The parents of former Berkeley tree-sitter Tristan Anderson, who was critically injured during a protest against the security fence in the West Bank, held a press conference March 23 in Jerusalem, 10 days after their son reportedly was hit by a tear gas shell fired by Israeli anti-riot forces.
Nancy and Mike Anderson of Grass Valley said their son, an Oakland resident, never presented a threat to anyone and demanded that the State of Israel take responsibility for their son, who remains in critical condition.
The Israel Defence League reported that the dozens of Israelis, Palestinians and foreigners took part in the demonstration, during which they trespassed into closed military areas and threw stones at the forces. The forces returned fire using crowd dispersal mechanisms.
The parents explained their son’s reason for coming to Israel, saying that he wished to observe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the side. They said that he met his girlfriend in Israel and planned on traveling in Israel with her for a few months.
Nancy Anderson claimed that firing at peace activists is “simply horrible.” She said that she does not hold a grudge against the soldier who fired the shell, but feels a deep sense of injustice for the lack of responsibility taken for the incident. She said no one ever called to express sorrow or regret, leaving the family in shock and fear.
Tristan Anderson has undergone three head surgeries since the incident. Last week, dozens of activists demonstrated in Tel Aviv against what they claimed is the IDF’s excessive use of force against weekly demonstrators in the village of Naalin, where Anderson was hurt. — ynetnews.com