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| Hold the Palestinians Accountable for the Death of Daniel Wultz |
| by Maurice Lavian May 23 2006 |
| When American Rachel Corrie, shown on the right burning an American flag in Gaza, was killed after Israeli forces ran over her with a bulldozer while she was attempting to protect a house (a house not an actual person) from being demolished, there was a huge uproar against Israel over the death of an American (despite the fact that we still dont know for sure if it was the bulldozer that killed her). The Olympian, her home town paper, refered to Rachel as a 'martyr'. The Detroit City Council issued a resolution honoring Rachel. Caterpillar was promptly sued for allowing Israel to use its bulldozers in the territories. |
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| Some called on congress to launch an investigation on the circumstances of Rachel's death and to hold Israel accountable. More importantly many in the anti-Israel community began creating slogans "we will never forget Rachel Corrie". This slogan was seen on many anti-Israel sites (such as ifamericansknew.org) and was heard on many anti-Israel (and ironically even anti-American) protests. There was even a play created to honor Rachel and to blame Israel for the death. |
| Americans will never forget Daniel Wultz |
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| But now another American has died in that region. American Daniel Wultz, shown on the left, died from injuries he obtained after a Palestinian suicide bomber deliberately blew himself up at a civilian location with the intent of harming civilians. Unlike Corrie's death, no one is demanding that the Palestinians be held accountable for the death of this American. While many in Wultz's community are mourning his death, on one is calling him a 'martyr'. No one is making a play to honor his life. No one is attempting to sue the company that gave the bomber his bombs. No city councils are issuing resolutions honoring this American. No websites or advocacy groups are shouting slogans "we will never forget Daniel Wultz". And no one is calling for a government investigation into his death. One has to wonder why there is such a double standard. The death of an American is a death of an American. |
| There are many differences between the circumstances involving Corrie's death and the ones surrounding Wultz's death. For one, Corrie was an activist, whereas Wultz was an innocent bystander who was not in any way involved with the politics of the region. Rachel Corrie was protesting in a closed military zone at the time of her death, while Wultz was simply celebrating Passover (a Jewish holiday) with his family in Israel. Rachel Corrie regularly gave anti-American speeches and was even seen burning the American flag, while Wultz was a patriotic American. Corrie's family, friends, her organization (the ISM), and many who are critical of Israel have used Corrie's death as propoganda, while Wultz's friends, family, and community have mourned his death without pointing fingers. One has to wonder why Rachel Corrie's death was met with such outrage, but Wultz's was not. It is time that the pro-Israel community, as well as all patriotic Americans, demand that the U.S. government hold the Palestinians accountable, and keep repeating the phrase, "we will always remember Daniel Wultz", the same way the anti-Israel community did the same with the death of Rachel Corrie. |
| Reader Comments |
| Name: Joel Kangisser Location: Jerusalem, Israel Comments: I agree with Mr Lavian's demand that the PLO government must be held accountable for the death of Daniel Wultz in a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. As a friend and neighbor of Daniel's family here in Jerusalem, I was one of many who prayed for his recovery during the month-long vigil while Daniel fought for his life in a hospital. Daniel was a young man who's only crime was that he came to Israel to be with his grandfather, uncles & aunts, cousins and all the rest of his family for Passover. He was killed because he was a Jew; his murderers celebrated the fact that he was also an American "enemy" as well! Where are the plays, web sites and memorials to Daniel's memory? |