By Stan Goodenough
Mar 24, 2008
Israeli police are still trying to determine the origin of a barbarous attack on 15-year-old Ami Ortiz, the son of an Ariel-based pastor who was wounded last Thursday when a pipe bomb disguised as a Purim candy package blew up in his face.
The boy, who opened the brightly-labeled parcel in his family living room moments after it had been found on the doorstep, has been undergoing almost around-the-clock surgery as doctors fought first to save his life and then to save his lacerated limbs and punctured eyes.
According to friends of the Ortiz family, Ami has lost one limb and the sight in one eye, possibly in both. Shrapnel punctured both his lungs and tore through his neck, and the explosion itself inflicted third-degree burns on various parts of his body.
He is expected to live, but faces a long and, initially at least, agonizing road to recovery, doctors say.
Media reports say police are investigating two possible sources for the bomb: Muslim Palestinian Arabs infuriated by the successful efforts of David Ortiz - the pastor - to bring Muslims to Christ, and anti-missionary Jews who hate those of their race who accept Jesus as Messiah.
While many of Israel's 15,000 or so Messianic Jews have experienced harassment and prejudice at the hands of orthodox Jewish individuals and organizations, persecution has not hit anywhere close to this kind of violent level before.
Some commentators believe it highly unlikely that a Jew was responsible for the bombing.
One of the victim's brothers, however, is not so sure.
The unnamed sibling told Ynetnews he believed the act was perpetrated by Jews opposed to their faith in Christ.
"This is someone who has harmed us not because we are different but only because they have a problem with our existence here in the land of Israel," he said, according to the news site. "This is a terror attack."
Meanwhile, individuals close to the Ortiz family, while expressing their shock and distress at what happened to Ami, have also given thanks for the miracle that kept the boy from being killed, something the blast - as evidenced by the destruction wrought to the home - ought to have done.