Rachel Corrie’s killing 6 years ago continues to resonate in the human soul. Here is Tali Shapiro, an atheist Israeli writing at Pulse about the numbing effects of her Israeli education, and her own stirring in the last couple of years:
Waking up to the reality of Israel would be gradual, with many tipping points. Here’s my most embarrassing confession: I could have been a completely different person today, if it hadn’t been for my ex-boyfriend. He was the son of an activist and slowly, but surely, through countless, daily political conversations, the truth behind Israel was revealed to me. He never pushed, never tried to convince me, just answered my questions and allowed me to think.
During this period of three years, I learned many things that would mainly create sympathy, in me, for Palestinians. One of the major tipping points was a BBC documentary that my spouse sent me about Rachel Corrie, Tom Hurndall and James Miller- the three internationals murdered by the IDF. But to me, the story that would resonate the most would be that of 12 year-old Huddah Darweesh. Huddah was shot in the head by a sniper while sitting in class, and somehow survived, only to wake up blind. This would be the first time I would cry for a Palestinian.
Here’s my second most embarrassing confession: When my spouse and I broke up, one of my fears was, would I be able to recognize injustice, when I see it, if my ex isn’t there to point it out? This was two months before the bloody Cast Lead began, and when it did, I stopped questioning myself. I was knowledgeable enough to instantly identify the fallacies in the media. I feared they were going to kill the innocent in droves, and as the body counts were coming in, I became enraged like a caged beast….
I’m a closet freedom fighter. For three months now, I’ve joined the weekly demonstrations in the village of Bil’in. My father doesn’t know. For many Israelis the West Bank is “enemy territory”. Personally, I was just desperate to meet Palestinians. In the flesh, with my own eyes. Once would never be enough. Once would give a shallow impression. So every week, for the past three months, I’ve been discovering these people. Palestinians aren’t the devil, they aren’t saints, either. They are, however, human… I’m sure daddy would be shocked.
