To Die in Jerusalem

From the HBO website:

To Die In Jerusalem:

Two daughters lost in conflict: one a suicide bomber, the other her victim. Two mothers searching for answers. Two nations divided by the land they share. TO DIE IN JERUSALEM looks at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the eyes of two mothers who lost their daughters in one deadly act of violence. The documentary recounts the heart- wrenching story of two teenage girls - 17-year-old Israeli student Rachel Levy, and her killer, 18-year-old Palestinian suicide bomber Ayat al-Akhras - who died together in a Jerusalem market in 2002.

Additional detailed synopsis here.

I actually stumbled upon this last night while I was flipping channels. Earlier in the day I had written about Halloween, and when I got home, my thoughts still seemed and I feared my entry didn't make much sense. I planned on re-commenting on it today, but then I got sucked into this documentary.

A world a way for me, but saddened me so much. I will probably never make it to the middle east in my life time, especially anywhere near the West Bank or Palestine/Israel, and to be honest, while I know there is a conflict raging their daily, like most Americans I probably don't pay all that much attention. Sorta like, 'Outta sight, outta mind'.

The story itself is tragic enough. We could go on and on and on about the ramifications, politics, etc. One thing that really caught my eye was the living conditions on both sides. The neighborhoods were so crowded, Arabic graffiti adorned the walls similar to what one would see in inner cities in America. But instead of gang signs and rude remarks, the scrawling was of Allah, or jihad, or other political statements. To me it reminded me of downtown Compton, CA...a place you don't want to be out at night, where all the windows have bars on them, and gunshots and sirens are a regular sound.

So it is just as common in sections of Israel and Palestine. Where in America, these sounds are associated with drug deals, prostitution, gang warfare, in the middle east it is about religious differences and occupation. Wow.

I was amazed at the attitudes of both families. Upon the anniversary of their daughters death, one mother cried and is still looking for answers, the other, while sad, celebrated heroism and nobility. You can guess which mother was which.

And to think this happens every day? Week? Month? Year? Generation?

As a Christian I was fascinated by both ideologies presented to me, and what there idea of peace and God's will is, and how different that is from mine. I read the bible, one reads the Torah, the other the Koran. Very religious books, 3 radically different interpretations.

I was very saddened by the parents outlook and attitude of the martyr, Ayat. While in their hearts they miss their child, they also believe she is a hero for her sacrifice and the justifications they offer are something we cannot comprehend, but seems absolutely normal to them.

The final thought I had was something that Christ said to us all: "I am the way the truth and the life; NO MAN cometh unto the Father BUT BY ME." -- Jesus Christ (John 14:6) And so I wonder, as a Christian, did both these children die for nothing? If they did not accept Christ, where do they reside now? I have an easier time accepting where Ayat may be, but I am not so sure about Rachel. Rachel was old enough to know about Christ, but did she die in denial of Christ as the savior, no matter how innocent she was? I do not know, for only Christ knows the condition of the heart and who spends eternity where, but as I sit on my couch and watch these past events with a slack jaw, I cannot help but think years of heartache for both families ended in two lost souls....literally.