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Israel soldiers suffocate, arrest peaceful Palestinian protesters

Israeli forces raided the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem for the second night on Tuesday, physically assaulting residents and solidarity protesters

May 5, 2021 at 1:31 pm

Israeli forces arrested at least three Palestinians after a solidarity protest was held in support of the residents of occupied East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, who are facing imminent eviction.

During the arrests, Israeli occupation soldiers were captured on camera kneeling on the necks of the Palestinian protesters. One of the protesters was heard crying out: “I can’t breathe. You are suffocating me.” The scene has been likened to the murder of 46-year-old Black American George Floyd who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes as he gasped for breath.

Israel has come under repeated condemnation for allowing its military to kneel on the necks of Palestinians. It has previously said its military acts “with restraint” in such situations.

Following Floyd’s death, it was revealed that the US police force responsible for his death received training in anti-terror tactics from Israeli officers.

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