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Moving On and Forward

An interview with a 19-year-old suicide bombing victim

By Belia Mayeno-Choy

When we hear about suicide bombings in Israel, teenagers in the United States might feel some sadness but we get on with our lives. But what about those people who live everyday with the fear that their life could be taken at any second? Daniella Birman is a 19-year-old Israeli who was injured in a double suicide bombing a few years ago. Unfortunately, Daniella's speech and thought processes were affected by the bombing. Despite this, she is able to explain her feelings and what life is like in a time of war.

Youth Radio: Your family friends told us that you got hurt in a suicide bombing like four years ago. Do you want to tell us about what happened?

Daniella Birman: I don't really know.

YR: Did other people tell you afterwards what happened?

DB: I'm sure they did, but it didn't do much to remember.

YR: Do you try not to think about it?

DB: Yeah.

YR: So afterwards, what was your recovery like? Did you have to spend a long time in the hospital and do physical therapy and stuff like that?

DB: Yes.

YR: What did you do, what was that like?

DB: I don't really remember much of my hospitalization, but I do remember that I was there for nine or 10 months.

YR: Is everything back to normal? Do you go to school?

DB: I graduated.

YR: How do you feel personally about what's happening now? Do you think you have a more unique view because of what happened to you with the suicide bomber that injured you? What do you think about when you hear about other suicide bombings in Israel?

DB: I think like any other Israel person.

YR: Which is like what?

DB: Personally I feel that it's a shame we don't talk to these Palestinians and they don't talk to us. I think it's just foolish.

YR: So you are not against the Palestinians?

DB: No. Not at all.

YR: Do your friends wish that you could talk to Palestinians or do you want to be separate?

DB: I personally want to talk to Palestinians and wish we could have peace but I don't know.

YR: So you have no bitterness about what happened to you and your friends?

DB: No.

YR: Do you avoid going to places and stuff like that because you want to be safer?

DB: Yes, of course. Everybody does.

YR: But do you still ride the bus and stuff like that?

DB: Yes.

YR: I think your friend told us that you are involved in peace activism. Is that right?

DB: Yes.

YR: What do you do to try to work for peace? Do you have protests or do you have an organization you are involved with? What is that?

DB: I'm in an organization that is a group of students who believe that we should talk.

YR: To the Palestinians?

DB: Yes.

YR: Have you made any progress on that? Have you had any conversations with Palestinians?

DB: No.

YR: No? Do you think they want to talk to you?

DB: Who?

YR: The Palestinians. Or do you think they appreciate what you guys are doing?

DB: I'm sure they do.

YR: You would think, I would think, after being injured being by a Palestinian person, you would maybe be anti-Palestinian, or militantly more pro-Israel. What made you choose to work for peace instead?

DB: Eh, nothing. Plain sense.

YR: So what do you do every day?

DB: I go to the university.

YR: What do you do there?

DB: I study.

YR: Your family friends told us some of your friends died in the suicide bombing. Is that true?

DB: Yes.

YR: Could you tell us about that, were they very close friends of yours?

DB: Yes.

YR: What were they like? What did you guys do together?

DB: I don't remember much but I do remember that they were, like me, very excited about the peace process.

YR: Do you still talk to their families?

DB: Of course.

YR: So I'm 21 years old and I live in California in the United States and a lot of my friends don't know very much about what's going on there in Israel between Israelis and Palestinians. What would you want people to know about what's happening in your home?

DB: That it isn't as bad as it seems.

YR: What do you mean, that it isn't as dangerous as people think it is?

DB: Yes.

YR: Can you explain that a little more? You think there are a lot of people working for peace. More than they say there are?

DB: No. I talked to this girl and told her that I ride the bus everyday and she was amazed.

YR: Is it because we hear all the time that it's not safe?

DB: Yeah.

YR: You want to have peace, as you said. What would you like to come with that peace? Is it important for the Israelis to be in control of Jerusalem or be in the territories or do you not care?

DB: I really don't care.

YR: What do you do for fun? Because I know you still have to have a life as a young person.

DB: Yes.

YR: What do you guys do?

DB: Rent a movie or something.

YR: Do you not go out as much now?

DB: No.

YR: Is it because it's dangerous?

DB: Yeah.

YR: You say that life in Israel is not what we think it is. What is it? And how do you think we see it?

DB: I think you see it as if both people are trying to make each other suffer.

YR: How is it really?

DB: We each try to live as good a life as we can.

YR: Without hurting other people?

DB: Yeah. Except for some.

YR: Do you think those some people are the majority or the minority?

DB: They were the minority, although lately they have become the majority.

YR: Is it because there have been more suicide bombings and that makes people angry?

DB: I think it's also because, we, on every suicide bombing react with a conquering of more cities. So both countries are hurt.

YR: A lot of the suicide bombers are close to your age. Why do you think they do what they do?

DB: Because they don't see any future.

YR: Do you think that they would have a future if they didn't do that?

DB: I really don't know.

— Belia Mayeno-Choy is a producer at Youth Radio.