http://www.timesofisrael.com/anger-fear-permeate-memorial-for-eritrean-victim/
'He fell, and they continued hitting him'
Anger, fear permeate memorial for Eritrean victim
Death of Haftom Zarhum, beaten by mob after he was mistaken for a
terrorist, illuminates deep mistrust of Israelis among migrants
By Melanie Lidman October 21, 2015, 10:33 pm 26
ore than 2,000 people gathered at Tel Aviv’s Levinsky Park on
Wednesday evening to memorialize Haftom Zarhum, an Eritrean man who
was shot and beaten by a crowd after being mistaken for a terrorist
during an attack at the Beersheba bus station on Sunday.
The largely Eritrean crowd wailed as they lit memorial candles for him
and eulogized the 29-year-old, who was in Beersheba to renew his
papers, according to friends.
“He fell, and then they continued hitting him,” said one Eritrean
woman at the memorial, who declined to give her name. “Why hit him?
Because he’s black? Catch him, check his pockets. He’s African, not
Arab. Why would you hit him when he’s down?” the woman asked, bursting
into tears.
Memorial candles at a ceremony on October 21, 2015 to honor Haftom
Zarhum, an Eritrean national who was killed in the Beersheba bus
station attack. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
Zarhum died in the hospital Sunday evening after he was shot by
police, who thought he was a terrorist, and then beaten by an enraged
mob who made the same mistake. Videos from the incident showed him
fleeing the scene, only to be gunned down and then kicked repeatedly
in the head by a crowd in the bus station, who also hurled a bench at
his head as he lay prone on the ground and writhed in pain.
The images crystalized many of the fears that refugees feel during
their daily lives in Israel. “As usual no one cares,” said Haile
Mengisteab, who has been in Israel for five years after fleeing
Eritrea. “I don’t trust anyone…it keeps getting more dangerous,” he
said.
Mengisteab also refuted the forensic pathologist that concluded Zarhum
was killed by the bullets and not by the mob afterwards.
“He didn’t get shot to death. We saw him on the video, he was waving
his hand,” he said. “But even if he’s the terrorist, it doesn’t
matter, he has a right to see a doctor. People stopped him from
getting treatment. We need protection. We need to be protected
regardless of the color of our skin.”
Hundreds attend a memorial ceremony for Haftom Zarhum from Eritrea,
held by the Eritrean asylum seekers community in southern Tel Aviv, on
October 21 2015. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
About 200 Israelis joined the memorial service, which was conducted in
Tigrinya, the national language of Eritrea. The memorial took place in
South Tel Aviv’s Levinsky Park, which has been a hub for migrant
communities.
“Yes, there are a few Israelis here, but 90% of them are bad to us,”
said an Eritrean woman named Yaros.
“It’s disgusting, I just have no words,” said Anat, an Israeli woman
who attended the memorial. “The problem with these things, it’s always
the same [Israelis] who come. The people who are doing the soul
searching [over the lynching] are not the people that need to do the
soul searching.”
“There’s this base of hatred, and everyone is paying the price,” she added.
Mourners light candles on an Eritrean flag as they eulogized Haftom
Zarhum on October 21, 2015. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
Maya Friedman, a 28-year-old teacher, said she was frustrated with the
forensic pathologist report that Zarhum died from the bullet. “That’s
not the purpose of what happened,” she said.
The new findings mean the suspects in the beating cannot be charged
with murder but will instead face charges relating to assault,
aggravated assault, or attacking a helpless individual, Channel 2
reported.
On Wednesday, four people were arrested over the mob attack, including
two members of the Prison Service.
“It’s disgusting that it will alleviate someone’s responsibility,”
added fellow teacher Alon Gal, from Tel Aviv. “It’s hard for me to
believe there’s people who see [the video] and aren’t disturbed,” he
said.
Sr Azezet Kidane, a Comboni Sister originally from Eritrea, lights a
memorial candle for Haftom Zarhum. About 200 Israelis came out to show
their support. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
An IDF soldier, Omri Levy, was also killed and 11 others were injured
in the stabbing and shooting attack at Beersheba’s crowded central bus
station. Police named the terrorist as 21-year-old Muhanad Alukabi of
the Bedouin town of Hura, just east of the city.
“This [lynch] is one of the symptoms of all of the problems in our
society,” said Zohar, another Israeli attending the memorial. “This is
the result. This is not a one-time thing.”
“It’s a microcosm of the whole country,” he added. “One person hates
the other, whether it’s Arab and Jew, or right and left, or Israeli
and migrant. There is so much hatred and we’re always against each
other.”
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report
Received on Thu Oct 22 2015 - 08:47:52 EDT