Full article at https://tinyurl.com/26xmpd25
In 2019, A. saved the lives of three Israelis when they
were shot at by Palestinian terrorists on a highway in Judea and Samaria. Now,
he is asking Israel for help: to be able to live in the Jewish state to ensure
his and his family's safety.
The Mark family was driving along a highway in the West Bank on
July 1, 2016, when Palestinian terrorists opened fire on their vehicle, causing
the car to crash and flip over. The father of the family, Rabbi Michael Mark,
lost his life that day, and perhaps wife Chava, son Pedaya and daughter Tehila
would have met the same fate were it not for the help provided by A., a
Palestinian resident of a nearby Arab village, who was driving down the same
road.
In an interview, he recalled the events of that fateful day.
"My wife and I were driving on Highway 60, and near the Beit
Hagai settlement, I heard shots all of a sudden at the vehicle right in front
of us. The car flipped over and was dragged along the road.
"I looked at my wife, I told her that I have a first aid kit
in the car and that we should go help. I always have a first aid kit in my car,
and this wasn't the first time I had to use it. I always try to save people's
lives, but never before did I find myself in such a challenging situation.
Soon after, A. was a wanted man in the Palestinian Authority
because he dared save the lives of Jews. He received multiple death threats and
was forced to flee. The Civil Administration allowed him to come to Israel to
save his life, but he had to leave his pregnant wife and parents behind, as
well as his job in the security field.
A.'s permit did not allow him to work in Israel or to get a place
here. For three years, he moved around the country, trying to make ends meet by
working illegally.
A.'s son was born in the PA after his escape. For the first two
years of his life, the boy only saw his father via video calls or during hasty
meetings at a Hebron checkpoint.
Fortunately, a year and a half ago, A.'s wife and son also
received temporary permits to move to Israel.
"Every time I'm with my son, I thank God that at least this
part of my life has returned to me. That is the part that gives me happiness.
My family gives me a lot of strength."
A. met his wife, a nurse by profession, through matchmaking, as is
customary in Muslim communities. The two only met once before their wedding and
planned their future in their village.
A. never got to see his father again. He passed away recently
without the chance to say goodbye to his son. "There was a special bond
between us. I was told he wanted to see me, but I could not visit. It was too
dangerous."
In November 2019, due to public pressure, the Interior Ministry
provided A. and his wife with a temporary residence visa, which granted them
all the rights of a regular Israeli citizen, except for voting. A. pays social
security, he has Israeli health insurance, he even has a green passport to
prove that he has been vaccinated against the coronavirus. His eyes, however,
reflect the fear that when their current visa expires in November 2021, Israeli
authorities might decide not to renew it.
"I would like for us to become permanent residents here, to
know that we can sleep peacefully. "I did a human act that was obvious for
me to do, but I would like the state to help us now, to take care of my family
like any other citizen. That is the least they could do for us."
Two days after the attacks, Michael Mark was put to rest. A. and his
wife wanted to visit the family to pay their respects. "Every night my
wife and I sat and thought about what they were going through, how they were
feeling. It was important for us to see them."
After
receiving a permit from the IDF, the two arrived at the Mark house in Othniel.
A. spoke very little Hebrew, and the Mark family did not speak Arabic. But the
bond between the two families was forged immediately.
"That
was my first time visiting a Jewish home. At school, we were taught that Jews
had occupied [our land] and that Jews murder everything they see. But the Mark
family welcomed us so nicely. They treated us with respect, as we did them.
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