Palestinian-Israeli apologizes to Israelis for Hamas attack

(NewsNation) — A Palestinian-Israeli man gained attention in Israel for his article where he apologized and condemned Hamas for its brutal attacks that have harmed the Palestinian citizens’ pursuit of an independent state. 

Loui Haj, who was born in Palestine and now has Israeli citizenship, said on “NewsNation Prime” that it was his civic duty to stand and condemn the attacks that happened on his Jewish brothers and sisters. 

“I wrote a condolence post for my Jewish friends to share my deep thoughts to give them comfort. And to say that I am sorry that such a barbaric act came from the same people where I come from,” Haj said. 

He said that approximately 20% of Israel’s citizens share his Arab heritage and stressed that he and many others consider themselves an integral part of Israeli society, cherishing their equal rights and responsibilities as citizens. 

“I think that this barbarian act has extremely harmed the Palestinian right to get their independence. My brothers and sisters in the Palestinian territory deserve to have their own state. But this is not the way it should be accomplished. And certainly not the way that Hamas has acted,” Haj said. 

In the article, he expressed his solidarity with both Jewish and Arab friends affected by the war. Haj said he felt ashamed and believed that his Jewish friends deserved to hear his apology, affirming their shared status as Israeli citizens. 

“I’m a human being. And that act wasn’t the act of a human. Nobody can say that it’s for the rights of liberation of the Palestinian people,” Haj said. 

He considered it his moral duty to condemn such violence, irrespective of his unique position as an Arab-Israeli citizen. Haj does not believe that Hamas represents the true desires of the Palestinian population. 

“I think that the Palestinians are captive under a very harsh regime, which is not democratic at all,” Haj said when asked about the relationship between Hamas and Palestinians. 

Haj said his friends had stood by him in moments when violence targeted Arab communities in Israel. He said it was only natural for him to reciprocate this support by standing with them during a tragedy of this magnitude.  

While acknowledging the complexity of the situation, he maintained that the actions of Hamas had severely hindered the Palestinian cause for independence. 

In the face of the horrifying and incomprehensible acts of violence against innocent civilians—youths, children, women, elderly, and infants—it should be undeniably clear to you all: Whether we are Arab Israelis, Palestinians, Israeli Palestinians, Palestinian Israelis, or Arabs of ’48—whatever the label—we stand by you as your brothers and sisters, as fellow humans, and as citizens of this land. We share in your deep sorrow, embracing it as our own.

It’s our moral and human duty to voice our anguish. To loudly denounce these heinous acts so that every mosque, church, or place of worship resounds until even the Almighty declares, ‘These were not committed in My name.’

Our voice will be sharp and clear, without excuses, hesitations, or ‘buts’. In the face of such horrors, there can be no equivocation. As citizens, we stand by you, mourning together, tearing our garments in shared grief. We offer our support and help, ensuring our hands are intertwined, bearing together the weight of this seemingly endless tragedy.

This devastation has touched us all. Everyone knows someone—a coworker, a friend, a neighbor—who has been affected. Such is the depth of the horror; such is our shared human fabric.

In this bloody moment, let’s set aside our past differences and reach across the abyss that divides us, holding each other in consolation. But let’s also be wary of those among us who incite conflict, who have led us to this bloody brink.

While some might never understand the constant, almost insurmountable tension we feel between our Arab identity and Israeli citizenship, our core values as humans who know suffering will always prevail.

In times like these, we cannot remain neutral. We must actively denounce evil, barbarism, and the perversion of faith.

Those few among us who see these devilish acts as a form of resistance or national pride have lost their humanity. They shame us.

Personally, all I can offer is an embrace, trying to comfort in the face of your immense pain. And with a heavy heart, I apologize, embarrassed that these murderers emerged from among my people. For this, I seek your forgiveness.

“Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba.” Together, in a voice of lamentation, I say with you: آمين Amen.

Loui haj wrote