In the United States, a soldier died after setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington – Liberation.

It was his last wish “Free Palestineis” 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington on Sunday, February 25. The act was filmed live, during which he posed as a “Active Member of the US Air Force”, Aimed at protesting the deaths of Palestinian civilians in Gaza in the IDF’s military response to the Hamas massacre on October 7. The quick intervention of firefighters was not enough to save him. According to an American Air Force spokesman, the young man died of his injuries on Monday, February 26, before confirming that he was indeed serving in the Army Corps. © 2020. He holds the position of Cyber ​​Defense Operations Specialist at SAN. Antonio, Texas.

“My act is not extreme at all”

Shortly before 1pm on Sunday, the young American launched a live video on the Twitch platform: Dressed in a military uniform, with a young face and a determined voice, he explains that… he ends his days so that he doesn’t have any more. . “Associates to Genocide”. It advertises to Internet users who are viewing it that it is ready to do so “Extreme Act of Resistance” : “Compared to what Palestinians suffer at the hands of settlers, my act is not extreme at all.” Arriving in front of the building’s entrance, he calmly choreographs it: puts down his phone, douses himself with gasoline, puts on his cap, lights his lighter, and sets his pants on fire. Before collapsing to the ground, he screams three times in pain: “Free Palestine.”

For about a minute, Aaron Bushnell is consumed. In the video, two police officers approach, one of them pointing his gun at him while the other shouts: “I don’t need weapons but fire extinguishers!”

According to New York PostThe young man shared a link to his video in a Facebook post that sums up his thoughts: “Many of us like to ask ourselves: “What would I have done if I had lived during slavery? Or Jim Crow laws in the South? Or during apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide? The answer is that it already is. right now” Authorities said Monday that intelligence agencies and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are still working with Washington City Police to investigate the episode and the specific motives for the soldier’s burning.

Tribute

The young man’s death comes in a context where resentment against the United States’ support for Israel is intensifying. As international calls for a cease-fire grow, the Israeli embassy in Washington has become a symbolic site for activists to protest. On Monday evening, a few dozen demonstrators gathered in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington to pay tribute to Aaron Bushnell. The burning of the young soldier echoes a similar act in late 2023. On December 1, a man set himself on fire in front of the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, Georgia, in the southern United States to protest the Israeli occupation. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, about 30,000 people have been killed.