Sunday 18 January 2009

Sad Palestinian Loss Heard Live on Israeli TV

Sometimes it is the small incidents in the midst of mass destruction that really get to people. It may be worse if someone who you were hearing and seeing throughout that conflcit becomes the sad victim at the end, even the very last day before that conflict ends.

Such as case is Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Ashi. His is Palestinian but he works in an Israeli hospital and over the course of the last three weeks he has been reporting to Israel's channel 10 about what is going on in Gaza. Yesterday Israel was present as this Doctor lost three of his four daughters live on air.

"No one can get to us," he screamed in Arabic on a live phone call with a
channel 10 anchor. "My God ... My God ..."

Dr. Ashi told the anchor his family had just been killed, and that he was
"overwhelmed."

"My God ... My girls ..." he cried. "Shiomi ... Can't anybody help us
please?"

The news anchor asked Dr. Ashi where his house is, and cameras followed as
the journalist frantically tried to employ his network of contacts to send help
to the doctor. Shortly thereafter, the Israeli Army allowed a Palestinian
ambulance to speed to his location. Only one of al-Ashi's daughters survived.

"Everybody in Israel knows that I was talking on television and on the
radio," said Dr. Ashi. "That we are home, that we are innocent people.

"Suddenly, today, when there was hope for ceasefire, on the last day I was
talking to my children ... Suddenly, they bombed us; a doctor who takes care of
Israeli patients. Is that what's done? Is that peace?"


It is out of the little things that connect to people. Individuals far more than the masses have that impact. I hope that this sad loss will burn into the hearts of those who saw it. And make some inroads to make people wake up to make this ceasefire a permanent peace.



Hat tip to Paul Walter

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