Ten years after a Palestinian English teacher opened fire on the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building, Ali Abu Kamal’s daughter finally admitted that the attack was politically-motivated. The attack, which killed one tourist and injured six others, was initially blamed on Kamal being depressed over a bad business venture, according to his wife. However, Linda Kamal said that the family was advised by the PLO to say that “the attack was not for political reasons because that would harm the peace agreement with Israel.”
Three days after the shooting, Kamal’s relatives received a letter that was found on his body. The letter stated his intentions to commit the attack as a political statement. Linda Kamal said that her father explained in the letter that he wanted to “take revenge from the Americans, the British, the French, and the Israelis on “the highest building in America to make sure they get his message.” The letter, along with Kamal’s diary (which was burned), has convinced his family that “his goal was patriotic.”
And around and around the hates goes on…where it stops, no one knows nor cares to find out.
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February 24th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Generally, Arabs will go on hating Jews until Judgement Day…Old prejudices among the Middle Eastern people die hard — my family is Arabic, but we don’t agree with other Arabic people about hating the Jews. In fact our Pastor is Jewish. Not only that, but my Mom, my sister, and I are learning Hebrew, which is an absolutely beautiful language ringing with the magnificence of the ages. Really, the Jews and Arabs are rather a lot alike, not the least of which in stubborness.
Nice to hear from you again. Hope all’s well with you!
February 26th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Superbly stated, Andave. Thank you. Let me also add that the Arab/Jew hatred in general, which results in violence by a minority of terrorists in particular, is being exploited by our government and other governments for their own private interests and motives…above and beyond national security. This is my firm belief…I hope I’m wrong.
I envy your study of Hebrew and wish that I had the time and determination to learn that language. Even though I’m not very religious, I’ve made a frequent study (for its historical and literary importance) of the Bible over the last thirty years. To read it in the original Hebrew and Greek would really blow my mind.