Mohammed lives in Tel Hashomer
I have a
troll on Twitter whose bio describes him as an 'activist for human rights.' I don't bother to answer him because when a troll has 29 followers and you have 4,789, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to give him exposure by responding to him. So I let him vent in privacy knowing that 30 people or less are actually seeing what he says. Regardless, it will be interesting to see whether and how he responds to this story.
You see a story like
this, and you have to wonder why the 'human rights' organizations seem to have no interest. Oh wait, I don't have to wonder. They can't find a way to blame Israel for the marriage partners chosen by the 'Palestinians,' for the birth defects that result from those choices, for the fact that Muslims are allowed to have more than one wife, or for the fact that 'Palestinian' society thinks it's Sparta. So the so-called defenders of 'human rights' just don't care about a kid like Mohammed. Besides, Israel is paying for his care anyway....
Born in Gaza with a rare genetic disease, Mohammed’s hands and feet were
amputated because of complications from his condition, and the
3½-year-old carts about in a tiny red wheelchair. His parents abandoned
him, and the Palestinian government won’t pay for his care, so he lives
at the hospital with his grandfather.
...
Mohammed’s plight is an extreme example of the
harsh treatment some families mete out to the disabled, particularly in
the more tribal-dominated corners of the Gaza Strip, even as
Palestinians make strides in combating such attitudes.
It also demonstrates a costly legacy of Gaza’s
strongly patriarchal culture that prods women into first-cousin
marriages and allows polygamy, while rendering mothers powerless over
their children’s fate.
Mohammed was rushed to Israel as a newborn for
emergency treatment. His genetic disorder left him with a weakened
immune system and crippled his bowels, doctors say, and an infection
destroyed his hands and feet, requiring them to be amputated.
In the midst of his treatment, his mother
abandoned Mohammed because her husband, ashamed of their son, threatened
to take a second wife if she didn’t leave the baby and return to their
home in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis, Farra said. In Gaza,
polygamy is permitted but isn’t common. But it’s a powerful threat to
women fearful of competing against newer wives.
Now Mohammed spends his days undergoing treatment and learning how to use prosthetic limbs.
His 55-year-old grandfather cares for him.
Mohammed’s Israeli doctors, who’ve grown attached to the boy, fund-raise
to cover his bills, allowing him and his grandfather to live in the
sunny pediatric ward.
But it’s not clear how long he’ll stay in the
hospital, or where he’ll go when his treatment is complete. As a
Palestinian, Mohammed is not eligible for permanent Israeli residency.
Yet his family will not take the child back, the grandfather said. His
parents, contacted by The Associated Press, refused to comment.
Read the whole thing.
Labels: disabled persons, Gaza, Hamas, human rights, human rights activists, human rights NGO's, Palestinians
Entebbe's message 35 years later: Leave no man behind
I was sent this article by email in honor of July 4, the 35th anniversary of the raid on Entebbe.
ENTEBBE’S MESSAGE 35 YEARS LATER: LEAVE NO MAN BEHIND
By Doron Almog
Thirty-five years ago today (July 4, 1976), an Air France flight was hijacked and diverted to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Shortly after landing, all of the non-Jewish passengers were released and the remaining Jewish passengers were held hostage. One week after the hijacking, I commanded the first task force to land in Entebbe as part of a daring mission that freed 105 hostages.
Faced with immense challenges, we pulled off a thrilling (yet bittersweet) victory. At the time, we saw the feat as an illustration of the strength and vitality of the Israeli army and the Jewish spirit. Upon reflection (so many years later), it is clear that it also highlighted the importance of standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
It should be noted that my participation in Entebbe was voluntary. After my brother, Eran, was killed in the Yom Kippur war (he was injured in the Golan Heights and bled to death after sitting untreated for seven days), I was given the choice of leaving my combat unit as a bereaved soldier. However, I chose to remain in the military in order to change the ethos of the IDF and make absolutely sure that no soldier would ever be left behind again.
It was this philosophy that drove me to participate in the Entebbe raid and numerous other military operations throughout my career and, ultimately, set the stage for the next phase of my adult life.
After our son was born – and we named him Eran after my late brother – he was diagnosed with severe physical and cognitive disabilities. In an instant, my world was turned upside down. At first, I had a very hard time coming to terms with the fact that my beloved son would never speak or hold down a job, and would always be dependent on others to provide his every need. But my "no man left behind" philosophy prevailed, and I found the strength to be the father that Eran needed me to be.
In fact, my time with Eran allowed me to develop my philosophy even further, and I became committed to changing the way society views the disabled. I realized that it is not enough to make sure that these wonderful children don't get left behind. We must ensure that they are given every opportunity to excel and reach their greatest potentials.
For the Entebbe raid, our IDF battalions travelled 2,500 miles to fight for those who could not fight for themselves. It is time for us to harness that bravery, resolve and dedication to our fellow men, to turn our sights inward and focus on the urgent rescue missions in our own neighborhoods. These "hostages" are in very real danger every day of their lives and are often abandoned. They are the weakest members of our society and are completely dependent on the kindness of others. We don't need to launch a complex tactical mission to set them free. We simply need to wrap them in love and help them integrate into our social fabric.
Make no mistake: our commitment to care for the disabled members of society remains immeasurably more difficult than any military campaign I have ever led. But we must stand up and fight to provide them with the care that they deserve. Because, in the end, our generation will be judged by how well we complete this mission.
Major General (Res.) Doron Almog is the founder and Chairman of Aleh Negev – Nahalat Eran, a village named in memory of his son, that provides a continuum of residential care for children with severe disabilities as they grow from adolescents into young adults. Learn more about Aleh at www.aleh.org.
Labels: disabled persons, Doron Almog, Entebbe
