Victim-Shaming And Rumor-Mongering Over Teens’ Deaths Fuels Hate Between Israelis And Palestinians

Suha, the mother of Mohammed Abu Khudair, calls him a "good boy," often showing journalists photos of him on her phone playing in the neighborhood, or helping the family around the house. Her family was stunned when Hebrew media outlets began running stories just hours after his death claiming that he had been killed because of his sexual orientation, or because her family was involved in some sort of nefarious feud.

"None of this is true," said Suha, clearly disturbed by the rumors. "They want to say dirty things about our son instead of finding who really killed him."

Israeli news sites, including the right-wing Israel National News, ran stories Wednesday, attributed to unnamed retired police officers, which suggested that Abu Khudair's death was criminal, rather than political. The stories spread quickly on social media sites, despite more prominent news sites running stories with senior Israeli officials, who said that the investigation was focusing on the probability that the murder was political, and not criminal.

"It's a moral deniability. Nobody wants to believe that their people could do such a thing," said Khader Abu Masyr, a resident of the east Jerusalem suburb of Shuafat who knows the Abu Khudair family well. "They would rather come up with excuses than admit a Jewish terrorist did this."

Israeli officials say they are still looking for two suspects, Palestinian residents Marwan Qawashmeh, 29, and Amar Abu Aisha, 32, from Hebron.

In the weeks until the bodies were found, local Palestinian media outlets ran stories which were picked up and spread online suggesting that the kidnapping of the three boys may have been staged, or even a hoax by the boys themselves.

"Many people are saying this is not real, that the boys are probably hiding somewhere, and the Israeli army is using this as an excuse to come in and kill us, to arrest us Palestinians," said Muhammed Katib, a 42-year-old shopkeeper in Hebron. "Show me the evidence that they were kidnapped."

"This is what happens when you don't have a peace process. This is what happens when the two sides only speak in hateful words, and incite their own populations to hate," said Gidon Amit, a 22-year-old student and activist from Jerusalem. "The politicians should be held responsible for the dead children - both Israeli and Palestinian - because instead of encouraging peace they have encouraged hatred."

Writing on his Facebook wall, Israeli activist Gershon Baskin, wrote that he had helped relay messages between Israeli and Palestinian leaders to try and reach a ceasefire between Hamas in Gaza and the Israeli government. He called on local leaders to try and calm tensions.

"Rockets now fired from Gaza to Israel. One Palestinian boy missing, one Palestinian boy beaten by right wing extremists, rioting in East Jerusalem, Friday Ramadan prayers, funeral for murdered Mohammed Abu Khdeir. The street in Israel and Palestine will drive us to hell unless responsible community leaders stop this mentality of hatred and revenge," wrote Baskin.