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ately, the country and the world have been watching the frequent killing of Afro-American men by police officers. Americans are watching an increasing number of events in which police are seen using excessive force and unnecessary using lethal weapons to kill. The data clearly show that victims are disproportionally poor, Afro-American and Hispanic.

I suggest the militarization of US police forces is one of the contributing factors for this trend. The militarization has happened in the transfer of sophisticated military weapons to police and the teaching of military tactics for use during terrorist attacks. The story of the Homeland Security Department transferring surplus military equipment to police forces is well documented. It has also made funds available to train officers in military tactics. What is not commonly known is the training of our police in Israel.

They were taught the brutal Israeli tactics of shooting first and then asking questions and assuming the targets are enemies. In effect, Israeli exported its brutal massacre tactics, which it had successfully used to kill thousands of Palestinians over the last 70 years, to the US.

Mazin Qumsiyeh of Bethlehem University in occupied Palestine has documented the export of brutal Israeli tactics to US police forces. In a recent article this Christian American writes, and I quote:

“The militarization of the US police forces must end and be reversed now. Police should become community policing and reflective of the diversity of the communities [...] The Israel lobby should be at least registered as a foreign lobby and curbed when it undermines US interests.”

Oostur Raza
Gilroy, California