Al Bawaba exclusive: Israeli woman saves Palestinian boy from IDF guns
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In the midst of the violence in Sunday’s Jersualem Day parade, there was a glimmer of hope for the region when an Israeli woman helped defend an 8-year-old Palestinian from the army’s guns.
Sahar Vardi is an Israeli 21-year-old student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and long time pro-Palestine activist. She was supporting the small Palestinian protest outside Damascus Gate when she first saw the boy.
Here she speaks exclusively to Al Bawaba about her experiences that day:
“There was a small Palestinian demonstration at the same time as the parade, just to tell people that this is not an empty city that they [the paraders] are entering.
The boy himself was holding a Palestinian flag and a settler tried to take it away from him. He wouldn’t give it to him so an Israeli border policeman was chasing this boy around the Old City.
He [the policeman] literally had fire in his eyes and was grabbing and kicking at him.”
At this point, Vardi felt like she had to step in and the pictures of her helping the boy have been viewed by millions on the internet.
“I just tried to stop the policeman from kicking him. Really it was about being in the right place at the right time.
For me the parade has a very clear aim: to come into an empty Old City and claim sovereignity over the whole of East Jerusalem. The message is ‘here is something that is ours’”
At the big stage by the Wailing wall, Vardi said she heard speakers talk of "taking back" East Jerusalem and even cities like Nablus and Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
For her, it’s vital that Israelis protest for Palestinians:
“It’s our responsibility to help and protest because it’s our government and our taxes that implement these policies.” She said.
By Helen Brooks
How important is it for Israelis to go to pro-Palestine protests? Have your say below.
© 2012 Al Bawaba (Albawaba.com) Rate Article:
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F****** israiels they shud hav to stop all this bloodshed crazy people it is not acceptable in the society,they should have to change themselves...
Enoch (surname Powell by any chance?) says: "Israel belongs to the Jewish people has always been, and will remain our forever". Well, I think it is shameful to read fascist-style dogma like that from a fellow Jew.
Far too many of these comments seem to ignore the fact that there is a difference between oppressor and oppressed, occupier and occupied. Would people dare make these mealy-mouthed comments (as though this is a dispute between two balanced positions) if they were applying their arguments to, for example, the Warsaw Ghetto?
The fact is both Israelis and Palestinians need to let go of the hate that has defined generations of their coexistence! It doesn't matter if Israelis claim Palestine was never a state or Palestinians that Israel was never a state, they both are now and there is no reversing that.
@ Enoch ;
Here what i dont understand, There was never an Israel, NEVER. Now they are claiming their land back, CAN the red skins and Mexicans can do the same and ask the USA the same? Can the Iranians ask for all of Asia?
When will it stop being about this religion or that country or this political view and start being about HUMAN BEINGS?
Violence is violence, if you want to fight, find a match, if not communicate effectively, or your children, brothers, sisters and relatives will continue dying before and afar from you.
Division is defeat, death is freedom, life is a struggle. to fear death is to harbor guilt and sin.
The past is the past, now is now, the future is not today but tomorrow.
I walked the hardest paths, one after the other, to be reborn and found the same but changed and charged with strength beyond strength. I have been cursed with this blessings because there are not enough people like that woman and that child in the world.
Balance is the only solution for now, not gradual change, segmented chunks of current reality must be utterly changed. I see a slow start and scores of cowards.
Sun Tzu dreamed of a bloodless victory, now is the age of the upright outright, or total annihilation and we either get it right as a planet or we will feel the wrath of out collective creator with the wrath of the SUN itself. who wants to become apart of a white dwarf star?
We are all the same, the sooner we realize this the sooner we can simply talk, and put emotions and the energy that drives us every day to proggressive use.
Even a child who does nothing but play video games KNOWS FOR FACT, if you stand still you will die, and watch the world move past you.
We are both children of the same father Abraham; branches from the same root. If we stop demonizing each other and start to work from a place of open curiosity and humble desire to learn from each other's traditions, then perhaps we can start to mend the ancient fences. Let's share our music, our food, educate our children to love and not to hate. Let's get rid of "us and them" and start with "we".
Israel belongs to the Jewish people has always been, and will remain our forever
Palestinians are an invented nation that did not exist, not even recognized by the Islamic faction, the name Filastin gave to Israeli land by the Romans as punishment for the revolt of Bar Kochba, the reference was to the people "Plishtim" who invaded the area of Israel before Islam and Christianity.
So...in this case...All Americans out of the country that bellong to Native Americans....and All European people get out of Europe also all Nordic States......as I am a descendant of Kelts and I am telling you, that my God told me yeaturday that he want me to unite all land that belonged to Kelts......so my dear friends.....all out ! U are not welcome. Does it satisfy you? you selfish lying prick!!!!!!Palestine was there before you Jews came from all over Europe to find a place to live as you did not have any.....Wake up u lunetics!!!!!
Excellent point! Everyone should just go back to where they came from - Americans, Australians back to Europe, Africans back to Africa, Chinese back to China, South Asians back to South Asia... And if they refuse, we'll need to use ethnic cleansing - whatever it takes! But hang on, what about the people the Israelites kicked out when they arrived in Israel. Maybe the Jewish people need to go back home to Egypt?
Enoch, with all due respect, yours is a really poor argument. Regardless of what people were called, (Palestinian) families have lived in the areas you are talking about for hundreds if not thousands of years. They are as entitled as Americans, Indians, Chinese etc all over the world to call their homes home.
Wow is all I can say. She is a jew and an Israeli jew at that, Kudos and admiration. I only hope she doesn't get into trouble for this.
hurt people hurt people!!! especially when they will not let go of the pAST!..A Leason for all oppresive societies...
Once again humans acting on emotional instinct. This system of hate and despair has shadowed humanity for a long time. I'm not a Palestine or Israeli supporter, both sides need to come up with some sort of agreement(s). I'm sure we are all aware that this dispute started a long time ago, but systematic racism and ignorance has diseased the Israeli and Palestine government. I'm not sure if peace will ever be restored completely but something needs to be done to make sure innocent lives are not put at risk. Yes innocent cusualties will always occur in war but much can be done to minimize the numbers. Neither the Israeli government or the Palestine government should retaliate with violence and hate but it just seems these two groups will never stand down. Brother versus brother, blood, fire and steel.I wonder which path we will take.
