When Omri Jada, a 25-year old Palestinian drove off last Friday to the Sea of Galilee for a break from the August heat, no one here realised it would be the last they would see of the likeable, hard-working young man.
Instead of having Omri back in their midst day, his relatives were kissing and hugging Giorgy Labtif, the six year old Jewish child whom Omri had saved from drowning, sacrificing his life in the process.
Omri died early Monday, last week, in a hospital in the northern city of Tiberias, where he was taken after washing up on the beach unconscious Saturday.
The trading of places in death comes at a time of heightened sensitivity in Palestinian-Jewish relations due, in part, to anti-Arab racist remarks made Saturday by Israel's most powerful rabbi, Ovadia Yosef. The rabbi said, among other things, that all Palestinians are "snakes" and that God regretted creating Arabs.
Sipping watery coffee from tiny cups, many of the dozens of mourners in Omri's village of Habla, 20 kilometers northeast of Tel Aviv, interpreted Omri's death as a rejoinder to the rabbi.
"This is an answer to Yosef," said Omri's father, Abdel-Halim. "A snake kills a human being. My son saved a human being."
Grieved family
Omri, who left behind a pregnant wife and two small children, was not a very good swimmer, his relatives recalled. But when he heard Giorgy Labtif crying for help, he decided anyway to try to save him.
"The small child entered the water and went far away," said Mohammed, a cousin who cannot swim and witnessed the tragedy unfold from the beach.
"The child tried to come back, but couldn't. He began to cry, Omri went to rescue him. He took the child in his arms and tried to return (to shore) but couldn't. The current took him away. Omri cried out 'I can't come back, can anyone rescue me?' A man swam over and took the child from Omri.
Omri gave him the child. We could see Omri bobbing up and down. We thought he was swimming. But at one point, he disappeared."
An Israeli woman swam around searching for Omri, but could not find him, Mohammed said. After about 20 minutes, he washed up on the beach, unconscious. An ambulance arrived about 35 minutes later, Mohammed said.
While the Israeli woman was searching for Omri, she found Giorgy's four-year old sister Dima, also in the water and also in trouble. She rescued her, according to Tanya Labtif, Giorgy's mother.
"Omri gave life not only to Giorgy but also to Dima," said Tanya Labtif, who immigrated to Israel from Vladivostock four years ago.
An Arab “died for my child”
"What feeling can I have when someone has died for my child? I feel guilty that Omri died," she said. She went to Habla Monday to thank the Jada family-and console them.
Ironically, hours after Omri drowned, rabbi Yosef declared in Jerusalem that all Arabs are "snakes" and "despicable scoundrels" and that God "regrets" ever creating them.
The anti-Arab remarks went largely uncondemned by Israeli politicians, who instead took issue with other comments by the Rabbi which appeared to blame the Holocaust on its victims, by saying they were reincarnations of sinners.
While rabbi Yosef is reviled by many secular Israelis, his views are significant because he is a political kingmaker, using the popularity of the Shas party which he founded to help determine the rise and fall of prime ministers and presidents.
Referring to Arabs as the descendants of the biblical Ishmael, the half-brother of Isaac, rabbi Yosef said: "The Ishmaelites are all despicable scoundrels. All of them are haters of Israel. The Holy One, blessed be he, regrets that he created these Ishmaelites."
Anti-Arab remarks
His words evoked applause from Shas stalwarts. Prime Minister Ehud Barak's office declined to comment on them. Nor was there any reaction from president Moshe Katzav, who was elected last week due in part to the support of rabbi Yosef.
But among Palestinians the comments registered strongly as a blatant example of anti-Arab racism.
"I don't think Omri was a snake," said Ahmed Tibi, an Arab member of the Knesset. "He was a human being and a fine one at that. The real venom of snakes can be found in the words of rabbi Yosef."
Ironically, hours after Omri drowned, rabbi Yosef declared in Jerusalem that all Arabs are "snakes" and "despicable scoundrels" and that God "regrets" ever creating them.
im sure the mother of the 6 yr old would like to slap this man as will we all.
and im sure Allaah will deal with him for attributing a human quality like "regret" to Allah who is all-wise and all-knowing.
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My tears testify that i have a heart
yet i feel me and shaytan never part
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Is the Palestinian conflict between Jews and arabs? I thought Al Aqsa belongs to all the muslims. Anyways, I do agree some arabs are like snakes.
if you feel so dear about Al-Aqsa then go fight for it ey?
the conflict in Palestine is a conflict between Arabs and Jews, other Muslims say no no Al-Aqsa is for all of us, and so i will repeat, if thats the case why do most of you sit on your backsides and do nothing about it?
heck you dont even have to make physical confronation as you arent in a position to do so, hence you are excused, but you sure as heck are in a position to speak out, and when i say speak out i dont mean a small comment here and there on a few forums and a few chats with your friends and some small arguments with other none Muslims in your schools and unis.
so if you guys dont like the tag Arab Jew conflict, and its for all Muslims, then start putting your money where your mouth is because the only real non Arab Muslim nation who does something worthwhile for the Al-Aqsa cause is Iran.
How many Arabs have died for Al-Aqsa in the last 60 years?
How many Non Arab Muslims have died for Al-Aqsa in the last 60 years?
debate over if you ask me.
hence dont say it lightly that this isnt an Arab Muslim cause, rather a Muslim global cause when in reality global Muslims dont do much for Palestine in the least. you just give empty words to have your name on the trophy.
The prophet peace be upon him asked his friends:“What is it that you consider as martyrdom?” they answered, “To be killed in a holy war”, the prophet then said : “there are seven possibilities to achieve martyrdom aside from dying in a holy war, these include, those who die as a result of poisoning, those that drown in water, those that fall ill with a virus, those that have leprosy, those that are burnt in a fire, those that are buried by scaffolding and those that die in childbirth” (hadith narrated by Abu Dawud, an-Nasai, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban, see al-Mundziri, at-Targhib wa at-Tarhib min al-Hadits asy-Syarif, II/335).
The title should have been Muslim died saving a Jew. Because Arabs come in many different religions. Some sisters are suggesting the brother was a martydom. But all we know is that he was an arab. Non arab muslims done a lot for Al Aqsa. I will not debate you over your arab nationalist pride brother The_Prince. I know many Palestinian that told me they were treated better in Israel by jews then in Lebanon or Syria by Arab nationalist. If you are anger that I agreed with the Rabbi apologies. I think The_prince you owe the entire forum an apology for your ignorant remarks.
then start putting your money where your mouth is because the only real non Arab Muslim nation who does something worthwhile for the Al-Aqsa cause is Iran.
Supplication is the weapon of believers. We muslims all over the world pray for our muslim brothers in all wars. I also pray that the disease of nationalism and racism is out of the muslim ummah for good. Ameen!
How can anyone speak for God? saying that God regrets creating something
astagfirullah
He it is Who sends blessings on you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness into Light: and He is Full of Mercy to the Believers. [Quran {33:43}] www.QuranicAudio.com www.Quran.com
The prophet peace be upon him asked his friends:“What is it that you consider as martyrdom?” they answered, “To be killed in a holy war”, the prophet then said : “there are seven possibilities to achieve martyrdom aside from dying in a holy war, these include, those who die as a result of poisoning, those that drown in water, those that fall ill with a virus, those that have leprosy, those that are burnt in a fire, those that are buried by scaffolding and those that die in childbirth” (hadith narrated by Abu Dawud, an-Nasai, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban, see al-Mundziri, at-Targhib wa at-Tarhib min al-Hadits asy-Syarif, II/335).
So everyone who dies in one of these ways is a martyr? Or is it just muslims? Can non-muslims be martyrs too?
The title should have been Muslim died saving a Jew. Because Arabs come in many different religions. Some sisters are suggesting the brother was a martydom. But all we know is that he was an arab.
Allahu a'lam, I assumed he was Muslims because of his relatives names, e.g. his cousin is called Muhammad. I've never heard of non-Muslim Arabs using that name.
format_quote Originally Posted by Whatsthepoint
So everyone who dies in one of these ways is a martyr? Or is it just muslims? Can non-muslims be martyrs too?
Sorry mate, just Muslims and children (regardless of their religion). Although whether it is possible for a non-Muslim who had never heard of Islam or never actually understood it properly, I don't know.
The title should have been Muslim died saving a Jew. Because Arabs come in many different religions. Some sisters are suggesting the brother was a martydom. But all we know is that he was an arab. Non arab muslims done a lot for Al Aqsa. I will not debate you over your arab nationalist pride brother The_Prince. I know many Palestinian that told me they were treated better in Israel by jews then in Lebanon or Syria by Arab nationalist. If you are anger that I agreed with the Rabbi apologies. I think The_prince you owe the entire forum an apology for your ignorant remarks.
I think the author put "Arab" rather than "Muslim" because that crazy rabbi then commented that all Arabs are snakes etc.
So everyone who dies in one of these ways is a martyr? Or is it just muslims? Can non-muslims be martyrs too?
Pretty sure it's just muslims and kids, like Malaikah said. The reason behind these people possibly achieving martyrdom is because what happened to them was a form of recompense for their sins. So instead of being punished in the Hereafter in hell, they've already been punished for their bad deeds, and will go straight to heaven, and possibly even make it to the highest level of paradise, where the martyrs are. If a non muslim were to die this way, he would have still died upon shirk, which is unforgivable. And Allah knows best, of course..
Allahu a'lam, I assumed he was Muslims because of his relatives names, e.g. his cousin is called Muhammad. I've never heard of non-Muslim Arabs using that name.
No, many non muslim arabs also name themselves Muhamad, Abdullah, and other Arabic/Muslim names.
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