Olive harvest in Palestine

Bread from Palestine

Good morning Middle East! Ya Allah today we woke up. We are alive! 

Two sanctified days ahead of us, to give us time to reflect on the question of how sacred is the "sanctity of life". Is the "enemy's" life less sacred than my own? 

When we think about ourselves, we always excuse our "doings "blaming our circumstances... But when it comes to the "enemy", or simply to "the other", we manage to make his/her "circumstances" disappear. The "other" becomes "plain evil". This happens on both sides...

It is "their problem". Why are they the way they are it is THEIR problem. Well... I am gonna give ourselves some news: it is not THEIR problem. It is OURS to, for t is affecting us. 

So if for a moment we can stop our predictable way of thinking and put ourselves in place of the other, may be we can even realize, that this reality we both managed to create, is holding us together in a way that is well worth sending a prayer to the "other side". It could be the start of our own salvation. 

Jumma Mubarak! Shabat Shalom!

صفحتنا فيها ريحة الوطـــن

Historic Palestine

Possessed by a nostalgia of a time that we never knew... but that somehow it is imprinted in us, as a kind of "Paradise Lost". Even though this part of the earth was always a turmoiled one... It had its moments, of silence and magic... like in this beautiful morning by Jaffa...

October: Olive season in the Middle East.

The Holy Land Trust

"Be the change that you want to see in the world"
Mission:

"We seek to empower the community through mobilizing its strengths and resources in order to address the challenges of the present and create real opportunities for the future."
Company Overview:

"Through a commitment to the principles of nonviolence, HLT seeks to develop spiritual, pragmatic, and strategic approaches that will empower the Palestinian community to resist all forms of oppression, and engage this same community in making the Holy Land become a global model and pillar of understanding, respect, justice, equality, and peaceful coexistence."

Understanding the symbolic meaning of The atfal al-hijara (“children of the stones”) in the Palestinian culture.

As every Friday in Palestine,  many young people including boys and girls, get together, into what became part of their weekly activities. Always the confrontations with the IDF bring all kinds of trouble. People argue easily that the effect or attainments of these confrontations bring nothing positive onto the Palestinian people, that children get hurt, that it ends up in arrests, that they will never ever be able to defeat the soldiers, because for them all those kids are just like mosquitoes. People wonder -specially jewish mothers, wonder- where are those irresponsible families, that allow this to happen? Why are these kids not playing football instead of being fighting soldiers? But this is just missing the point. It is peculiar how in Israel, Palestinian symbology is highly disregarded,  and together with this, they miss the point not only about these actions but anything else regarding their neighbours.

The atfal al-hijara (“children of the stones”) are a strong part of the Palestinian national symbology and of tremendous importance. 

The emergence of these children relates to the first Intifada. It was during this time that they reached the mythical status of national signifier. It sets in motion an upheaval of traditional distinctions between the young and old in Palestinian society. It sparked then an internal debate over just how the ideals of struggle and sacrifice should be acted upon. These children belonged to a third generation of Palestinians born and raised under Israeli occupation: the "jil al-intifada" , the intifada generation, composed by teenagers and children (some as young as five-years-old), who confronted Israeli soldiers openly despite the imbalance of power. While some cautious voices warned that Palestinian youth might lose respect for their elders as a result of the phenomenon, the changing political realities were largely embraced by the general population. Patriotic songs and poems glorifying the atfal al-hijara were widely produced. They embodied the spirt that had “shattered the barrier of fear” between Palestinian and Israeli soldiers. Yet, the practical benefits of the atfal al-hijara for the Palestinian national movement were minimal at best and simply resulted in Israel’s notoriously brutal crackdown. The objectives are of defiance alone and not serious confrontation, let alone national liberation. In short, the singular act of throwing stones matters little in any practical sense; like the fallah demonstrating sumud and the feda'i sacrificing himself in battle, the symbolic power of the atfal al-hijara and the potential sacrifice involved is a pregnated national symbol that nourishes an identity.

Peace, Israel and Palestine

"Maps" are we surveying...

Trying to find a ground for us does not have to do so much with landsurveying and cartography, but with a mapping of the kind of relation we want us to have.

About the ideas and not the people.

It is not about the people. It is about the "ideas" of the people. 

When you get really angry and you say: "I want to push them into the sea"- I heard this expressions on both sides-, you are not really talking about that little boy or girl Palestinian/Israeli but about ideas. And this is how I know this: 

Many Palestinian and Israelis have dear friends on the "other side". So it is not about "Palestinian" and is not about "Israelis". It is about the idea of "Zionism" it is about "Terrorism/Demonization of the other/Brainwashing" etc. But even within the "Zionists", there are violent criminals and wonderful pacifists-Palestinian-lovers that dream of One State Solution. So where is "the enemy"? It is in the ideas. So how about we fight together to "push" these ideas "into the sea" and keep the people?

ليس المقصود الناس, انما المقصود افكار الناس

عندما تقول وانت في قمة الغضب ( سوف ارميهم في البحر ) - سمعت هذه العبارة من كلا الطرفين - لم تكن تقصد ذلك الطفل الاسرائيلي / الفلسطيني, وانما تقصد الافكار, هذا ما انا افكر واعرف. 

العديد من الفلسطينين والاسرائيلين لديهم اصدقاء مقربين من الطرف الآخر. لذلك لي المقصود الاسرائيلي/الفلسطيني انما الافكار " الصهيونية, الارهاب, الشهداء,غسيل الدماغ.................. وغيرها, وحتى داخل الصهيونية هناك عنف وجرائم, ودعاة السلام الفلسطيني, وحبي حل الدولة الواحدة, 

فاين هو العدو اذن؟. 

انها في الافكار 

كيف نقاتل معا معا من اجل رمي هذه الافكار في البحر, ونبقي على الناس؟ 

Delayed response to His Majesty King Abdullah, late King of the Jordanian Kingdom (1882-1951)

To His Majesty King Abdullah R.I.P. 

I come to you, sixty-six years later, in response to your article posted in the American Magazine in November 1947. Please excuse my delay... by those days I was only a project in the dust of stars.

Your vision was indeed reflecting the apocalypses that came only a few months later onto the people.

I can imagine the despair and the abandonment into which the Arab inhabitants of the land of Palestine fall. Many promises were made to them by seven Arab Nations, but not one was fulfilled. They were asking for armament to defend themselves but only some rusty rifles arrived. Some militia that looked like castaways and armed cars that were shooting even their own people in the confusion. Only twenty years after, Egypt, Jordan and Syria reacted to a war to Israel, that ended up in a bigger catastrophe, drowning them even deeper.
All what happened on both sides was, inevitable.

I have been watching on and on documentaries about Al Nakba, and every time is more disturbing and horrifying. There is no force in this world that could ever convince me that a slight bit of fairness was related to the events. In spite of all arguments, even the one that claims: that, "there was a war, and we won". I came to understand that in a war, the first thing to die is the truth. Anybody with just a tiny bit of good will and understanding can realise that that war had no chance to be a fair one. But you as a representative of an Arab nation you washed your hands from it.

Now you come to America and to the world, claiming that there was their responsibility to welcome the "frightened Jews". It is true. Sometimes we have to face the facts that people just do not walk behind their words. And that is a way to betray a very intimate sense of justice. Somehow... I feel that you should have written that letter to your own people. Not talking specifically of Jordan, because they did get involved, however they could. But the others. It seems so easy to me what you did...

I find a difference between our books on accounting. You've got 70 years of inhabiting the Land and we got 3.000. It can be a tough negotiation, that one...

Then you mention King David and King Salomon, but you forgot about King Saul. These were the Kings before the division of  the whole kingdom into Israel and Judah. So I am neatly posting a   plate that I found for you in Wikipedia, wishing it already existed in 1947. It would had definitely help your accountants and save you from embarassment:

I hope they are all in place. If not I shall correct it. There is also a geographical discrepancy about the amount of territory but... lets leave it.

Dear King Abdullah, this is not about book keeping, but the intense feeling of belonging to the Land, that the Jewish people always had and will have. So intense as to make them feel in the exile for more than 2000 years. As to invent a word for it: "galut", translated into "diaspora". You are or living in Israel or in the diaspora. As simple as that. 

It is about the strength of religious narratives that made the Land of Israel a promise. Such as to call themselves as a nation "the children of Israel". As to say "Am Israel Hai". The people of Israel is Alive -difficult word to translate, "Hai". It has other meaning which relates it to G~d. When people get married the groom brakes a glass with his foot, in remembrance of the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. When people celebrate and make a toast they say "Next year in Jerusalem"! This did not start last week... this went on from generation to generation. But what to say as for the most significant declaration of the faith of the people of Israel, the "Shema". Many say it with tears in their eyes: "Listen Oh Israel! G~d is our G~d, G~d is One!"."Israel" is referring to the "people of Israel". So as you see, the identification to the Land turn them into "Israel" -themselves-. 

And the value of Jerusalem... how could you think that a Jew could ever renounce to Jerusalem? May be because, that, you can only understand when you go through sacred Jewish texts, where Jerusalem is cited thousands of times.

The Zionists were visionaries, a visionary is someone that kind of cancels the reality around in order to project his own visions.  From their point of view, they really and honestly came back to where the belonged, and thought of the Arab people as settlers. May be is not a kind of physical belonging in absolutely all of them. Would not dare to run a DNA on all my fellow Jews, but understood  as a spiritual one.

You mention the Holy Land as the place of birth of Christianity, that is not right! It was Anatolia in Turkey. But even though we have some disagreements I posted your letter, because it is also full of truth, and when we sum what you say to the Nakba, we undergo a moral "nakba" ourselves. The same flame that made people go to the Land and struggle to such extremes, until today, withholds or at least should withhold a moral character that made out of the Jews a light for the world; developers of books on ethics obsessively written by the detail, philosophers, scholars and altruists. 

It is important to have our day when we will understand that Kol Nidre will not release us from the debts with our brothers. That we have to look at them at the face. That redemption will only come when we can face ourselves, our history, entirely. The rest will have to be a deep conscientious job of "Tikkun Olam". We deserve this. And we shall not rest until then. 

Bedouins

Bring the poets and the philosophers into your governments! Save me oh L~rd from all these bureaucrats!  All these golden-tennis-shoes-kitsch-cheap-culture of frechot! 

Bring me back my bedouins and my poppies, the crystal pure waters of secret fountains! The clean night, without "intimate deodorants"! Bring me back the goats and the stallions! 

A man in the desert has the dignity of his desert. But you don't understand this. Your vulgar "culture" means nothing to me! It makes me sick. You think that you're so superior because you come from the city, you dwell amongst cables, like spiders on webs... but you know nothing about sipping the dew from the fresh air in the early mornings. You manipulate us, as if we were objects to be added to your pouches... "They are Jewish" you say, "they are Muslims" you say... But we... We are men! Men that saw the rising of your gods in a land you dispute like vultures!

Let me clean out of your greeds and your shuks! Let me have my bread, that I make with my own hands, let me have my coffee in peace! And please, go away. Everybody!! Get out of my land!! Go and do your crossed explosions somewhere else! You don't let me hear my stars...

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Mohammad Assaf, an authentic "Idol", with capital "I"

Mohammad Assaf, is a young guy born in 1989 in Libya from Palestinian parents from Gaza. His story is a personification of resilience. Perhaps because he is used to obstacles. Due to a long journey from Gaza and having to cross checkpoints and undergo so much bureaucracy he arrived late to the audition held in Egypt.He had to jump the hotel wall to evade security and finally made it. A guy that was about to audition gave hi his ticket telling him that he was sure that he was having more chances to win.

In the video the three last in the competition. I am sure that you will agree with me that he is just mesmeric.

His voice brings all the suffering and hopes of the Palestinian people... that is why he is so much loved.

And look at at him on a wall in Gaza! He certainly brings hopes for peace.

Down with the mythology of ideas behind suicide bombers

.Robert Anthony Pape, Jr. (born 1960) is an American political scientist known for his work on international security affairs, especially the coercive strategies of air power and the rationale of suicide terrorism. He is currently a professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and founder of the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism (CPOST). In early October 2010, the University of Chicago press released Pape's third book, co-authored with James K. Feldman, Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop It. While popular in the mass media, Pape's findings on suicide terrorism have routinely been challenged by scholars who have identified potential methodological flaws with his conclusions. 

In spite of the general believe that suicide bombing attacks are motivated by Islamic believes, Robert A. Pape, that studied over 50.000 events taken from 35 different countries, states as the result of his deep research that, out of the 462 cases presented, 50% were secular. That 95 % of suicide attacks have not religion in common, but a strategic objective to draw people away from a territory that they consider their homeland or is prized greatly. They are directed onto democratic societies which are perceive as of weak.
They are "walk in" volanteers and not as it was thought full time students of madrasas that had been brainwashed. They have a strong support of the local community. This video is kind of "longish" but worths every minute of it!

Arab Idol favourite Mohammed Assaf carries hopes of Palestinians into final!

"Muhammad Assaf is amazing story of resilience! Perhaps because he is used to obstacles in his way. Due to a long journey from Gaza, he arrived late, had to jump the hotel wall to get to his audition, then he had to evade security and then convince one of guys auditioning to give him his ticket! and finally he won and become The Arab Idol. Incredible story!" From Aziz Abu Sarah. Palestinians are expected to crowd into cafes, hotels and open-air venues on Friday evening to watch three finalists compete for the title of Arab Idol, in the fervent hope that a 23-year-old from a Gazarefugee camp is declared the winner on Saturday. Mohammed Assaf, who is thought to be the favourite to win the TV talent show, has enthralled viewers from Gaza, the West Bank and the entire Palestinian diaspora with his rendition of traditional songs – some lamenting the loss of his homeland – and his self-effacing charm. For many in Palestine, enduring a grinding existence under occupation, Assaf has come to symbolise hope and national aspiration. Just look at him and fall in love...!

 

In 2012, Hamas banned singing competition in Gaza. Gaza's rulers deem Palestinian version of 'American Idol' indecent. 'New Star' producer: Hamas killing fun in Gaza. Organizers of the Palestinian version of "American Idol" said Thursday the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers have banned residents from participating in the popular reality show. The organizers said Hamas told them the program is "indecent", reports Ynet. In the past, Hamas has banned women from riding on the backs of motorbikes, women from smoking water pipes, and men from working in hair salons– saying such practices were immodest. Alaa al-Abed, the chief producer of the "New Star" program, said the edict would prevent Gaza's 12 contestants from competing in the upcoming second round of the competition Thursday night. It will be broadcast next month. He said he was informed of the decision last Saturday. Ynet reported.