The international community treats the Palestinians as pawns. The fascist leadership of the Palestinians treat them with contemptuous pawns.
At the end however one distills a matter down to its lowest common denominator to understand what drives it.
The light is like a hope is … and the dark comprehend it not. Might be the most imperfect flickering and weakest of hopes… a light but the darkness of a thing is still a void emptiness, envious and evil wanting nothing more than to do away with that light.
Where does this come from? Until a world has the courage and honesty to mark it for what it is? Those that it owns do not reject it?
As to accountability, a group of young anti Zionist American Jews made a bigoted anti-Israel film called ‘Israelism’ about their youthful indoctrination into loving Israel no matter what. They decry that they never learned about all the horrible things Israel did to Palestinians with no mention of what terrors (since 1919) Israel was reacting to.
Their safe American teddy bear image of Israel was disrupted while actual Israelis live in a TINY country long surrounded by MUCH larger enemies.They cannot see that at least some of their security as American Jews is predicated on
the fact of ONE Jewish nation in a world of multiple Christian and Muslim nations. Even October 7
did not alter the mission of the filmmakers who finished the project before that barbaric day. It’s been shown all over the U.S., especially
on college campuses AND certain ‘progressive’ synagogues.
Now turning to the theme here of Palestinian agency, I’d like to ask where is the Palestinian version of Israelism, addressing what Palestinians don’t learn about what THEY and their Arab/Muslim allies have done to Israel (and Mizrachi Jews of ancient diaspora Arab states)?
Not long back Adidas put out a ‘classic’ sneaker based on the ones used in Munich in 1972!!! The year Israeli athletes were murdered by PLO’s Black September. Adidas hired Bella Hadid to model the shoes and there are photos. An uproar had Adidas cancel the campaign and Hadid said she’d never have agreed if she’d known the violent context.
Huh??? How is it that one of the most famous, prestigious, wealthiest Palestinians in the world (her Palestinian dad is a near billionaire) did NOT KNOW about Munich in 1972?
I actually believe she knew nothing. Which is why I’m asking where the heck is the Palestinian version of Israelism about what Palestinians, even those living lives of wealth and privilege in the diaspora, know about the full history of violent Palestinian acts and agency?
And another question. How cynical was Adidas’s decision to choose the ‘classic’ sneaker of that year’s Olympics? They must have known it would create a stir. I guess any attention in the marketplace is better than none.
And how do you hold them accountable without being dangerous. When someone tells you they are going to kill you and will not stop trying , what’s your plan.
I think he meant you language of “othering” as they say nowadays, is what is dangerous because 1) they are humans and this is what humans can and do and have done since our existence throughout history; and 2) it’s the moral slippery slope of not seeing everyone, even your “enemy” as human beings, albeit for morale as well as moral purposes, vile ones. That’s the double-edged sword of humanity, unfortunately. “Man’s inhumanity to Man.”
Exactly. To call Palestinians "not human beings" is the language that leads to war crimes as worse. Better to see the situation as it is: Palestinians are real people who have consistently supported evil actions and consistently not been made accountable by the international- incl Western international- community.
Excellent presentation. Powerful juxtapositions.
Thanks Rebekah
The international community treats the Palestinians as pawns. The fascist leadership of the Palestinians treat them with contemptuous pawns.
At the end however one distills a matter down to its lowest common denominator to understand what drives it.
The light is like a hope is … and the dark comprehend it not. Might be the most imperfect flickering and weakest of hopes… a light but the darkness of a thing is still a void emptiness, envious and evil wanting nothing more than to do away with that light.
Where does this come from? Until a world has the courage and honesty to mark it for what it is? Those that it owns do not reject it?
And those that attempt wield it are exposed?
It will continue to.
Thank-you for engaging with the poem.
Thank you for saying and writing what others won’t. Thank you for pointing out what would be obvious in a rational world.
My pleasure. Restating the obvious is my first duty. Are you a subscriber Beryl?
Yes I am. Thank you. Just read your piece containing Albert Camus. Excellent!
As to accountability, a group of young anti Zionist American Jews made a bigoted anti-Israel film called ‘Israelism’ about their youthful indoctrination into loving Israel no matter what. They decry that they never learned about all the horrible things Israel did to Palestinians with no mention of what terrors (since 1919) Israel was reacting to.
Their safe American teddy bear image of Israel was disrupted while actual Israelis live in a TINY country long surrounded by MUCH larger enemies.They cannot see that at least some of their security as American Jews is predicated on
the fact of ONE Jewish nation in a world of multiple Christian and Muslim nations. Even October 7
did not alter the mission of the filmmakers who finished the project before that barbaric day. It’s been shown all over the U.S., especially
on college campuses AND certain ‘progressive’ synagogues.
Now turning to the theme here of Palestinian agency, I’d like to ask where is the Palestinian version of Israelism, addressing what Palestinians don’t learn about what THEY and their Arab/Muslim allies have done to Israel (and Mizrachi Jews of ancient diaspora Arab states)?
Not long back Adidas put out a ‘classic’ sneaker based on the ones used in Munich in 1972!!! The year Israeli athletes were murdered by PLO’s Black September. Adidas hired Bella Hadid to model the shoes and there are photos. An uproar had Adidas cancel the campaign and Hadid said she’d never have agreed if she’d known the violent context.
Huh??? How is it that one of the most famous, prestigious, wealthiest Palestinians in the world (her Palestinian dad is a near billionaire) did NOT KNOW about Munich in 1972?
I actually believe she knew nothing. Which is why I’m asking where the heck is the Palestinian version of Israelism about what Palestinians, even those living lives of wealth and privilege in the diaspora, know about the full history of violent Palestinian acts and agency?
And another question. How cynical was Adidas’s decision to choose the ‘classic’ sneaker of that year’s Olympics? They must have known it would create a stir. I guess any attention in the marketplace is better than none.
shalom / salaam
They’re not human beings. They’re barbarian animals and so are the children they have spawned.
They are human beings, but their culture encourages barbaric actions. They need to be held accountable.
However whereas my careful language gets the balance right, yours is very dangerous.
And how do you hold them accountable without being dangerous. When someone tells you they are going to kill you and will not stop trying , what’s your plan.
?
Well we can start with changing the UNRWA curriculum, which we are funding through the disreputable UN.
To start with don’t bet the ranch that UNWRA is going to be allowed to set foot in there again. And you got the part about the UN right.
You’ve got generations of sub human zombies brainwashed into their hatred.
Who pays for this? Us in US. ? How about Qatar? Good luck on that one.
What happens when they start to rebuild tunnels? Just sit there and watch ?
There will be no peace with them
I think he meant you language of “othering” as they say nowadays, is what is dangerous because 1) they are humans and this is what humans can and do and have done since our existence throughout history; and 2) it’s the moral slippery slope of not seeing everyone, even your “enemy” as human beings, albeit for morale as well as moral purposes, vile ones. That’s the double-edged sword of humanity, unfortunately. “Man’s inhumanity to Man.”
Exactly. To call Palestinians "not human beings" is the language that leads to war crimes as worse. Better to see the situation as it is: Palestinians are real people who have consistently supported evil actions and consistently not been made accountable by the international- incl Western international- community.