Victor EzejaThe cost of the United States’ subtle support for Israel in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza has taken a new dimension as a 25-year-old officer of the US Air Force, Aaron Bushnell, has died after setting himself ablaze in protest against what called an act of genocide meted out on Palestinians.
The unfortunate incident happened in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington.
In a video circulating on Social media, the young Air Force officer was seen saying he doesn’t want to be complicit anymore in what he called an act of genocide against Palestine.
He said what he was about to do was extreme but not compared to what people in Palestine were going through in the hands of Israeli forces.
He said: “I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force. I will no longer be complicit in genocide.
” I’m about to engage in an extreme act of protest but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine, at the hands of their colonizers, this is not extreme at all.
“This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.”
After altering the above words, he suddenly poured inflammable liquid that looked like petrol on his body and set himself on fire. While the fire was burning him, he was heard saying “Free Palestine! Free Palestine”. After a few minutes, he collapsed on the ground.
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Some police officers who arrived at the scene shortly after made a frantic effort to rescue him by putting off the fire.
A CNN report quoted a Metropolitan Police Department statement as saying that Bushnell was subsequently transported by Washington DC Fire and emergency services to a local hospital where he died.
Following the terror assaults in Israel on October 7 that claimed 1,200 lives, Israeli authorities have declared war on Hamas in Gaza. Nearly 30,000 people have died in Gaza as a result of the reaction, according to the health ministry.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
