Lahja elämälle

Ahmed Khatabin kuolema oli traagisen tavanomainen. Israelin armeija ampui 12 vuotiaan palestiinalaispojan tämän leikkiessä lelu-aseelle...

Se, mitä tapahtui seuraavaksi ei ollutkaan enää niin tavanomaista. Ensinnäkin Israelin armeija esitti anteeksipyynnön lähes välittömästi, eikä yrittänyt välttää vastuutaan, niin kuin yleensä on tapahtunut. Myöskään militantit palestiinalaisjärjestöt eivät kostaneet.

Mutta Ahmedin vanhempien reaktio oli vielä yllättävämpi, "As life slipped away from their son in an Israeli hospital at the weekend, Ismail and Abla Khatib decided that some good could come of his death. The Palestinian family donated Ahmed's organs for transplant. The boy was in an Israeli hospital and his parents understood that their son's body parts were most likely to save people routinely spoken of as "the enemy" in Jenin. Within hours, Ahmed's heart, kidneys, liver and lungs were transplanted into six Israelis, four of them Jewish."

Ahmedin vanhempien tekoa on ylistetty Israelin hallitustasolla asti rauhan eleenä. Rauha oli vanhempien yksi motiiveista, mutta se oli myös vastarinnan osoitus:

The Khatibs say that peace and a desire to alleviate the suffering of others was uppermost in their minds. But, looking exhausted and still stunned by the twin demands of Ahmed's death and the Israeli embrace, they also speak of their decision as an act of resistance and anger. And they have found an ally in the armed men who more usually fight back by blowing up Israelis.

"To give away his organs was a different kind of resistance," says Abla. "Violence against violence is worthless. Maybe this will reach the ears of the whole world so they can distinguish between just and unjust. Maybe the Israelis will think of us differently. Maybe just one Israeli will decide not to shoot."

-Lähde: Guardian