From Ariela Aharon on Facebook: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Dear Mr. Secretary of State John Kerry, I am Ariela Nechamah Aharon. American, born and raised; arguably the proudest Worcesterite in a 500 mile radius of Jerusalem, Israel, where I volunteer as a first-responder for Israeli organization מגן דוד אדום - Magen David Adom (MDA). On occasion, we will respond to a call in a disputed territory of the West Bank/East Jerusalem, a region where I, in all of my five foot tall female frame, am the oppressor, the dhimmi, and the embodiment of all evil. We enter this territory because there are lives that need saving and it doesnt matter to me and it doesnt matter to Israel that they are not Israeli lives or Jewish lives. It is a stormy night and a call comes in from an arab village. We maneuver the dimly lit and barely paved roads to find the home from which the call originated. I hop off the ambulance, my shoulders saddled with lifesaving gear. I make my way into a small hut. In front of me is a Palestinian man who speaks no Hebrew or English. He struggles to breathe but manages to communicate that he has COPD and has been without oxygen for days. It is obvious that he is in dire need of medical attention. This man is in dire need of medical attention and it is me- the oppressor, the dhimmi, the embodiment of all evil, whom he calls for help. It is I who silently loosens the valve, adjusts his mask, and starts the flow of oxygen. It is I who, unable to make pleasant conversation with him due to the language barrier, sits with him silently in the back of the ambulance while my dhimmi colleague drives us to an Israeli hospital. It is me, it is us, because his (albeit makeshift) government does not guarantee him dependable medical care. Because even though UNRWA shovels billions into this disparate nation every year, they have little to show for it. Because Israeli Arabs are offered the same rights as Israeli Jews, but the same cannot be said for Arabic Jews. The same cannot be said for Arabic Jews because most of us were either driven out of Arab lands or obliterated before we could make it to safety. Because The Red Crescent doesnt always show up, but Magen David Adom does. Still, there have been instances of violence directed at volunteers and employees of Magen David Adom. We have been assaulted and verbally threatened when responding to an emergency call simply because there is a red star of David proudly emblazoned on the backs of our uniforms. In light of current events, it is apparent that the lives of every Israeli are in danger on a daily basis. If one day I am kidnapped while walking down the street or attacked when responding to a call- if I am Hamas next victim- how I will be eulogized by my American government? As a devastating death instead of a despicable and senseless murder? Will It not be sickening to think of an innocent 22 year old girl snatched off the streets and her life stolen from her and her family? Will the land of my birth and the home of my family write me off as another casualty of terrorism rather than a victim of senseless hate? The despicable behavior of many Israelis had me feeling ashamed today. I was angry when I heard of the alleged murder of a boy at the hands of Jew in the Cityish Israelis. But frankly, I was more angry when I saw your response. I sat here thinking about it all and with a little editing, placed your statements side by side. The juxtaposition reminded me of MK Ahmed Tibis angry and sarcastic response to Yaacov Teitel being unfit to stand trial, An Arab who shoots a Jew in Israel is a terrorist, but a Jew who shoots Arabs is insane. MK Tibi made an accurate observation. An Arab who shoots Jews is a terrorist because when boys are kidnapped, the people of Gaza gather in the square and distribute baklava and garinim, singing songs of praise to Allah and declarations of reverence for their brave brothers. Hamas would not claim responsibility for the kidnap and murder of three teenagers, but they stood up and praised the terrorists. They stood up and glorified the kidnappings. Hamas went so far as to encourage more kidnappings of Israelis off the streets. When an Arab is murdered by Jews, the murder is condemned by the Israeli government in the most vehement terms. The men guilty stand trial and serve prison sentences. Contrary to the image that the world is seemingly keen on portraying, the feeling on the streets of Israel is of horror. Of shame. When the news broke of three boys kidnapped, MK Hanin Zouabi excused the events, suggesting that the perpetrators are not terrorists, rather Theyre people who dont see any way to change their reality and they are forced to use these means until Israel will wake up a little, until Israeli citizens and society will wake up and feel the suffering of the other,. In contrast, Bibi Netanyahu condemned the kidnap and murder of a Palestinian boy even before it had been confirmed that the murder was a hate crime. Yesterday, MK Tibi angrily declared that Palestinian blood is equal to Jewish blood and should be treated as such. It seems that you disagree with him, Mr. Secretary of State. It seems that you disagree because the murder of a single Palestinian is murder and warrants the prefacing adjective despicable, but the murder of three Israelis (one of them an American) warrants the term devastating death. Im saddened, Mr. Secretary of State. I am saddened because I have come to the devastating and sickening realization that although my pride has always been in the stars and stripes, it seems that my America the beautiful simply does not value my life. m.state.gov/md228699.htm m.state.gov/md228623.htm
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 20:25:40 +0000
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