Bus stops, babies and terrorists

"Abbas displays an utter lack of caring for his own people as he watches them march to almost certain death wielding guns, axes, knives, screwdrivers and scissors to attack any Israelis they find."

By LAURA BEN-DAVID
Scene of rammin attack at Chords Bridge in Jerusalem (photo credit: ISRAEL BEN HEMO)
Scene of rammin attack at Chords Bridge in Jerusalem
(photo credit: ISRAEL BEN HEMO)
Hearing about the latest terror attack in Jerusalem – a car ramming that seriously wounded a baby as well as injuring nearly a dozen others – upset me on so many levels.
On the most basic, a baby has been so grievously injured that according to reports, his foot could not be saved. Yes, we are grateful that he is alive...but this is a devastating injury; He is just a baby.
(Please keep Yotam Shmuel ben Yael in your prayers...) Meanwhile Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the PA whose term expired nearly seven years ago though he has unilaterally extended it indefinitely, has not only not condemned the rock/ knife/ gun/ firebomb/ vehicular attacks, but he has been encouraging and inciting terrorism without respite. He recently rationalized that these acts of murder stem from “frustration.” Well, Mr. Abbas, if frustration were a good reason for murder, every Israeli in the country would be picking up similar weapons and going at it, too.
On a personal note, this attack took place at the bus stop I get off at on my way to work. I found out about it as I stood at another Jerusalem bus stop, waiting with two of my children. Horrified, I ushered my children as far away from the unprotected curb as possible thinking about the absolute absurdity that a bus stop in Israel needs to be protected from murderers driving Hondas and Subarus.
Every time I see the images of the bus stop from today’s attack I get chills all over again. How many times have I been in that precise spot – and will be again as early as tomorrow morning? And then I think about the attacks at the Gush Etzion Junction. And at the Rami Levi grocery store. And at the shuk. And the Old City of Jerusalem. All places I frequent.
I refuse – refuse – to add more sites to my “red line” list of places not to go to. Yeah, that’s a thing. These days most people have their red lines – their manufactured personal safety zones that they create to form an illusory safety shield, protecting them in their imaginations from terrorism. I’m not knocking those lines... we all must feel safe and we must do whatever we can to keep our sanity.
Our sanity, yes. But what will bring about true safety and security? I don’t want to hear about “occupation” and “settlements.” Pinning the blame there is subscribing to a fallacy that the Palestinians, their sympathizers and the ignorant masses love to tout. I’m not suggesting that all is fine in that regard, but I give the Palestinians more credit than that. If a Palestinian attacks a Jew, I blame the Palestinian.
And I blame his family for raising him to think this is a worthy act.
And I blame the Palestinian schools for educating their children to hate.
And I blame the leaders, religious and secular, such as Mahmoud Abbas, for unrelenting incitement through lies.
Abbas displays an utter lack of caring for his own people as he watches them march to almost certain death wielding guns, axes, knives, screwdrivers and scissors to attack any Israelis they find. In a country with so many armed citizens and security personnel, Abbas is just hoping they will take down a few Jews before going to their own “glorious” deaths, sowing terrorism in their wake.
The Palestinians have been dealt a lousy hand. They have been used as a pawn by their fellow Arabs, kept as “refugees” for generations in countries around the region. I am grateful that the one tiny Jewish country embraces every Jew, refugee or not, and I cannot relate to a culture that, despite possessing vast swaths of land in what is probably the richest region in the world, cannot find a way to help their own. Yes, we need to find a solution. Yes, the situation cannot go on like this forever, but no, killing my people will not gain you my sympathies.
Will not make me change my routine.
And will never make me leave.
We are far from perfect, but we do our best. I’m proud to call Israel home, and Israelis my people. Occasionally when I get over my fury, I allow myself to feel pity for the Palestinians. After all, for a culture that teaches hate, glorifies death through murder, and celebrates terrorists, what could the future possibly hold? I don’t want any part of it.
And then I get my senses back and realize I am wasting my time worrying about a culture I cannot fix when there is a baby who desperately needs my prayers...
The writer is a marketing consultant, photographer and author. Formerly the head of social media at Nefesh B’Nefesh, she is now director of marketing at Shavei Israel.


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palestinian violence