Fake Photo of Handcuffed Palestinian Convict Caught online
by Zach Pontz
A photo allegedly of recently deceased Palestinian convict Maysara Abu Hamdiya was flagged by the IDF this week. The IDF blog writes:
“Hamdiya suffered from cancer, and the allegation is that he did not receive the medical treatment he needed. The photo shows him handcuffed to a hospital bed and insinuates that he received cruel, inhumane treatment during his prison sentence.
“The Israeli Prison Services spokeswoman, Sivan Weizman, explained that the prison had taken all the necessary precautions for Abu Hamdiya’s health, including transferring him to a prison closer to hospital facilities should he need them.”
The photo being circulated online purports to show Hamdiya handcuffed to a hospital bed. However, upon further inspection it was determined that the photo was manipulated and the hand was taken from a photo of a hospitalized Syrian rebel fighter.
Hamdiya, 64, a retired Palestinian general, had been in Israeli prisons since 2002 and was serving a life sentence for his involvement in an attempt to bomb a Jerusalem cafe. His death set off protests in the West Bank.