Mahmud Darwish, the incomparable Palestinian poet and visionary, and the foremost representative of the hopes and dreams of Palestinians since Edward Said, has passed away on August 9th.
When the news of Darwish’s passing came out, it was front-page news on Al-jazeera. The Telegraph covered his passing, as did admirers from Malaysia to Ramallah in Palestine. Meanwhile, American sites like CNN featured crucial news like the passing away of Bernie Mac and John Edwards’ infidelity. Today, while Al-Jazeera continues to honor Mahmud Darwish with an extensive video tribute, CNN features on their front page: Family dog chases 200-lb bear up a tree. It is not just that the Palestinians’ humanity takes a backseat to that of Israelis, it is also buried underneath “America’s Funniest Videos” masquerading as news. No wonder so many around the world despair of America ever being an honest peace-broker in this conflict that for many is not only a political conflict, it is a moral cause. We can’t even sea or hear the anguish of Palestinians, so busy we are being entertained.
Darwish, like all great postcolonials, spoke out against multiple injustices, both the injustice of one’s own community and the oppression forced on one. He spoke against the infighting between Hamas and Fatah, calling it a “a public attempt at suicide in the streets” and again spoke against Hamas’ takeover of Gaza. Initially part of PLO, Darwish resigned after profound disagreements with Yasser Arafat. When Arafat complained that Palestinians had been ungrateful towards him, Darwish shot back: “Find yourself another people then.” Like that other beacon of light from Palestine, Edward Said, Darwish was a thorn in the sight of both Israeli oppression and Palestinian corruption.
And yet, not all injustices are equal. Darwish always remembered the greater injustice, the larger context: the 60 year occupation of Palestine by Israel, referred to by Palestinians as the Nakba, “the Catastrophe.” The world this year celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern nation-state of Israel, and how rarely did we stop to remember that the joyous founding of Israel for some was made possible through the violent exile of some 750,000 Palestinians from their ancestral homelands.
This loss was personal for Darwish: he was born in the village of Barweh, one of the 531 Palestinian villages razed to the ground and depopulated as part of the violent Zionist campaign to purge Palestine of its original inhabitants and replace them with Jewish settlers.
It was Darwish who in 1988 wrote the Palestinians’ Declaration of Independence. Darwish’s writings were one of the best ways of giving voice to this dispossession, this loss of land, life, identity, yet refused to give in to hopelessness and despair:
But we have an incurable malady: hope.
Hope in liberation and independence.
Hope in a normal life where we are neither heroes nor victims.
Hope that our children will go safely to their schools.
Hope that a pregnant woman will give birth to a living baby,
at the hospital, and not a dead child in front of a military checkpoint;
hope that our poets will see the beauty of the color red in roses
rather than in blood;
hope that this land will take up its original name:
the land of love and peace.
Thank you for carrying with us the burden of this hope.
Perhaps the greatest way of honoring this poet, this visionary, is to carry on this hope. For many progressives worldwide, the Palestinian/Israeli tragedy remains an open wound, a symbol of the ongoing injustice that entails not only Palestinian suffering but also the very sullying of the Jewish hope for sovereignty, coming at the expense of another people.
Moral outrage and righteous anger are easy, and not lacking in our age. The question is: can they be wed to a love for all, where love and justice go hand in hand, and we continue the “incurable malady of hope” that Darwish so tenderly wrote about. In looking at the malady of the Palestinians, going on for three generations now, it would be easy to give into hate and despair. Yet Darwish said to the Israeli paper Haaretz: “I do not despair. I am patient and am waiting for a profound revolution in the consciousness of the Israelis. The Arabs are ready to accept a strong Israel with nuclear arms – all it has to do is open the gates of its fortress and make peace.”
One of the most tender poems of Darwish wove together his memories of childhood and his mother, in that lovely way in which the political and the personal illuminate each other:
Childhood memories grow up in me
Worthy of the tears of my mother.
Whether this mother was his own mother, or the motherland of Palestine, Darwish lived such a worthy life.
Darwish’s words have often been censored. In 2000, the Israeli government shot down a plan to include some poetry from this national poet of Palestine in their curriculum. Darwish astutely observed: “The Israelis do not want to teach students that there is a love story between an Arab poet and this land…I just wish they’d read me to enjoy my poetry, not as a representative of the enemy.”
As I write these words, there is an ongoing debate about whether the Israelis will allow the body of Darwish to be buried in his beloved homeland. For a people who have lived in exile and dispossession for 60 years, it is a bitter reminder that exile and dispossession continue even after death. Yet here is a final reminder: Jews, Muslims, and Christians, are all part of a shared legacy where God speaks to humanity in words, through words. Words carry the message of God, words to rebuke, words to remind, and words to remind. The age of revelation may have come to an end, but the age of inspired words carry on. The forces of injustice may exile people in their life and death, but here is hoping that inspired words, like those of Darwish, continue to bring humanity together, and come up with a just solution to this acute moral and political crisis of our times.
posted August 15, 2008 at 12:21 pm
If Darwish’s and Safi’s life is about nothing but crying over the so-called “60-year Zionist occupation” of what he calls “the ancient Palestinian” homeland, I’d rather see a dog chase a bear up a tree than give more time to this tripe.
Clearly, the facts and truth of history don’t seem to matter to them.
posted August 15, 2008 at 1:01 pm
hi Eastcoastlady,
If you are prepared to actually talk about history, instead of hurling insults and using words like tripe, feel free to let us know. Otherwise, may God lead you to beautiful places.
As for me, I believe in what Martin Luther King said in his famous Beyond Vietnam speech, that we are called to follow the mandate of conscience and the reading of history. Both are necessary.
From your post I don’t know how familiar you are with the history of this tortured land, but sadly the facts do speak for themselves. For the Palestinians the dispossession of their homeland and the second class citizenship that the experience till today are not a figment of their imagination, but sad and painful realities.
We cannot get to where we want to go without acknowledging and addressing that reality.
omid
posted August 16, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Omid,
I appreciate that many Palestians feel displaced.
I do not however, appreciate the wording of the sixty year disaster. Jews have been displace from their homeland for thousands of years, repeatedly, and we have been trying to get back.
Not acknowledging the hisotorical fact of the legal re-establishment of the State of Israel is a non-starter.
Derisive use by people like yourself of the word “Zionist”, in the same tone of voice (figuratively speaking) as “Nazi”, say, is as equally inappropriate of that which you accuse me.
When the Palestinians stop, for example, voting in terrorist government and daily setting up rockets to fall onto civilians in Sderot; well, then maybe we can have a chance at agreement. When those who speak for Palestians, or claim to, talk of nothing but taking back all the land given to Israel, or won in the 1967 war after yet one more attempt to wipe Israel off the face of the earth; when Palestian maps mark “Israel” where they currently mark “Pslestine”; when the Palestinian leaders acknowledge that 95% of what they ask for should be considered a good negotiation – maybe then the parties can live side by side.
I feel you are as entrenched as how I believe you perceive me. When the parties’ opinions are polar opposites, there’s not a lot of room for hope.
posted August 17, 2008 at 12:40 am
hi Eastcoastlady,
This post at least gives us a few things to unpack. I am more than happy to talk about historical realities, and not generalities:
I am not the one that refers to this the palestinians’s dispossession as a catastrophe. it is what the Palestinians almost without exception do. I respect their right to describe their own experience, for them, for Jews, for all people. we all deserve that.
*I was not equating Zionists and Nazis, of course. No sensible person would. Kindly do not put that in my mouth.
Do I oppose the historical manifestation of Zionism? of course I do, and so do many. Reason why is this: in both justification and practice, Zionism was tied to colonialism. It used the discourse of colonialism (bringing civilization to the primitive natives of Asia) and it used the practice of colonialism (by allying itself to Great Britain as early as 1917 and the inafamous balfour declaration.) Those are realities that cannot be denied, and are a matter of historical fact. If you need more info, I am happy to provide.
what do i favor? i think it is really up to the people of israel and the people of palestine. Like many other peace activists, what i favor is a one-state solution in which Arabs and Jews would live side by side and like any other democracy one citizen’s vote would count the same as another. It is the most just solution, and one that many human rights activists support.
Is there profound corruption in the Palestinian leadership? Sure. there has been since the time of PLO, and that continues today. But it comes down to this reality: for those of us who critique injustice, the starting point of the conversation is the occupation that is still imposed on palestinians, and has been for 40 years. Here is one thing I tell everyone: live for a month in Palestine, and tell me if you find it acceptable to have your ancestoral homelands taken away and given to recent immigrants, be told that you cannot go to universities that people of another ethnicity go to, that you can not even drive on road that people of another ethnicity do. Can you imagine what we would do in this country if there were “whites only” roads that connected towns? would you tolerate that? As a person of color myself, I never would. I suspect even if i were white, I wouldn’t support that in this country, and I can’t support it in Palestine/Israel. It is the very definition of a two-tiered system that uses practices we all fought in apartheid. (I am not calling Israel a full-blown apartheid society, but even people in Israel are talking about some of the similarities in some areas…)
the 2-state solution that people talk about may be more practical, and if palestinians supported it I would too. One of the many reasons that is hard to accomplish is because of the dozens and dozens of illegal Jewish-only settlements on West bank. Those settlements are illegal according to UN declarations, yet every day some more palestinian homes and fields are bulldozed, and more jewish settlements and jewish-only roads are built. Even this “practical” solution of course is hard to realize.
That is the starting point. I do not condone terrorism, never have, never will. But I do remain convinced that we need to do away with the terror that is imposed by the Israelis on Palestinians, just as much we need to do away with the terror imposed by palestinian extremists on israeli citizens.
Yes, you are right, i do disdain this present reality, but both Arabs and Jews deserve to call this place home, so long as no one’s right comes at the expense of another. towards that day, Godwilling.
posted August 17, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Omid,
Thank you for your response.
Do you really think it’s feasible for a one-state solution? Do you think there was peace before?
Do you think there’s no need for a Jewish homeland, when we have been there at least as long as have Palestinians?
I see the news. I saw an issue where video cameras had been given to Palestinians and they documented instances of abuse by Israeli soldiers and citizens. Yes, of course, I believe this is atrocious and inexcusable.
On the other hand, I also find instances where BBC and the AP, the BBC in particular, have televised clearly doctored instances of fake video of abuse that never really happened.
There is clearly corruption and abuse on both sides, shamefully. I don’t know the answer. I do not support illegal settlements by Israelis on the West Bank where the land was clearly given back to the Palestinians.
On the other hand, Israel’s previous, what you call “infamous” Balfour Declaration borders, provided Israel a homeland for one day before she was attacked by her neighbors.
Which comes first (rhetorically)? The chicken or the egg? The fence to reduce terrorism, or the desire for retribution because of both real and perceived hardships? Does being the object of prejudice warrant the use of terror?
It’s a terribly hard question and I don’t know the answer. There is fault on both sides and I am ashamed of abuse by Israel when it happens, but proud when she shows restraint under attack.
The issue is so very complicated because part of it seems based on the very fact of Israel and the Jews having been given a homeland at all.
What can the Israelis do to make Palestinians happy? Let’s say borders were opened and Palestinians were allowed free flow and access to universities, jobs, etc. Would that be enough to stop attacks on Israel?
posted August 17, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Omid,
One more thing. What is the way for the parties to put their collective pasts behind them and move forward together in trust, be it a one-state or a two-state solution?
I think most of both Israel and Palestine would dearly love nothing more than that, at least the day-to-day regular people, I hope, like you and me, I think.
Regards –
posted August 17, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Hi Eastcoastlady,
Let me thank you first for the tone of these most recent posts. I do remain committed that it is possible to have difficult conversations among people who have differing perspectives, without becoming disagreeable to the point that conversations break down.
As far the role of the media, have a look at this video, produced by a few different American, Israeli, and Arab scholars:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6604775898578139565&ei=gKaoSKnfAYP04ALXlZkj&q=palestine+promised+land&hl=en
It is hard to watch, but I think it is ultimately on the right track.
I do remain hopeful that peace is possible. One of the responsibilities that we have as people of faith is to have faith in things unseen, and we do not see faith and hope and love and peace and justice in this place that so many love so passionately today. Yet just because we cannot see it, it doesn’t mean that it cannot be, and Godwilling will not be.
Nor does it mean that it has not been there in the past. one of the greatest lies that we tell ourselves is the notion that Arabs and Jews have never been able to live together peacefully, even in Palestine. That is simply not the case. Up until the 17th century or so, it was far, far better for Jews to live among Muslims than with Christian Europeans. How we have forgotten that a thousand years ago, 85% and more of all Jews in the world lived among Muslims. How we forget about Spain, where Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together. (see Menocal’s book, Ornament of the World), and we forget about Baghdad and Istanbul. Remember when the jewish population of Jerusalem had fallen to the point of disappearance, it was the Muslim sultan who willingly moved hundreds of Jewish families there. We have these as parts of our legacy too.
When is it in our 1400 year shared history that we find it hard to co-exist? Not surprisingly, when the combination of colonial intervention and Zionism enter the picture.
Remember, and i would be more than happy to provide as much historical detail about this as you would like, up until 1960 there were two main positions: the main Zionist position (I keep calling it Zionist instead of Jewish, to make it clear that I don’t hold all Jews responsible for it. I associate the violence and arrogance of historical Zionism only with those who perpetuate it, and those who today continue to support its fruits), which was that ultimately this was a Jewish homeland for Jews, and the indigenous palestinians were to be driven out. the Arab position, until the 1967 and 1973 wars, was the Palestine was to be a multi-religious society for Muslims, Jews, and Christians. In other words, their opposition was not to Jews living in Palestine, which they had before, their opposition was to a Jews-only homeland in which the Arabs, who only a generation ago had been a majority, would now be non-entities or non-citizens.
Is it possible for people to live today? I wholeheartedly believe that we can. we do not come into this world to hate, we come to love. someone who truly believes we are hard-wired for hate is hard for me to relate too. When I look at children, children can play with other children of all races, sexes, religions, etc. We teach them hate, and if we do that we have the obligation to teach them something lovelier.
We as a peoples have lived together peacefully in the past, and I believe we can do so. To do that I don’t believe that we have to simply move beyond our past, for both Jews and Arabs live partially in the transmitted memory of our pasts. Rather, i think we are to come to terms with our past, for Arabs to acknowledge the lingering ghosts of centuries of persecution of Jews–which still affects so much of the Israeli psyche–and for Jews to acknowledge the terrible injustice that has been and continues to be inflicted upon Arabs. The only way that i know of doing that is through human to human, face to face contact, so that we begin to imagine a higher “we”, that encompasses all of us.
Godwilling we can take small steps in that direction. These conversations may be a part of that.
all the best,
omid
posted August 18, 2008 at 9:07 am
Omid,
Thsnks again for your reply.
Sometimes my initial reaction tends to be anger. However, I usually am willing to listen and perhaps have my opinion modified, especially when anger is not thrown back at me. So, I appreciate your responses as well.
I would concur with most of what you said. When I said to put our pasts behind us, it’s only figurative, as you probably well know. I cannot speak for Moslems, but Jews believe we all participated in our collective history – for example, we believe that all of us here today received the Torah at Sinai.
What I meant was to try to move on from the more recent memories of relentless attacks on both sides and to get to a place where we see a cooperative future.
And yes, there was a time when Jews and Muslims (sorry for the alternate spelling – I hope it’s okay to use both) lived and thrived together. You’re also right about the European influence. Funny, that.
However, I just cannot give up the notion of a Jewish homeland. There’s just not a place anywhere else on Earch where Jews can feel “safe” from persecution. We felt plenty safe (for a while) in Poland and Germany, too. Look how that turned out.
I guess all we can do for the interim is to try to keep the conversation going and our minds open.
Is that pie-in-the-sky? It’s not just the two parties, either, having an impact. It’s the rest of the Arab world, teaching hate culturally and in the school system and in textbooks. Where can we find more people like those Arab leaders calling for peace, and fewer people like the Iranian president Ahmedinajad?
I don’t expect you to be able to continue this one-on-one; you have plenty to do.
But I did enjoy the chance to hold a civil conversation and learn more about your perspective.
Regards –
posted August 21, 2008 at 11:46 am
I grew up in America being taught that Israel was virtuous, and the Arabs were unruly terrorists who liked to hijack planes. Now, I read more,and I think that the Western support of Israel is due to some guilt about the Holocaust. If anti-Semitism had not existed in Europe and America, I doubt if Israel would have been created. Zionism would have remained a controversial topic between Jewish people. But the reality is that England supported the Zionist cause. Europe wanted to get rid of the Jews. Hitler was only the most fanatical and cruel Western leader of many anti-Semites in Europe and America. I believe that all the bloody pogroms enacted against the Jews in Europe and Russia led to Hitler’s “Final Solution”. Now do you think all the victims of Hitler wanted to leave their homeland, and move to Israel? Did The survivors have a real choice whether they wanted to stay in Germany, Poland,etc.? Or were they encouraged (and outraged enough) to go form the state of Israel by the victors of WWII? The Zionists seemed to learn the worst practices of their enemies,and the Palestinians have borne the brunt of their violence and anger. I don’t think that many Holocaust survivors are still alive in Israel, and so now it just seems like a corrupt regime with constant bickering and in-fighting among their leading parties. America and Germany give a lot of aid to Israel in terms of investment and weapons. They seem to hate the Arabs (or Muslims) worse than the Jews. I hope some poet can enlighten me about what these wars and turbulence in the Middle East is leading up to. It isn’t peace. What other country is allowed to menace and terrorize their neighbors about whether or not they have nuclear weapons like Israel does? And people wonder in the States why the Palestinians are so militant and unhinged with their suicide bombing. Some people can never get used to exclusion and desperation.
posted August 21, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Omid,
I appreciate your care and concern for the way your people are being treated by the news media but I would like you to be just as considerate of the needs of other people groups as you want others to be considerate of your needs as a people. Your comments about Bernie Mac were in poor taste. You said “…Meanwhile, American sites like CNN featured crucial news like the passing away of Bernie Mac and John Edwards’ infidelity…”. It was a snide and thoughtless comment. So, in your opinion, Bernie Mac’s death was unimportant?
Don’t belittle his memory because someone you care about did not get the recognition you feel he deserved, please! On the whole, the news media did not give Bernie Mac the recognition he should have received either. Death is still final and many people feel the pain of it, whether the media acknowledges it or not. Please don’t discount the death of one person while trying to promote the life of another.
posted August 21, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Palestinians might attain the hope of a state IF they crack down on their fellows form shooting missiles and rockets willy nilly into Israeli neighborhoods from territory (Gaza) Israel traded in the hopes of achieving peace.
posted August 22, 2008 at 11:03 pm
dear Joyce,
your point about Bernie Mac is well-taken. In fact, I went back and tried to edit the phrase out, realizing that it was written more out of frustration than love.
Still, I do find it ironic, sad, disappointing, whatever we want to call it, that one of the leading Palestinian spokespersons passes with hardly a notice.
omid
posted August 22, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Dear Bruce Ramsey,
Your argument would have some merit if it weren’t for the simple historical fact that the Palestinians lost 80% of their historical homeland before they engaged in the kind of violence you describe. And you fail to account for the violence that Israel inflicted and continues to inflict on Palestinians.
I don’t condone the violence of inflicting terror on civilians, regardless of whether it is done by Palestinians or Israelis. Yet I think simplistic frameworks like blaming palestinians for terror while crediting Israel with hope for peace overlooks the multiple atrocities of the past and present: 1917, 1948, 1967…. it goes on and on. these are important historical realities, and they are open and lingering wounds for people in this region.
we cannot account for the complexity of the situation unless we are willing to stare our shared history face on, and then move to a better tomorrow.
omid
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