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The Palestinian state |
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By Andre Oboler, ZOTW special
It's tragic. A little boy in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong toy. Only this little boy paid for it with his life. And still the "situation" goes on. This boy's contribution is not as the spark for another wave of violence, but rather a contribution to save life. To bring peace.
A 12 year old boy, Ahmed Ismail Khatib, was shot by an IDF soldier and later died in an Israeli hospital as doctors fought to save him. He was killed at the end of Ramadan, when Palestinian Children generally buy toy guns and other presents. He was killed while holding his M16 assault rifle - a plastic toy. The soldiers who shot him were being shot at after pursuing an Islamic Jihad terrorist (Husam Jarradat) through the streets of Jenin. Ahamed was shot when soldiers fired amongst youth who were shooting and throwing stones at the soldiers. The Israeli Defence Force called the shooting a tragedy and Israeli hospital staff struggled to save him.
Ahmed Ismail Khatib died from his wounds. His parents decided to donate his heart, lung, kidneys and liver to help save other children. His Uncle Khatib said "If it goes to Jews or Arabs, it doesn't matter to us." He explained that valuing and saving life was the Muslim way, "This is part of our culture. As Muslims, we can tell the world that we're not terrorists".
Ahmed’s father said that "Israeli children are our children... we are doing this because we believe in peace." Hopefully other children’s lives can be saved as a result of this death. Both from the transplants and from the realisation of the sheer stupidity of the fighting. The people and especially the children need to drop the guns and learn to live and let live.
Return to pages on the Palestinian state
Growing up Palestinian in the Israeli "Occupation" - Sarah El-Shazly, December 18, 2004
The Twilight Zone - Sarah El-Shazly, January 8, 2005
