Johnny, a martyr killed near the birthplace of Jesus

Saturday September 22, 2007 06:32 by Translated By Saed Bannoura - IMEMC

Feature Story by; Ismail Al Ghazouz

Here, on the corner of the Church Of Nativity, in a place which is not less holy than the holiness of humanity, and the holiness of the creator, here, where Jesus was born, where light and love were born, here, they killed Johnny, the 17-year old youth on Saturday evening, October 20, 2001.

The Church of Nativity

Johnny was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers as he was leaving the Church of Nativity, he left the church not knowing that those bullets will penetrate his innocent heart, he did not know that the murderers do not care about the birthplace of Jesus, the birthplace of peace.

He never expected that his smile, which always decorated his face, will vanish forever near the walls of this church, those bullets of hatred penetrated his heart and smashed his innocent body as well as smashing the walls of the holy place.

As the world stood silent, his blood spell on the grounds of Bethlehem, on the grounds of the church of Nativity.

Here, history stopped to listen, as the walls cried in pain, while your blood “Johnny” spilled in Bethlehem and mixed with the stones of the Nativity.

You tongue and heart sighed and said, “They killed me mother, they killed me Bethlehem, here is my blood spilling in a crazy time when the values of humanity are broken”.   

Johnny was born near the Church of Nativity, was raised near the Church of Nativity, and was shot and killed near the Church of Nativity.

He was always smiling, filled with life and love, and was a role model for loyalty and love to humanity.

Those days, we commemorate him with tears, our words cannot even express what we feel, the emptiness, the loneliness and endless love.

But, even after you are gone, Johnny, your breath, your voice and your love will never stop, you are the symbol of determination, love and passion, you are the light which will forever shine upon the yards of the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

Your movements stopped, but you soul will forever remain here, will forever curse those murderers who have no human values and dignity, your soul and your memory will forever be next to Iman Hajjo, Mohammad Dorra, Rachel Corrie, George Abu Eid, and every person who was killed by the Israeli army , those and thousands more who wrote the history of steadfastness with their blood.

Your memory will forever remain in our hearts, your memory will never die.. will never die.

bethlehem | human rights | human interest saed at imemc dot org