Classmate

So there is this overly open-minded kid from Brown that was in my archaeology class. The only thing he talks about is how much he loves Cairo but hates Egyptian food. He also enjoys his frequent visits to the West Bank. Well, here he is:

"Earlier Saturday, Fatah activists sent a tape to the Reuters News Agency, claiming it showed an Israeli, Benjamin Bright-Fishbein, of Jerusalem. They threatened to kill him if Israel did not free Palestinian prisoners.

Fishbein was snatched by gunmen while having coffee at a Nablus coffeeshop, said Rafa Roagbe, head of Palestinian security in the city."

Bright-Fishbein told Reuters that he had visited Nablus by himself because he had heard it was a beautiful place, but could find nobody else to come with him.

"It was a mistake, a really big mistake," he said, looking drawn after his ordeal.

"Everything is fine. I am in a safe place," he said.


Bright-Fishbein recounted how he had been abducted by a gunman called Ahmed who bumped into him in a coffee shop where the student, who speaks Arabic, had been smoking a water pipe.

"He (Ahmed) had a pistol, a grenade and a machinegun. I didn't want to be in his company, but it seemed I didn't have any choice at that point," Bright-Fishbein said.

For the videotaped statement, Bright-Fishbein was dressed in the skullcap of a religious Jew. Looking into the camera he said "If the prisoners are not released, they will execute me."

Well, I guess he got the adventure he was looking for.


If you look closely he is holding up his Hebrew U student ID card for international students. What a weird guy.

Watch the video and read the feedback at the bottom. It's all really weird and kind of funny.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3261195,00.html