Caught in Catch-67

 

The legacy of the six-day war that was inflicted upon Israel is weighting heavy on the everyday reality of both Israelis and Palestinians living on a highly disputed land. With a deep knowledge of both the Biblical sources as of the geopolitical and political realities on the ground, Dr. Micah Goodman not only reviews extensively the past and its extensions into the present, but also suggests possible future directions.

The Jewish tradition requires sharp inquisitiveness and refusal to acknowledge a given situation until all the possibilities were exhausted. The fact that both the left and the right mindsets within Israel do differ fundamentally is a sign of this state of mind. Their differences does not mean they are wrong - or right - it´s just a fact generated by the differences of perspectives, but also a proof of the many changes underwent by the Jewish thought from the 19th century onwards.

The dynamics of the relationship with the Palestinians is predominated by the heavy historical memories but also on the religious limitations on both sides. It´s a relationship, mentions Goodman, predominated by fear - against Palestinians - and humiliations - of the Palestinians living under the Israeli control. 

But there are facts that willingly or not are frequently omitted from the current discourse on the two state or one state solutions vehiculated in the media. Although a Palestinian state as such never been, there were offers in this respect that were rejected. ´Stateless Palestinians are the victims of their own rejectionism´, and the author gives the example, but unfortunately it does not reflect too much upon the complex structure of the Palestinian establishment. His idea of a hudna - which I´ve heard about a couple of times in the 1990s, of a patial peace agreement which will avoid the Palestinian frustration of not being given, among others, the right of return, should be implemented by state structures and who will do it on the Palestinian side? 

Without a credible partner on the Palestinian side who is working on behalf of the Palestinian people, not on those - especially extraneous agents - aimed to fuel the conflict because it suits their political and religious interests, not Palestinians´ the peace cannot be achieved. Any kind of peace. Therefore, the feelings of humiliation and fear, experienced by both sides will only increase. The people who grew up with fear and the people who grew up experiencing the daily humiliation would not be able to see the light of a common future. 

Reading Catch-67 was a very refreshing experience for me because it sorted out a lot of details and information that - not surprisingly - are rarely mentioned in the evaluation of the latest conflict. It´s one of the most elaborated and elevated outline of the post-1967 crisis that I´ve read lately and I am glad that it happened to get the book while the latest episode was unfolding as it clarified for me a couple of positions as well as possibilities. I am also glad to read that actually there would be some smart solutions, but you need two to tango.

'Children of Palestine'

One of the last days, I was having lunch in the Berlin district of Neukölln, where I love the authentic affordable Middle Eastern food and the many family-friendy locations. The place I chose was a simple restaurant, offering various plates, and was half-empty in the middle of the day. Friendly personnel and fast service, and a mix of customers - Muslim families and curious locals and Middle-Eastern food lovers.

In the background, on the huge TV screens, images of music video clips were rolling with sound off, showing some sheik looking boys singing together around an old tree. I was checking the screen once in a while, curious to get insights into the visual culture of a part of the world I am not extremely familiar with.

Suddenly, I remained stuck with the fork full of food on the mid-way between the plate and my mouth when a non-sheik looking young man appeared on the screen, singing in the front of the Temple Mount Mosque. Compared to the previous music displayed, the words were translated into English on the screen, so not sure what was the language used previously for the clips. But this is less important.

The words of the screen sung by Sami Yusuf were what really counted. The song was about the 'Children of Palestine', who took their destiny in their hands and started to fight the occupier. Another line from the song was that they, the 'occupiers' are doing to 'us' what other did to them, without being afraid that Gd is always on the side of the opressed, the singer assumed.

Having an intellectual reason to my very mundane food activities is what I love, and this song was of those opportunities to have a direct access to a world otherwise closed to me. 

I've been previously accused of perpetuating a mindset typical of the 'oppressor' when I say that the best weapon against any kind of oppression is education. There is nothing more valuable and worthy in this world than education, culture and education again. If someone or a group of people want to go beyond their limits, more or less politically and geographically assigned, go to learn. Learn a job, learn about the world, learn a new language. Education is the most powerful weapon and by using it, you always win. Who know, Gd is on the side of the opressed - although I have some doubts often - but with a degree, you can go beyond the condition of being assisted and poor and helpless. You start by helping yourself and as long as your mind is working, no weapon can change this. 

When individuals and groups will stop being complacent and will rather find their own ways to overcome their situation instead of crying their impotence in the front of the Temple Mount, then, they will finally be able to take their destinies in their own hand. And no, I am not assuming that right now Palestinians are a uneducated herd unable to take care of themselves, therefore the need of a strong 'occupier'. I know that there are many people among them that can and want more than that. But they are often the victims of their own rulers, the parents of those 'children of Palestine' who prefer to rather be down on their knees because otherwise the sheiks will not help them to stay in power, no matter what. But it seems that even some of the sheiks are actually having other plans and again, the 'children' are not let to grow up.

What If?

I wonder sometimes what would have been that in the 1960s and 1980s, instead of blowing up buses and supermarkets and pizzerias and many other public places, the Palestinian leaders would have stay at the same table with their Israeli counterparts looking seriously for a long-term peaceful solutions. The Israeli leaders at the time were many of them old warriors in Independence War but they had a political sense and intelligence of the moment that would have for sure help in finding a way. Much smarter and experienced that what you have to deal with nowadays, anyway. 

The tactics of terror didn't lead to anything and only increased the enormous gap between 'we' and 'them', almost deleting the chances of peace. If any. The fact that nowadays people that were directly involved in terrorist acts are still considered heroes is completely out of my understanding. The fact that terrorism left for a long time the Middle East where it polished its methods - and, as in the case of the RAF, also trained its perpetrators, often with a little help from their Russian friends and their weapons - and is ready to claim its victims of any religion and from anywhere in the world shall give a lot of food for thought. 

A couple of days ago, a convicted terrorist, the Jordanian-born Rasmea Odeh was scheduled to be a speaker in Berlin, at an event organised by BDS supporters. A military member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine she perpetrated the bombing of the SuperSol Supermarket in Jerusalem in 1969 that killed two people. She spent 10 years in an Israeli prison and was released following a prisoner exchange for an Israeli soldier captured in Lebanon. Through fraud, she tried to get the American citizenship and following deportation she is living currently in Jordan. 

As usual, the German authorities do their meandering game. She was allowed to enter the country, but following protests on behalf of the Jewish community and some politicians and scholars, she was requested to leave the country.

Inviting a person like Rasmea Odeh to speak shows how much care for a peaceful solution is worth i the eyes of the BDS. Terror haven't lead anyway and will never do. Terror will only bring more terror and retaliation, a sequel of a never ending conflict with no peaceful/political solution in sight. If you want a war, expect the laws of war to apply. Why should innocent people pay for your political fantasies? And you expect a stage after all? Terrorism has no place in the political fight and all those who are trying to prove it otherwise shall pay the biggest possible price. The fact that Rasmea Odeh is free and is openly sharing her 'experiences' after killing 2 innocent people is part of this abnormality that rules in the Middle East for way too long. 

Letters to My Palestinian Neighbour by Yossi Klein Halevi

An experienced journalist, religious Jew supporter of the two-state solution with knowledge of the Palestinian society and Islam, Yossi Klein Halevi wrote a wise book aimed at explaining Zionism to the 'Palestinian Neighbor'. In a poetic language, infused with wisdom and moderation, he is offering his version, neither right or left. 

The book - that will soon be translated into Arabic - is a confession - 'sharing my faith and my story' - from the bottom of the heart and I wonder if or ever we will ever experience such an open testimony from the Palestinian side. I would be really happy and curious to read such an account. 

'I see your present in this land as an essential part of its being', he is writing to his 'neighbor' that brainwashed by the ideological rulers is inclined to think that rather the Jewish neighbors do not need to live in their ancestral land any more. Despite the obvious  conflict of narratives, Halevi shows that it might be a common language of understanding, which may lead, one day, to a wise life under the same generous sun.

As neighbours, we don't have to love each other or be the best friends in the world, but at least to learn how to not harm each other in any possible way. Unless the two of them are not using the same language and are willing to talk and stop hating the other. After all, you only have one beautiful house to share.

An inspirational reading for the moderates of heart and mind.

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Obama just checked at the UN

Without too much enthusiasm I watched Obama's discourse at the UN General Assembly. More interesting than to follow his sayings - and his successful for the masses body language - was to take the full advantage of the views from the meeting room: the self-sufficient skeptical faces of some delegations from the Middle East, the self-sufficient - and nothing else - gestures of the Palestinians and the tensed face of Mr. Avigdor Lieberman while listening to the translated discourse.

What was the essence of his sayings, after all? Some common truths that any bat-mitzvah-ed kid will tell it more artfully: the high security risks faced by the state of Israel because of the Palestinian terrorists, the religion of hate they imbue their children from an early age, the daily rocket rain from Hamas and their acolytes, the obvious right to exist of the state of Israel. That peace should be achieved through negotiations and dialogue between the two parts not by unilateral anarchic declarations.

Better late than never! Again, it is no secret message or fantastic change of position from the part of the White House but rather a return to common sense. Reading the daily media, the main line in most part of the American and international media in general was the pressure of the Jewish vote, following the old conspirationist patterns. I don't care about any elections or politicians, but for my friends facing daily rockets in many localities in Israel, I care about my children to be able to freely travel by bus without being scarred all the time, and about my husband too because I want to stop being worried when he's driving around the country. There are many common things that in the West people accept to ignore, but because of the blindness, indoctrination and hate against Israel and the Jews they continue to widespread lies and to support terrorism. But I am sure people could change, be better persons and read more! We'll see what the UN will bring in the following hours and days.

Remembering 9/11

Before blaming Israel for being a barrier against the (imaginary) peace in the Middle East, we should never forget the reaction of the peaceful Palestinians after the release of the first images with the fall of the twin towers on 9/11.

Similar reactions were registered all over the area, in the streets where people burned the American - and sometimes Israeli - flags. We should only try to imagine how many years we would need to get rid of the enormous brainwashing those people are exposed to 24/7.

Ten years after the terrific events, nothing changed significantly in the good direction. But maybe we still have 2-3 chances to avoid the worse. Maybe.