I am an Arab, I am a Muslim, and I love my country.

In fact, I am prepared to die for weight, which is why I serve in its army.

I don't have to do this, I want to do this.

Because my country is a special place, unlike another, free, diverse, vibrant.

Yet other countries, countries not so free, not so diverse, call for my country's complete

destruction.

The moment my country lets its guard down, it will be destroyed.

My country is Israel.

I go up and still live in a small village named after my family's bed and Arab tribe,

our roots in this land run deep.

In 1948, when Arab armies invaded the new state of Israel, my family thought of leaving

our village.

Some of them did, but when the Jews leaders heard that, they implored us to remain.

This is our country.

For both Arabs and Jews, they said, stay and we will work together to build it.

My family stayed, my parents were born here, made their lives here, started their own

family here in Israel.

In 2002, I was a teenager.

It was a violent time.

Palestinian suicide bombers were blowing up Israeli civilians, a danger to Arabs and

Jews alike.

Israeli troops entered the West Bank to stop them at their source.

...