This week, Israeli organization B’Tsalmo* presented a “Righteous Among the Nations” award to Israeli Arab M. for his role in protecting a young Jewish couple from a lynch attempt near his home. The couple were on their way home late several weeks ago and were forced to stop in the middle of the road due to a pile of rocks put in place by Palestinian teens lying in wait.

M, hearing noise from the ambush, immediately ran out to the road and offered to shelter the Jewish couple, who stayed with him until being extracted by the IDF. Despite personal injury as well as extensive damage to his property by angry local Arabs, he maintains that it was the obvious thing to do.

Incidents of cooperation between Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews are heart-warming, and actually more common than one would think, especially in the world of emergency medicine, where Jews and Arabs frequently save each other’s lives.

Thank God for M’s bravery and that the incident, which could easily have ended tragically, miraculously did not. Please pray that more and more Arab Israelis will follow in M’s footsteps, standing up for human life and dignity. Lastly, please also pray for more international media coverage of positive and cooperative events in Israel.

*B’Tsalmo should not be confused with the pro-Palestinian Israeli organization B’Tselem.