Israel to compensate family of British filmmaker killed by IDF

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Five years after British filmmaker James Miller was fatally shot by Israel Defense Forces troops in the Gaza Strip, Israel is poised to pay the family some NIS 12 million in compensation.

In return, the British government will close the case and rescind its intention to ask that the soldiers involved in the incident be extradited.

According to a government source, serious progress has recently been made between the Miller family and Israeli authorities. The Millers had persistently asked for a sum of over 3 million pounds sterling but recently agreed to settle for half. In the wake of deliberations involving the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, Finance Ministry and the IDF, Israeli authorities decided to accept the Millers' proposal."

<snip>

"Miller was killed while filming a documentary in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, on the border with Egypt. According to Alrahman Abdallah, a freelance journalist who accompanied Miller as his translator, the photographer was shot as he tried to exit a Rafah house while holding a white flag. A British inquiry, in part based on evidence from the video recording of the incident, showed that Miller was shot in the neck by an IDF patrol.

At the time the IDF expressed its sorrow for Miller's death and said that "the entry of photographers into war zones during exchanges of fire endangers both sides." However, according to eyewitnesses, there had been calm in the area at the time of the shooting.

Initially, the IDF suggested that Miller had been killed by Palestinians. Yet, ballistic tests carried out on behalf of Miller's family showed that IDF troops killed Miller, and the Military Advocate General ordered an investigation into the killing. Following a lengthy investigation, it was decided in March 2005 not to press criminal charges against those involved because of insufficient evidence. The commander of the Israeli force that shot and killed Miller faced disciplinary proceedings for illegal use of firearms, but was exonerated."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/976739.html

[subsuelo]

1. while this is a good thing, no doubt

One has to wonder - what if James Miller was a Palestinian?

[Shaktimaan]

2. small silver lining...

I actually think this is a good example of how Israel is not as racist as everyone says they are.

Much has been made of the fact that Israel protected this member of the IDF who shot the journalist. Now I am not defending this action, it seems clear that the journalist was murdered and Israel did not do an honest or thorough investigation.

BUT, it is interesting that the protection that Israel offered this soldier was not less than what they offer all of their soldiers in similar situations. I'd like to think that Israel does not initiate cover-ups for every soldier who murders an innocent civilian, but I realize they do so often. This practice is not by any means limited to Israel, it is common for every nation to automatically try and protect its men and women in uniform regardless of whether they are guilty of crimes against civilians. I am not defending this practice, merely acknowledging it in order to make a tertiary point about racism within Israeli society.

The fact that Israel was willing to expend so much political goodwill and endure so much bad PR just to protect this one soldier speaks positively of progress Israel has made in terms of stemming racism within its own borders, (or at least within the IDF ranks.) Yes, this is cold comfort in an altogether hideous case, I realize that. I just thought that the fact that Israel would attempt to protect an Arab soldier (however undeservedly) with the same rigor as a Jewish one demonstrates progress regarding internal anti-arab racism.

[Scurrilous]

3. Family sue over Gaza film death

"The family of an award-winning British film maker shot dead in Gaza are beginning their civil action against the Israeli government.

At a preliminary hearing in Tel Aviv, documentary evidence relating to the death of James Miller will be submitted as part of the family's attempt to "settle both our demands for justice and to some extent recompense our loss".

An inquest jury at London's St Pancras Coroner's Court unanimously returned an unlawful killing verdict in April 2006. Mr Miller posthumously won the Rory Peck Award for his unfinished final film, Death In Gaza."

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ixN55ezKzAyRKElFUCLKyPEw7jmw