Fahad Qubati, 24, a recently discharged IDF soldier from Nazareth, was attacked by three individuals in Greece on Wednesday after they suspected him of being a Jewish Israeli. Qubati, an Arab-Christian traveling with relatives, suffered injuries to his jaw and head.
His mother, Jacqueline Qubati, said the assailants fled only after he showed them the cross he wore. "Nothing could persuade them until a Tunisian citizen intervened and helped my son prove he was Arab. Only then did they apologize and flee. It could have ended in murder," she said.
She explained that her son was on a trip to Greece with friends and relatives. On Tuesday night, they attended a party that lasted until the early morning. Afterward, Qubati rented an ATV and gave a ride to some Jewish tourists who played Hebrew music during the journey.
"Fahad returned to the place where he picked up the tourists, and then three Greek residents blocked him," she said. "They asked him, 'Where are you from?' and he replied that he was from Israel. At that moment, they started beating him."
Qubati defended himself but eventually had to shout, "I’m an Arab-Christian." A Tunisian citizen helped him prove his identity by showing the cross on his body, after which the attackers apologized and fled.
Qubati sustained injuries all over his body, including several fractures. Upon returning to Israel, he was taken to Baruch Padeh Medical Center in Tiberias, where he is undergoing several surgeries.
"After the attack, an ambulance was called for my son. There were security forces at the scene, but we lost contact with Fahad until noon. We made every effort until he returned to Israel on Wednesday evening and was taken to the hospital. He underwent surgery and is having difficulty speaking," she said.
Jacqueline Qubati mentioned that her son learned his attackers had argued with the Jewish tourists he had given a ride to and thought he was "one of them."
"I’m deeply saddened by this shocking incident. Thank God my son returned alive. It saddens me that the security situation endangers the lives of Israeli tourists abroad. I want the world to know what my son went through," she said.
"Such an incident could have ended in murder. I demand all relevant authorities arrest those who attacked my son and punish them before they attack others. We won’t stay silent about this act and will continue fighting."