I had no intentions of wading in on the subject of the three kidnapped boys. I am deeply concerned and am following the news for any positive updates. Beyond that, I didn’t feel that I really had anything to contribute to the discussion.
Sadly, I was wrong.
It may come as no surprise to many, but it came as a surprise to me to see the extreme attitudes of some of my friends in Gaza.
I shared the post showing people in Gaza celebrating the kidnappings, and asked for my friends to respond, to say something that would give me some comfort in the face of these terrible pictures of glee coming out of Gaza.
I posted in hope. I am now writing in disappointment.
One of the most outspoken respondents is a former student of mine. He expressed what I have heard so many times, but I thought it was simply the misguided opinion of the one from who I was so used to hearing it – the notion that “nobody cares about the Palestinian youth who are in Israeli jails.” My young friend refuses to care about the three boys who have been kidnapped.
This attitude is as frustrating as it is disappointing – and it is completely untrue!!
As someone who left all comforts behind to risk my life in Gaza so I could show the kids there that someone does, indeed, care about them, I have to say I am so tired of this cry of victimization. It is an insult and a slap in the face to the large numbers of people who speak up for the rights of Palestinians and especially those in Gaza. I do not know how people outside of Gaza respond to international support, but I can tell you that I am sick of hearing that “no one cares” and another classic “the world has turned its back on us”
Nothing could be further from the truth. The “world” is pouring its resources into a corrupt and evil regime that cares nothing for its own civilian casualties but continues to perpetuate a mindset of victimization at the hands of Israelis, to the point that when three Israeli teenagers are kidnapped, or an Israeli boy is murdered in his sleep, there are those (too many) who don’t even blink – who see these crimes as totally justifiable because, after all “no one cares about us so why should we care about anyone else”.
It takes every bit of strength I have not to throw my hands up and just walk away.
I have been very vocal about how much I have cared about Palestinian children. I have risked my life to “put my money where my mouth is”. I am at a loss.
I want to believe that I can make a difference in this world and that was why I, at my own great expense, went to Gaza, lived there, and got involved in life there.
The people I know there KNOW all of this about me and that is why I reached out to them for a glimmer of hope regarding these three boys.
I found none.
