A Cry of Outrage and Public Condemnation: We Will Not Allow Our Humanity to Be Torn Apart!

By: Jihan Haidar Hassan

On December 9, 2025, a severe and unprecedented shooting occurred in Shefa-Amr: in the morning hours, gunfire was directed at a minibus transporting children with special needs on their way to school. By sheer luck and divine mercy, no lives were lost, though the vehicle was damaged, and the incident left the children—a particularly sensitive and vulnerable population—in profound shock. Witnesses described the event as one of the most serious ever to take place in the city; and although it did not end in fatalities, it came terrifyingly close to a major tragedy. The fact that someone pulled the trigger toward a minibus carrying children with disabilities reveals the moral collapse of the perpetrators: a total lack of humanity, an absence of any moral restraint, and complete indifference to who might be harmed—even a defenseless child.

Although this event is extreme in its severity, it is not isolated. A resident who witnessed the incident spoke of a reality that has become unbearable: a constant sense of fear, leaving home with the heavy worry that one may not return. She said, “You need to hug your family before you leave the house—as if it’s a farewell.” This is a chilling description of a society that has lost its most basic sense of safety.

This act is a moral disgrace that cannot be forgiven. It is an assault on the very foundations of humanity. Deliberate gunfire aimed at defenseless people—especially children with special needs—crosses a clear red line. This population represents the heart of our human, moral, and communal values, and any harm inflicted upon them is a direct blow to those values. These children set out that morning to learn, grow, and fulfill their capabilities within the limits of their condition—yet instead they became targets of a brutal crime.

The incident signals the collapse of moral boundaries. This is no longer about “internal disputes” or crime limited to conflicts between criminals—it is a deep and dangerous erosion of social cohesion and of the fundamental value of protecting the weak. Have we reached a point where harming children with special needs becomes part of a wild and boundless “street war”? Our answer is unequivocal: No. Absolutely not. We will not accept it, and we will not remain silent.

Following the incident, the mayor of Shefa-Amr announced a general strike in the education system. While the strike expresses important public condemnation and a call to speak out, the decision itself is fundamentally mistaken. It leaves children and teenagers without a framework and may deepen social chaos and create fertile ground for further incidents. This reaction is extreme and potentially harmful, especially when more effective civic tools are available—tools that do not paralyze the education system.

We stand firmly with everyone who condemns this heinous act, but we strongly oppose the decision to shut down the city. If the event is indeed so shocking—and it is—then we must honestly examine:

• Is a strike an appropriate response to harm inflicted on the most vulnerable group?• Will closing schools and businesses strengthen security and restore trust?• Will freezing routine activity stop the shootings and curb crime?• Will staying at home compel the police to act more decisively?

Criminals are not “stationed” in one place. They roam the streets, armed and ready to harm anyone in their path. Therefore, now more than ever, we must do the opposite of what a strike dictates: strengthen daily routine, restore public and spatial control to the community, and send a clear message that life does not stop in the face of criminal terror.

A strike freezes life—and is essentially a retreat. It grants criminals a sense of power, as though they are capable of paralyzing an entire society. Instead, we need effective, long-term actions:

1. A binding demand for immediate protection of educational institutions, transportation methods, and especially frameworks designated for children with special needs.

2. Significant and sustained public pressure on the police and security agencies to collect illegal weapons, dismantle criminal cells, and impose severe and deterrent punishment.

3. A broad civic mobilization to denounce criminals, isolate them, and create a public climate that does not allow crime to take root.

Effective tools include demonstrations that do not disrupt education, organized public pressure, inter-municipal cooperation, parental and community involvement that does not paralyze daily life, political pressure, proactive municipal policy, the involvement of religious and social leaders, and smart use of media and communication. All these are constructive paths that promote real change.

We are now paying the price for silence, willful blindness, and failure to demand proper public order. Our anger must become a forceful and uncompromising engine for action. We must not allow armed cowards to continue hiding in the dark and pointing their weapons at innocent children—children with no connection whatsoever to the world of crime.

Enough! It is time to transform outrage into a catalyst for change.A strike will not save lives.Smart, determined civic action—will.

Jihan Haidar Hassan