I’m confused by a Palestinian mother’s reaction to the death of her child as I read with deepest sadness the Israeli newspaper headlines: “Palestinian Man Stabs and Kills 13-year-old Israeli Girl Asleep in Her West Bank Home.”1 What? The victim’s name is Hillel Yaffe Ariel, from Kiryat Arba, a West Bank settlement.2 A Palestinian nineteen-year-old had crept into her home and butchered her, stabbing her to death as she lay sleeping. An affront even more insidious because we all want to believe that we are safe in our own homes. A settlement security guard, responding to the attack who had been alerted by the electronic system that was triggered when the assailant hurdled over the fence was also wounded in the attack.
The attacker’s name was Mohammad Tra’ayra, from a Palestinian village close to her home.3 A boy, not much older than his victim, planned and carried out this vicious, cold-blooded attack. In the days before he acted on his vile plan, he had made posts praising recent terrorists, calling one Palestinian woman a martyr whose “name is exalted, you’re free and Jerusalem is proud of you.”4 The paper claimed that his relatives and friends knew that his posts had changed since his cousin had been killed after carrying out another car ramming terrorist attack.5
The murdered Jewish girl’s mother eulogized her beautiful daughter at the funeral, “Halleli, look around at everyone who has gathered… to eulogize a flower. A pure soul. I was privileged to have given birth to you 13 and a half years ago. You turned me into a mother,” Rena said, adding as she looked heavenward: “God, I am returning this deposit to you, but know that it is crowded up there. I am begging that Hallel will be the last sacrifice. Take care of her. I returned her to you. My job has ended.”6 May the Memory of her daughter be a Blessing.
Her words were heart-breaking, as a mom, as a parent, I could understand what she said. Then she turned her words to the Palestinian mothers, “I am standing here and turning to you, Arab mother. I raised my daughter to love, and you raised your son to hate and sent him out to commit murder. We are strong. We will not break. All of Islam won’t break us.”7
Her words were not just lashing out in theory about this Palestinian mother’s beliefs. In fact this Palestinian mother was quoted in the paper as saying, “My son is a hero. He made me proud. My son died as a Martyr defending Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, he [my son] has joined the Martyrs before him, and he is not better than them. Allah willing, all of them will follow his path, all of the youth of Palestine. Allah be Praised.”8 What? It’s hard to believe and I can’t understand these words – extolling and wanting more violence from Palestinian children and the belief that it’s committed as a holy act. What environment creates this reality that a mother can think the death of her son is a good thing, inviting others to hear the call?
Next I read what was reported on the Palestinian side of the news. “We are officially announcing the death of the youth, Muhammed Nasser Taraiyre, 19, from the town of Bani Naim, after the occupation fired on him near the settlement of Charsina northeast of Hebron.” Hey wait, what about the fact that he killed the little girl, and then he was killed? The “Palestinian Media Watch, the official Facebook page of PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction promptly posted a picture of Taraiyre and declared him a “shahid” — martyr.”9 What this all means is that now his family will receive their “salaries” for having killed this innocent child. By the way, where does the money come from for these payments? It’s too disgusting to think about now, maybe next blog.
I need to open a window and let a breath of fresh air blow into my soul. For now, I will close with the writings of a Muslim woman who sees the world with her heart and eyes wide open. Her name is Nadiya Al- Noor. She wrote in her recent blog entitled “Palestinian terrorism and Muslim hypocrisy: An open letter from a Muslim woman,” she writes: “Why do we decry all other types of terrorism, but bend over backwards to legitimize violence against Israeli Jews? We blame it on “Zionism.” We blame it on “occupation.” We blame it on “apartheid.” We lap up the tired, anti-Semitic lies fed to us by Al-Jazeera: “Israelis cut off the water supply!” “Israelis are going to destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque!” We’re not even willing to admit that Israel is a country. We call it “Palestine.” We refuse to call violence against Israelis “terrorism,” and we hypocritically scream, “Resistance is not a crime!”
“Let me tell you something. Stabbing pregnant women in the stomach is not “resistance.” Shooting people at a cafe is not “resistance.” Driving your car into pedestrians is not “resistance.” Bombing a bus is not “resistance.” Breaking into a woman’s home and murdering her in front of her children is not “resistance.” And stabbing a little girl to death in the one place where she was supposed to be safe is certainly not “resistance.” Terrorism is not resistance. Terrorism is an unjustifiable crime.”10
So there it is, a Muslim voice of reason amidst what’s often termed the “silent majority.” Thank you Ms. Nadiya Al-Noor. May you live and be well. You give us hope in the midst of absurdity and horror.
Another day of learning. Come Join Me On My Journey…
Footnotes:
1 Chaim Levinson, Gili Cohen and Ido Efrati, “Palestinian Man Stabs and Kills 13-year-old Israeli Girl Asleep in Her West Bank Home,” Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.728013, June 30, 2016.
2 Chaim Levinson, Gili Cohen and Ido Efrati, “Palestinian Man Stabs and Kills 13-year-old Israeli Girl Asleep in Her West Bank Home,” Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.728013, June 30, 2016.
3 Chaim Levinson, Gili Cohen and Ido Efrati, “Palestinian Man Stabs and Kills 13-year-old Israeli Girl Asleep in Her West Bank Home,” Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.728013, June 30, 2016.
4 Chaim Levinson, Gili Cohen and Ido Efrati, “Palestinian Man Stabs and Kills 13-year-old Israeli Girl Asleep in Her West Bank Home,” Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.728013, June 30, 2016.
5 Chaim Levinson, Gili Cohen and Ido Efrati, “Palestinian Man Stabs and Kills 13-year-old Israeli Girl Asleep in Her West Bank Home,” Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.728013, June 30, 2016.
6 “Hundreds Gather at Funeral of 13-Year-Old Israeli Girl Butchered in Bed by Palestinian Terrorist; Mother Asks God to Watch Over Her Daughter,” The Algemeiner, June 30, 2016.
7 “Hundreds Gather at Funeral of 13-Year-Old Israeli Girl Butchered in Bed by Palestinian Terrorist; Mother Asks God to Watch Over Her Daughter,” The Algemeiner, June 30, 2016.
8 “Hundreds Gather at Funeral of 13-Year-Old Israeli Girl Butchered in Bed by Palestinian Terrorist; Mother Asks God to Watch Over Her Daughter,” The Algemeiner, June 30, 2016.
9 “Hundreds Gather at Funeral of 13-Year-Old Israeli Girl Butchered in Bed by Palestinian Terrorist; Mother Asks God to Watch Over Her Daughter,” The Algemeiner, June 30, 2016.
10 Nadiva Al- Noor, “Palestinian terrorism and Muslim hypocrisy: An open letter from a Muslim woman,” The Times of Israel, July 1, 2016.
Comments
One response to “Israel’s Reality – Girl Butchered in Bed by Palestinian Young Man and his Mom Celebrates”
Very important post. The world needs to hear more Muslim voices and leaders such as Navida Al-Noor decry the violence embraced and exalted by too many religious fanatics. The violence is against the teachings of the Koran, every bit as much as it is against the teachings of the Old and New Testaments. (Which also proscribe a lot of violence – just like the Koran).
I was thrilled to see the published statement by many Muslim leaders and organizations in the aftermath of the Pulse Nightclub murders in Orlando. That was the first time I have seen such a widespread and unified statement of Condemnation of Terrorism.
Good work, Penny Tee.
Write on! Get this article in the hands of Bill Maher.