A moving ceremony was held on Sunday evening in Gush Etzion during which an Arab resident of the Chevron area was honored as a Chassid Umos Ha’Oalm.

The story began before Pesach when a Jewish couple was returning to their home in Karmei Tzur late at night. The Barons encountered a stone barrier on the road, placed by Arabs, who were waiting nearby in a planned ambush. The couple was forced to stop their car and dozens of Arab rioters began pelting them with stones.

M., an Arab resident of the Chevron area, was in his home near the scene of the incident. Without hesitation, he ran outside to save the Barons’ lives, urging them to take refuge in his home [as seen in the video below]. The couple hesitated but lacking other options, followed him to his home as he protected them with his body from the stones. The couple stayed in M.’s home as the Arab rioters outside burned their car and were eventually rescued from the area by IDF forces.

Following M.’s heroic act, his neighbors began throwing stones at his house and burned the gate of his home, causing thousands of shekels of damage. The B’Tzalmo human rights organization heard about the case and began a crowdfunding campaign for him. In addition, the organization announced it would award him the Chassid Umos H’Olam badge.

At the ceremony, M. was awarded the badge in the presence of the members of the Baron family, IDF officers, residents of Karmei Tzur and Gush Etzion, and members of M.’s family. The directors of the B’Tzalmo organization, Shai Glick, and the Roots organization, Khaled Abu Awwad, presented the certificate to M. as well as a financial grant to compensate him for the financial damage he incurred.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)