http://french.palinfo.com/site/pages/details.aspx…