Israel mourns Ari Fuld

From the Jerusalem Post, the Times of Israel and our friend Brian of London. Photograph from Algemeiner

Ari Fuld was assistant director of Standing Together, an organization that supports IDF soldiers. 

Fuld, a 45-year-old father of four from the Efrat settlement, left his home for a routine shopping trip, and was stabbed to death shortly before noon on Sunday by a Palestinian teenager outside the Harim Mall at the Etzion junction. Despite his wounds, Fuld chased and shot at his attacker, preventing further casualties in the attack, before collapsing to the ground. He was rushed to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Brian says that two civilians and a security guard at the shopping centre also shot at the terrorist who was taken alive. It is not known whether Mr Fuld was his specific target because of his work in support of Israel and the IDF, or whether he was a random target from a terrorist seeking his jihad any way. His stabbing spree was cut short by Mr Fuld’s last action in this world and there were no other casualties. This murderous boy is just 17 years old.

The father of four, Fuld was the grandson of a Holocaust survivor and had miraculously dodged a bullet while serving as an IDF soldier in Lebanon. Born in New York, Fuld, 45, immigrated to Israel in 1994. The dual US-Israeli citizen lived in Efrat with his wife Miriam, and was the father of Tamar, 22, Naomi, 21, Yakir, 17, and Natan 12. He served as a sergeant in an elite paratroopers unit in the IDF reserves, and also served on the Efrat emergency squad.

A well-known pro-Israel advocate his Facebook page stated: “Living the dream! I have a love for the Nation of Israel, Land of Israel and Torah of Israel.”

In accordance with Jewish and Israeli custom his funeral was held very quickly yesterday night. Brian attended. He described so many people attending that their cars were parked 4 kilometers away from the cemetery while they walked the rest of the way in the dark, protected by army helicopters overhead, patrolling also in darkness. Thousands stood quietly outside for hours waiting for it to begin. He has provided a Face Book video link here of the speeches given, some in Hebrew, some in English. 

His brother spoke of their early life and promised that his family would be looked after. His wife made a speech of impressive dignity and love. His children spoke of their father very movingly. No one spoke of revenge, retaliation or retribution. They spoke of love, and how their love for Mr Fuld, and his for them will ensure they all support each other, in love.

However, “We welcome the stabbing attack in Bethlehem,” said Hamas spokesperson Abd Al-Latif Kanaoueu. “It came at the cost of sacrificing our people in the March of Return, emphasizing the importance of Jerusalem’s Intifada and the right of our people to all forms of resistance against the occupation.”

Islamic Jihad praised the “heroic stabbing against the settlers’ terror in Bethlehem,” adding that “this is a natural response to Jewish terror, aggression, and its crimes against Arabs, the land, and our holy places.”

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah, and the Resistance Committees also welcome the attack, stressing the necessity of resistance “against settlements, Judaization of the land, and occupation crimes.”.

They are wrong. Love will conquer hate. 

As the organisation Stand With Us, who I have met in London while opposing the Al Quds parade tweeted yesterday

“May his memory be a blessing.”