Forgive me for not providing the link right here, but just read an article in today’s NYTIMES about the State Department revoking its Fulbright scholarship grants to a number of Palestinian students in Gaza. The reason? Because Israel is unwilling to let students leave the region as a punishment to the controlling Hamas militant group. The US State Department has subsequently determined that providing the scholarships is a potential waste of money and resources.
Are you kidding me? Let me get this straight: the state of Israel has instituted a law that prohibits bright, progressive Palestinian students who have earned scholarships to attend higher institutes of learning in the US from leaving their lands. And the State Department’s response to this is to simply turn their cheek and obliquely endorse this ignominy by pulling the whole scholarship program? It’s so infuriating, I am at a loss for words.
It’s been some time – about 5 years – since I last visited Israel and the Occupied territories, but sadly, all I believe I have missed is more of the same. More violence instigating more violence. More suicide bombings by Islamic martyrs inspired by Israeli imperialists terrorizing and dehumanizing Palestinian citizens that in turn instigate more brazen terror attacks by Islamic martyrs that result in harsher punishments from Israeli imperialists that spur more terror attacks and on and on and on. Sound familiar? Islamic terror organizations (Hamas, Hizbollah, Islamic Jihad, Al Aqsa) undermining their own people. Extremist Jews undermining progressive Israeli citizens. Fascist archaic rogue regimes in Iran, Syria, Saudi, and Egypt that are complicit in fueling conflict between Arabs and Israelis for their own diabolical self-interest.
And oh wait – perhaps the worst and most complicit of them all – the US government’s unfathomable and inexplicable support of Israeli policy that so overtly aggravates the endless blood feud between Arabs and Israelis.
Just think about it for a second: what is the single semi-reasonable solution to ending this bloodbath, one that pits two sides that both see themselves as victims, where conflicts from 48, 65, 72 and two intifadahs in the last 10 years have spawned a legacy of anger, resentment, humiliation, and retribution that plays out in cafes in Jerusalem and alleyways in the West Bank day after day? Having been there myself several times – walking the lonely streets of Bethlehem after curfew, dodging sniper bullets in Jenin where unemployment amongst adult men is 85%, waiting in endless traffic jams at checkpoints in Ramallah – I’ll tell you that the start of a solution comes with educating and enabling a new generation of Arabs with the skills to transform their own people and communities into self-sustaining members of society and prosperous economies such that the Palestinian territories can become something other than hotzones for terrorist breeding.
Alternatively, what’s a surefire way to demoralize and antagonize another generation of Arabs to hate Israelis and Americans (and in doing so perpetuate this endless conflict)?
Take away hope.
Isolate and imprison them in their depressed economies and vitriolic communities.
Endorse Israeli policy that de-humanizes and condemns tomorrow’s Palestinian leaders.
Congratulations America, you’re in the process of buying yourself another two decades of worth of bloodshed in the so-called “Holy Land.”
Please think again on this one.
posted June 10, 2008 at 11:57 am
I have always believed that if through your words or actions you attempt to prevent one more Israeli or Palestinian child get killed, you will be rewarded by the Almighty. You have earned this blessing by your article.
On the other hand, and talking to hardliners on both sides of this issue (Hamas, Likude, etc), By not allowing God’s peace on this troubled land, you are earning His Wrath. This is only my humble opinion.
Shalom, Salaam, Peace.
posted June 10, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Salam the Israeli Palestinian problem will not be resolved until those who are ostensibly wanting peace in the Middle East understand that this is not an Arab Israeli fight, but a Zionist/Neocon fight against the rest of the world. The US (with their Neocon controlled govt)only has 2 items on their World Agenda; to occupy those lands where the oil is to be found (to fund their ever increasing demand for more energy), subjugating and humiliating the people of those lands in the process; and to make sure that the rogue state of Israel remains intact by supplying them with the necessary weapons and turning a blind eye to their human rights violations of the Palestinians, who are living as refugees in their own country- this ensures the US retains their foothold in the Midlle East region, or should I say, boothold, becaue they are quite literally trampling those who don’t have the facilities to retaliate.
posted June 11, 2008 at 12:23 am
The daily aparteid torture inflicted by the Israelis against the Palestinians and neighboring Arabs is no different that the actions of the Nazis of WWII. They assasinated the “best and brightest” as a staple to the genocide of those who would attempt to rise above their oppression. They also inflicted torture against those whom they felt were “not chosen” as the superior race to others by God.
When the American public reflects and realizes this gruesome parallel, we can all begin to make progress in the otherwise stalemated and violent humanitarian crisis in Palestine. Presently we are encouraging more of the status quo, more unchecked aggression by the illegitamate terrorist state of Israel, and more grievous suffering by its aparteid victims, the native Palestinians.
It’s outrageous that more global action hasn’t been taken to stop the next houlecaust from happening to the Palestinians while on our watch. Some of us boycott anything labeled “Israel” with great pride. We welcome more conscientious objectors to the Zionist/Neocon imperialism that is running rampant in the Middle East these days.
posted June 11, 2008 at 1:54 am
I respect your father’s teachings on how to live one’s life. As to the Israeli/Palestinian problem, there doesn’t appear to be a simple answer. I believe that Israeli settlers should be removed from Palestinian areas, but at the same time, the Palestinians must stop sending rockets into Israeli towns. Also the use of suicide bombers must also be stopped.
If one were to address the grievances of the Palestinians and the same time guarantee the State of Israel, would there be lasting peace in the region? If the United States were to leave the region would there be peace in the region? Will Syria stay out of Lebanon? Will the Iranians butt out of the area?
Like it or not, The Holy lands were the domain of the Jews for thousands of years. Only when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem did the Jewish people lose their lands in the first century C E. This all happened before Muhammad or the United States of America existed. After the time of Jesus and following centuries, Christianity was introduced into the region. Starting the sixth and seventh centuries, Islam became the dominant force in the region; Jerusalem was first conquered by the Arabs in 638 C E. Not only was the Middle East subjected to Islam but also Spain and Portugal were invaded. The Muslims were stopped by the French. The Spanish finally removed the Moorish invaders in the last of the fifteenth century. But Constantinople (Istanbul) Turkey and parts of Eastern Europe fell to Muslim invaders in the Fifteenth century. India, Indonesia and other parts of the Far East were subjected to Islam.
So the Muslims like to talk about the European crusaders of the eleventh through the thirteenth centuries. Islam likes to forget about its use of Jihad from its conception to the present time. Right after the United States was formed, its ships were attack of f the coast of Africa by Muslims pirates.
Iraq is a quagmire and tragedy but the series of events that followed 9/11 would not have happened, if 9/11 had not taken place. Today, Europe is again being invaded by Islamic immigration and the United States is starting feel the presence of Islam. So I don’t see any chance of peace as long as Islam believes, it is its right, to conquer the World. Will the Israeli/Palestinian problem ever be solved, not as long as there are Muslims, Jews and Christians.
posted June 12, 2008 at 2:09 pm
You’re right about this issue. But there will only be peace when the people on both sides want it, and their leaders let them have it.
It’s said that the Jews stole the land from the Arabs, but they got it from the British, who won it from the Turks. Over the centuries, it’s been taken over (in no particular order) by the Turks, Crusaders, Arabs, Romans, Greeks, Persians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Philistines, Egyptians, Israelis and other groups I can’t remember. Since they all controlled it, each claim is legitimate as the next. On the other hand, since they all probably took over by war and killing the inhabitants, each claim is as illegitimate as the next.If we want “justice” in the Middle East, we should throw out both the jews and the Arabs and give the land back to the Jebusites, Hittites and Canaanites (if we could find them.) If you want peace, remember two things. Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. And if the answer to one historical wrong is another historical wrong by their descendants, eventually everybody will be right. But nobody will be alive to know it! Let’s hope we all are.
posted June 14, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Palestine will remain a a country that witnessed the worst man made atrocities from the beginning of time. The land itself is in the heart of the Middle East. Isreal though now a 60 year old country, but not a normal country in the sense of the word. It was thrust in the middle of a different world, different culture and by all means was given the land and all the support there is by a British promise and now American protection until the end of time. Israel’s exitense was through dirty deals with Britain and other Arab leaders who betrayed their own people. History taught me that even Great Nations do not last forever. Back in 1967, Egypt lost around 200,000 in the war of the 6 days only’ let alone the Palestinians daily hell. In 1973 War and afterwards the 1977 Peace treaty (Every one cross your fingers) the majority of the Egyptian people are still convinced that Isreal is their worst enemy. What is Peace to Israel is Hell for everyone else. Until a true Palestinian State is acknowledged, the rest of the world will keep suffering because of this.