Palestinian youth stands with Israel in face of constant threats
July 25, 2016Standing up for one’s principles is not always an easy task. This is readily apparent upon reading the personal credo of Mahdi Satri, 17, a young Palestinian Arab from the village of Jadeidi-Makr in northern Israel.
Satri, a staunch Zionist and supporter of Israel, explained in an interview with The Algemeiner how hard it is to hold such beliefs in the midst of constant threat: “I receive regular threats from both Arab Israelis and Palestinians, via social media and by phone,” said Mahdi. “And I’m afraid, but I won’t let those who support terrorism and oppose peace deter me.”
According to the interview, Satri was imbued with Zionist feeling from his father, who moved to Israel from Gaza 30 years ago and worked for Israeli security forces. “My father worked with the IDF and the Shin Bet,” he said. “And I am going to join the Israeli army when I finish my university degree.”
Despite holding strongly to his beliefs, Satri describes that he feels a constant danger to his life for his views. In a personal credo posted on the website BDS Guide entitled “Know that I died a dreamer,” Satri writes:
“I’m writing now with tears running down my face. I had a very long trip, and I’ll continue in this trip until the last drop of blood in my body. But I just wanted to share with you my sadness, my tears, and my pain.
“It’s really very hard to be a Zionist inside an Arab village. A village full of hatred. I really think that the end is near. Many people are threatening me. People are promoting incitement against me in the mosques. I never ever thought that it would lead to this situation. I’m afraid to go to the shop near my house. I’m afraid to hang out in my village. I’m living in fear, the fear of getting stabbed in the street. And after that no one will remember me. No one will have that Arab who’s fighting for his goal, because I’m just encouraging the Israeli Arabs to stand against terrorism and to speak out.
“I became a target. A target for everyone. A target for the Palestinians. A target for my village’s citizens. A target for Hamas. A target for every single man in this world. I’ve never thought that to speak the truth about my beloved country would lead to becoming a victim. When I started my way, I did take it in my hands that I might be killed because of this, but not in this way. I’m just staying home all the day. When I see a car, I’m afraid that it’s someone who wants to kill me. No one can imagine this feeling. To live in fear, live with the possibility of getting killed any moment. It’s really a very terrible feeling.
“But no, I won’t just keep calm and not talk anymore. I’m not this man who will just leave when he feels danger. I won’t just keep calm. I won’t!! I wont escape and just disappear! I’ll fight. I’ll fight alone. Against all the terrorists. Against all the people who want me dead because I’m going to serve in the military. I won’t!!!
“This is a message. it’s not an article… I want to tell you I’ll keep fighting against all the terrorists, against our enemies. The enemies that don’t want me to speak out and to stand against them… I want to tell you , that I might see tomorrow. And this message might be my last message. But just know something: if I died and if they succeeded to kill me, know that I died a Zionist defending my country. And know that I was smiling while dying because I’ll die for my country. And it’s really a very big honor. Know that I died and I have a dream. Know that I died a dreamer. A dreamer looking for a new future empty of hatred and full of love. Know that I died for a goal, not for nothing. Know that I died and Zionism in my cool blood. Know that I died a fighter against them… Like I said: Three words, one point: AM ISRAEL CHAI!”
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