Gideon Levy is a brave and principled Israeli journalist. For years his column in the daily newspaper Haaretz has been a near solitary voice documenting Zionist crimes and abuses against the Palestinian people.
Here is an excerpt from today’s column, “When Settlers Beat Palestinian Fathers in Front of Their Sons.”
“Raafat heard his father screaming in pain. He saw the Israeli draw close and hit his father in the head with his rifle butt, as he lay helpless at the foot of the hill. Raafat recognized the man from an attack the previous week, when he had also acted brutally. Jumaa urged his son to escape, so the thugs wouldn’t hurt him, too.”
I encourage you to read the entire piece and to check in on Mr. Levy’s work in Haaretz regularly, if possible.
Gideon Levy lives with personal bodyguards. He continues to write, travel and speak despite the regular death threats he receives from his fellow citizens. While similar threats have driven other critics of Zionism from the country, Mr. Levy chooses to remain in Israel.
Gideon Levy is one of my heroes.
His is a prophetic, humane voice crying out for justice and love of neighbor in the midst of a racist Zionist nation, responsible for profligate state-sponsored violence, discrimination and bloodshed.