Thread by @HediViterbo

A court in the U.S. recently commuted the sentence of an Israeli diplomat's son.

Why? Because he's joining the Israeli military.

This reveals a lot about the U.S. and Israeli legal systems.

A thread 🧵

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#Palestine #Palestinians

The Israeli, who lives in Florida, was convicted of intentionally running over a police officer with his motorcycle and causing him incapacitating injuries.

He also has two previous run-ins with the local police:



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But the 19-year-old Israeli told the Florida court:

"I have chosen to serve in the … [Israeli] military. I am looking forward to the … discipline that I will learn".



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According to the Israeli media, he "managed to avoid prison in an unusual plea deal".

His statement about serving in the Israeli military is what "led the prosecution to agree to a plea deal":



4/13 ynet.co.il/news/article/r…

In Israel, for many years, courts have been similarly commuting the sentences of Israelis because of their military service.

This includes Israelis who assault #Palestinians.

Let's have a look at four examples, which are also examined here:


5/13 cambridge.org/gb/universityp…

In 2017, two Israeli settler youths admitted to throwing stones at Palestinian cars. But the court didn't convict them.

Why? Because of "their wish to enlist and serve in a combat unit". The court added: "A conviction might obstruct [their] recruitment to a combat unit".

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In 2018, a 17-year-old Israeli settler admitted to throwing stones at a Palestinian journalist's car and hitting it. But the Israeli court didn't convict him.

Why? Because he was enlisted to a military religious program (known as "Hesder").

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That same year, an Israeli police officer was convicted of assaulting two Palestinian citizens of Israel. But he was spared imprisonment.

Why? Because of his "military service as a combat soldier", especially his participation in Israel's 2014 military assault on #Gaza.

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In 2015, a 17-year-old Israeli settler was caught on video holding a knife, punching and kicking an Israeli human rights activist, and hitting him with stones.

But he was given a lenient sentence.

Why? Because of his "desire to enlist in the IDF".

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In contrast, #Palestinians stand no chance of receiving such lenient sentences if they break Israeli law:





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Similarly, in the U.S., Black, Latino, and Native American youths in trouble with the law are punished more severely than their White counterparts:





11/13 cambridge.org/core/journals/…
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.117…

Diverting people away from prison can be a good thing, generally speaking.

But as we've seen, in both Israel and the U.S., this leniency is racialized - and it also facilitates Israeli state violence against #Palestinians.

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For more information about the links between Israeli and U.S. state violence – see here:



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