Amira, Come See My Daughter Fighting for Her Life

[shira]

Amira, Come See My Daughter Fighting for Her Life
By Adva Bitton



Amira, come to the intensive care unit, and see my Adele, a three-year-old girl, attached to tubes. Experience with me the difficult trial with which I am coping. Amira, a rock does not distinguish between blood and blood, or between an adult and a three-year-old girl. A rock kills. A rock is a deadly weapon in every way. Three weeks ago, I experienced on my own flesh how a single rock has caused the life of an entire family to be turned upside down.

I believe in the value of life. Life is the most sacred thing, irrespective of race, religion, or gender. Today, having spent three weeks in an ICU, I am surrounded only by people who are fighting for life and helping one another. The paramedic who first reached our car, who saw us crushed under the truck, is a young Arab man. He came and started his sacred work. He didn't utter lofty, hollow words like yours, words that kill. He simply saved lives.

I agree with you, Amira, that everyone is entitled to his or her freedom. Arab and Jew. I agree with you that we must all strive for liberty, but there is no one in the world who will achieve freedom and liberty by deadly weapons. There is no reason in the world that Adele, my three-year-old daughter, should be lying in an ICU, attached to tubes and fighting for her life, and there is no reason, Amira, that you should encourage it. Why must my Adele pay this price? Has she had a chance to cause anyone harm in the three years she has been alive?

I invite you, Amira: Come to the ICU, and experience with me the difficult trial with which I am coping. But I don't really recommend that you put yourself in my place, hearing the screams of your daughters from within the smashed car, remaining in full consciousness and experiencing your own helplessness, your inability to move and help them. Seeing your three-year-old daughter fighting for her life, without the ability to influence her condition.

I work as a lecturer. I have quite a few Arab students whom I teach, and during this difficult time they have been coming to the hospital every day. They say, "we are praying for Adele," and it doesn't matter to me if the prayer is in Arabic or in Hebrew. Their prayer is comprised of words, as well, but words that come from the heart and are capable of prolonging life. Your words, Amira, are horrific words of incitement. Words that encourage the cutting off of life.

http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART2/457/572.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_160661604093678_458378_160697407423431#f7718bee

https://www.facebook.com/notes/avi-mayer/adva-bitton-writes-to-amira-hass/10151394333898717

http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/04/04/mother-of-girl-injured-by-stone-throwing-responds-to-haaretz-come-to-the-intensive-care-unit-and-see-my-adele/

[GeoWilliam750]

1. No one should have to visit their child - or family, friend, anyone - in intensive care for anything

Have you, Shira, visited the Palestinians beaten to near death on the streets of Tel Aviv for just being - not Jewish, or the Arab waiter who was beaten viciously because he removed the mayonaisse too soon? Have you visited the parents of Arab children shot dead by snipers?

Violence is wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

It is wrong when it is perpetrated against innocent Jews. It is also wrong when perpetrated against innocent Arabs. Why do you not condemn violence against Arabs? It would give you greater moral ground for your cause. Or is it possible you believe that Arabs simply deserve it?

[shira]

2. You don't seem to get Amira Hass of Haaretz is calling for violence....

No one on this board calls for mindless violence against Palestinian innocents.

But that's exactly what Hass is calling for vs. Israeli civilians.

Got it?

[Israeli]

3. did you get it ?

ah, if only our Right wing would " get it " .... what a wonderful world it could be .

Violence is never legitimate

by Yossi Beilin

Haaretz columnist Amira Hass was highly critical of the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday, accusing it of shirking its duty to educate Palestinian children on the various forms of resistance against Israel. According to Hass, rock throwing "is the core sentence in the inner syntax of Palestinians in this land." By being resigned to the occupation, she laments, the Palestinian Authority has put itself at odds with the Palestinian people. Quite an accusation.

I hold Amira Hass in high regard. She is a very courageous woman. She does not fear being in the minority. Despite constantly being criticized, she has remained true to her convictions. But her column on Wednesday was both surprising and disappointing. Not just because rock-throwing is not a solution to the Palestinian problem, but also because unlike a U.N. statehood bid or a call on Palestinian construction workers not to work at settlements, rock throwing is not a legitimate means of protest.

Hass was wrong to claim that those who are under occupation have a "birthright and a duty" to engage in rock-throwing attacks. Throwing stones is a violent act that may kill or maim. Hass believes that a distinction should be made "between civilians and those who carry arms, between children and those in uniform," but she does not provide specifics on how to differentiate those targets. This is particularly the case at night.

A moral person cannot come out with such statements and has no right criticizing the Palestinian Authority for not encouraging such actions. Such statements are also unwise.

Having endured the Rabin assassination, the pro-peace camp was dealt its most crushing blow when the Second Intifada broke out, just as Israelis and Palestinians were holding their most serious talks to date. We in the pro-peace camp could never quite explain why former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's provocative tour of the Temple Mount was used by the Palestinians to justify the intifada and the violence. Should a third intifada erupt, those who will pay the price are the peaceniks on both sides (as will the actual casualties who would be directly affected by the violence).

Don’t go overboard, Amira. The two sides could eventually reach a settlement. But this vision will be realized when leaders make the decision to strike a deal, not by means of rock throwing. As U.S. President Barack Obama said, the leaders won't go there unless their people demand that they do so. Those who believe in peace have no right to preach violence. Or encourage throwing stones, for that matter.

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=3909