Every year when the world commemorates the courage of Tank Man in China, I’m reminded of 14-year-old Tank Boy Fares Odeh, may he rest in power.
His bravery in the face of Israel/i tanks barging into Gaza deeply inspired my generation. It ripped the fear out of our hearts. (1/8)
His bravery in the face of Israel/i tanks barging into Gaza deeply inspired my generation. It ripped the fear out of our hearts. (1/8)
Fares Odeh was born December 3 1985. He was 3 years older than I. When the 2nd intifada started, he was 14 years old. He lived in the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaz/a.
When his parents found out he was going out to protests, they grounded him, telling him not to leave his room. 2/
When his parents found out he was going out to protests, they grounded him, telling him not to leave his room. 2/
Fares’ mother said she went at least 50 times to the protests to find her son and pull him away, begging him not to risk his life and focus on school.
But Fares was a rebel with a cause. He wanted freedom. 3/
But Fares was a rebel with a cause. He wanted freedom. 3/
In fact, Fares did all he could to avoid being photographed because he didn’t want his parents to know he went out to protests. That’s why it’s hard to find pictures of his face. @AP photographer Laurent Rebours took the image from a distance. 4/
On Nov. 1st 2000, Fares’ 17 year old cousin was killed in a protest and Fares pledged he would continue to stand up to the tanks and army attacked his town.
One week later Fares was shot in the neck by the Israeli army, and left to bleed for an hour until he passed away. 5/
One week later Fares was shot in the neck by the Israeli army, and left to bleed for an hour until he passed away. 5/
Today across Palestine, a new generation that came of age in that period is again standing up the Israeli occupation. Hours ago @m7mdkurd & @kurd_muna were arrested for doing just that. 6/
When I saw that photo of Fares in front of the tank, I was 12 years old. A year later those same tanks would enter my neighborhood, the whole town shaking under their weight.
Yet I never really feared them, instead I would spend my evenings thinking about how to defeat them. 7/
Yet I never really feared them, instead I would spend my evenings thinking about how to defeat them. 7/
For two decades the Israeli government worked tirelessly to make freedom seem impossible, & to make any form of struggle appear futile.
Their failure to do that despite all the force and psychological warfare practiced against us is a sign of the resilience of our people. 8/
Their failure to do that despite all the force and psychological warfare practiced against us is a sign of the resilience of our people. 8/
In fact, one day I am positive that our steadfastness and perseverance in the face of one of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced militaries in the world will become a case study in collective resilience. 9/9
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