Everybody who knows me well enough is aware I have strong ties with Palestine and the Arabic Middle East. And I also have several very good Jewish friends who are really peace-minded people.
I had been following very closely the departure of the Free Gaza boats. I knew they would not get to Gaza and deliver their goods. Goods I believe were totally humanitarian because being engaged in such a cause you cannot slip, not even once.
Those goods were intended for the people of Gaza, people like you and me. Except that they are not at all like us. Most of them are without food and medicine. They were cold this winter. Lots still don’t have any decent housing. No water, no electricity, most of the time.
Please let’s try to forget the endless battle fought for whatever extremists (from every side) call it: land, revenge, fight, politics, spilling blood for blood.
This is a time to remember that a handful of people were very wrongly killed and wounded. This is a time of mourning because it shows that there will never be peace in the Middle East.
I grew up reading incredible books about people who had been wilfully destroyed, unbelievable stories of men, women and children tortured, famished, murdered and ending in gas chambers because they were Jewish.
I read books written by survivors who still believed in peace and love of mankind, who believed we would walk towards better tomorrows.
In 1960, I cried watching the movie «Exodus» and I said ‘never more’, even though the movie’s plot was a little bit twisted. But I cried.
Then I started reading history books telling about the creation of the State of Israel and I felt very uncomfortable. It was hard to condemn a people after so many terrible hardships but it was hard not to think about the Arab refugees trying to survive in camps after loosing everything, their land and what was worse, their soul.
Then there were those times of blind terrorism which were unbelievable. Terrorism and wars. Deaths, lives broken and destroyed... On both sides.
And more refugees.
The State of Israel still existed and was turning prouder and prouder to the point of turning rogue. And we hid our questioning behind our guilt.
We were taught only to see our wounds and we refused to ask ourselves how such a deadly extremism had come to pass.
We kept meddling with lots of countries knowing very well that we were fueling resentment and hatred. But we needed their wealth or whatever seemed useful to us, be it just a matter of a sphere of influence.
I know that we’ll never learn from the past. I also admit I have no idea of the way I’d be feeling, were I from Gaza or from Israel.
All I know right now is that I cried a lot and anguished a lot during the codenamed «Operation Cast Lead» against Gaza, codenamed by the Israeli government. The Arab world calls it «The Gaza Massacre». The Israeli media called it «The War in the South» while Al Jazeera talked about «The War on Gaza». They can’t even get united on a name. This is so tragic.
For a handful of people like us, it’s «Ibrahim’s story» who died at 11, killed by an Israeli missile.
I feel so helpless tonight. The sun is still shining over a very peaceful sea where fishermen are at work. I will post what I have so emotionally written down. But my words are so inadequate... They are words written with pain, anger, and such a lack of understanding.
No peace on earth today.
Shall I keep on wishing «Good Luck, and Good Night»?
2 comments:
Agreed. We're quite unsettled about the whole thing over here, too.
Only Israel can get away with an act of piracy in international waters. Only Israel.
Palestinians -in the West Bank, and not even in "Israel"- are already being displaced from areas with water supply to nearby desert lands through systematic home demolitions and land erosions, as the IDF moves into those regions along with armed settlers, and force the Palestinians into a curfew until they move out. That's 1948-2010 reality for you, happening as we speak right now. Palestine's deserts are wide enough, but not its water supply.
As a result, in the West Bank, less than 10% of the population (the armed settlers) are receiving more than 90% of the regions water supplies, for their swimming pools and what not- while Palestinians continuously expelled out of their homes are dealing with a total lack of basic human needs, in addition to the mountain sewage from the water-rich colonies. And that's what's happening in the West Bank, the "official" Palestinian land, and not Gaza, and not the occupied territories.
American commentators on CNN and every newspaper website seem to "dream" of this brotherly love la-la land, conveniently ignore facts and emphasize others, and denounce any attempt at exposing the humanitarian crisis underway which could very well help these people live, as opposed to helping them die, of thirst hunger and misery -but "in peace".
Or, let's make it a lot simpler: We can just apply International Law to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Yeah let's go ahead and do that.
But no, sir. CNN just loves conveniently hiding facts. Studies show that US coverage is Israeli-centric. The main bureaus for CNN, Associated Press, Time, etc. are located in Israel and often staffed by Israelis. The son of the NY Times bureau chief is in the Israeli army;"pundit" Jeffrey Goldberg served in the IDF; Wolf Blitzer worked for AIPAC.
What I've read from commentators makes me think those people have NO PROBLEM whatsoever if an intruder waltzed into their house, shot randomly at their kids and drove the surviving ones out to the backyard, sealed off, where they live with little to no water, and have to deal with the sewage poured onto them by the intruders from their own house.
It seems that they will find a way to "live in peace" with those intruders, while approving of the murder of any of their old neighbors who tries to send them food to that backyard. Good for them!
Peace and Justice come hand in hand.
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