Uri Avnery
4.9.04
How Are You, Non-Violence?
At the mass meeting with Arun Gandhi, the grandson of the Mahatma, in Abu-Dis, I observed the faces of the participants. While Gandhi was preaching non-violence, I imagined a debate between two young Palestinians in the audience.
Yussuf: “He is right. The armed intifada has failed.”
Hassan: “On the contrary. Without the actions of the martyrs, the world would have forgotten us long ago.”
Yussuf: “For half a year there were no suicide attacks in Israel, and look what we have achieved!”
Hassan: “We have achieved nothing. On the contrary, the Israeli generals boast that they have defeated us with their targeted assassinations, incursions into our territories and all the other acts of oppression. And all this time they have been enlarging the settlements, putting up new ‘outposts’ and continuing to build the racist wall.”
Yussuf: “You forget that the International Court has declared the wall illegal and the UN General Assembly has confirmed this with a huge majority. All of Europe voted in our favor. We are winning in the arena of world public opinion.”
Hassan: “What is that worth, if in the meantime Sharon does what he wants, goes on keeping Arafat in a cage and spits in the face of Abu-Ala, while Abu-Ala is advocating non-violence?”
Yussuf: “Even the senior jurists in Israel itself warn Sharon that if he goes on like this, the United Nations will end up imposing sanctions on Israel.”
Hassan: “But in the meantime, the opposite is happening. Because of the lull in suicide attacks, the Israeli economy is reviving. Tourism to Israel, that had stopped altogether because of our actions, is starting up again. If the Israelis feel comfortable and are no longer afraid of suicide bombers, why should they talk with us? Why should they give back any territories? Why should they stop enlarging the settlements? They don’t give a damn.”
Yussuf: “We have to win international public opinion. We can do this only by non-violence. I admire the martyrs who are ready to die for our people. I am proud that we have such heroes. But they don’t get us anywhere. They only provide Sharon with pretexts to oppress us even more.”
Hassan: “As if Sharon needs pretexts! He wants to break us, and world public opinion will not lift a finger for us. The treacherous Arab leaders will not do anything for us, either. Only our heroes will save us.”
Yussuf: “But Gandhi argues that non-violent methods will be more successful. His grandfather proved this in India.”
Hassan: “He doesn’t know the Israelis. The Israeli army will open fire on any non-violent Palestinian demonstration that reaches serious proportions.”
Yussuf: “Look at the brothers who scaled the wall. That is an example of successful non-violent action, breaking the law of the occupier openly and without fear! ”
Hassan: Don’t kid yourself. If Arun Gandhi and the Israelis hadn’t been there, the soldiers would have shot and killed them. Later they would have announced that they were wanted terrorists. You remember the beginning of the al-Aksa intifada, when there were unarmed mass demonstrations? The Israeli army brought in snipers and killed the leaders. Please, this is not India, and the Israelis are not Englishmen. They understand only the language of force.”
Yussuf: “But that is exactly what they say about us!”
This kind of debate is now going on everywhere in Palestinian society, perhaps in every Palestinian family. The Yussufs have no success in convincing the Hassans, and I am afraid that Gandhi will not succeed either, because they lack the decisive argument. Abu-Mazen, who advocates non-violence, got nothing from Sharon. Half a year without suicide attacks inside Israel have not brought the Palestinians any achievements on the ground.
Therefore, the suicide attack in Beer Sheva, just a week after the Gandhi rally, was to be expected.
As long as the Sharon government, with the active encouragement of President Bush, goes on enlarging the settlements, building the Wall and all the other actions of annexation, there is no way to convince Palestinian public opinion to turn its back on violence. And only a decisive change in Palestinian public opinion can put an end to suicide attacks. No wall will stop people who are ready to die in order to carry out attacks, and the Palestinians have already proved that they have any number of such people.
Ehud Barak, a very violent person, once said that if he had been a young Palestinian, he would have joined a terrorist organization. Obviously, he doesn’t believe that non-violence will succeed against the Israeli army. And he should know.
I was impressed by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. He was the greatest liberator of the 20th century, achieving freedom for the whole Indian subcontinent, including present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh. (But Gandhi also said that Hitler should be opposed only by non-violent means, and even his most ardent admirers found it hard to accept that.)
In my youth I joined two very violent organizations (the Irgun and the Israeli army), but after I was wounded near the end of the 1948 war there were several months when the very thought of combat caused me physical nausea. I detest violence in all its forms, but how can it be stopped?
There are people amongst us who are ready for a compromise peace but have been led to believe that “there is no one we can talk with”, because “they” don’t want peace but seek to annihilate us. But we must understand that Palestinian violence, which causes so much bloodshed, is the predictable result of our cutting off every other road in front of them.
I am convinced that it is possible to put an end to violence in our country – if we offer the Palestinian people an alternative, non-violent way of achieving freedom and justice.
Anyone who believes that a wall will succeed in stopping suicide attacks might as well rely on the amulets of Kabbalist rabbis.
I am very very covinced with the Idea of non-violence way of solving the conflict with the Israeli, however, myself and many others who are living under the Israeli opression do not have a chance to say it openly and loudly while the Israeli tanks are attacking our territories. Even the Israeli people who beleive in non – violence can not grow stronger due to the Palestinian reactions inside Israel. Actually, the whole warld is watching and what we hear and see is clapping hands and or saying sorry comments on the daily bleeding down the Israeli and Palestinian streets. Israel needs someone strong to say (Stop It) and Palestinians should be given other alternatives.
Looking at it from a “Christian” westrn perspective, all I see is violence and disrespect for life in general. Killing people, including children with the excuse Nits become Lice is, to me anyway, only leading towards more killing. Terrorists always hide their faces. To me that is cowardice. If you want to fight an honest fight, show who you are. Killing innocent people is only done by cowards. As long as every violent action is counteracted by more violent actions, there will be no hope for peace. I am a strong believer of Mahatma Ghandi’s method. And if it is a matter of how brave you are, how courageous, then taking to violence has nothing to do with bravery but the non violent actions, taught to us by Mahatma Ghandi require great courage. It will prove to be much more difficult to resist in a non violent manner than to take up a belt full of exploves and think you will be a martyr who goes to Allah. Again, as a western Christian woman, these ways do not lead to Heaven but straight into Hell. It is a very viscious circle and it required courage and bravery and probably a lot of casualties to go the non violent way. It will also take many more years longer than people would like it, but in the end I am convinced, it will work. And then you will be having decent neighbours either way. Turning to violence turns me off.
Dear Lydia;
It is great that you believe in non-violence and I think that it is comfortable enough for you as a Christian western woman to rather believe in it. I would not bring by any excuses but I think it is difficult to imagine how bad it to live as a stranger into your own country is, you never experienced it as I guess?! Furthermore, peace is one big rule in Islam and what is shown in the western world about Islam and Muslims is fake and very far from the truth. We are fighting for it in a non-violence strategy, but to kill a military leader from Hamas, Israel had to destroy a whole neighborhood with 60 people (women, children and men). Yes, we also do share in the blood shedding and are responsible for a part of what is going on, but we it is our right to use the strategy that fits our limitation and fight our freedom. You should try the Israeli rule and the tanks bombing your house or bulldozers destroying your income resource, then you say I will not use violence but I will pry to God that the tanks will go as soon as possible. I respect Ghandi and his way of struggle, but it does not fit our situation as it was for different people in a different era with different nature. England occupied India at the time that they could return to England at anytime. It was not their home. Here it is different, Israelis say that this is their homeland and we believe that it is ours. This is a huge difference that makes Mr. Ghandi’s way of struggle does not fit our dilemma. I am sorry to say that, I am a very strong believer in peace, but sometimes I think that violence is needed and is the only solution. Actually, myself and others could not debate it when we say that violence should end when we see the blood down our streets or inside Israel. Finally, it took us more than 50 years trying all ways of struggle with our neighbors who we wish to wake up and find them good ones, leaving us to live and decide the way that we want to do it. You should know that it is difficult for us to justify non-violence to our children while the Israeli tanks are shooting in the middle of night and the bullets make big halls into the walls of the house that should be the most secure place in the world for a child.
Ramadan, as you said, I am a Christian and western woman, far away from Israel and Palestine. But I do not favour either one or the other. They are both wrong. Demolishing a whole neighbourhood and killing innocent people in the process is an abomination to me. But boarding a passengers bus with equally innocent people and blowing it up is also an abomination. You are right that I do not know what it is like to live there. Also, I do not want to know. You will understand that. I still believe that any action of violence will be counteracted by another action of violence. How long can this go on of are both Israel and Palestine planning to kill every living soul in this land? However bad it is, and you are right, I cannot even imagine and I will not even try to), I still believe firmly in non violence as the only way. A long, long way. With many, many casualties before either side starts to begin to understand that the resistance is non violent. I thank God I do not live there. I try to understand the frustrations must rise sky high but I still believe in non violence. There are projects beginning to pop up where people from both nations work together. I personally love the project by Israelian doctors that are helping Palestinian kids. But I know there are more. Young people from both nations came to my country to help restore a church and they had so much fun together. So I know it is possible. Stop listening to men of violence. Just don’t do what they want. Listen to Universal soldier by Donovan en play this song on the radio. I don’t know what will work but try anyway. In the psychology study there is a test with vertical lines on a piece of paper. Try it and you see what I mean: first, put two small vertical lines nextto eachother. They represent normal conversation. Then place a longer verticalline at the lest side on one line and the right side of the other line: this is an argument. Continue this till you reach the sides of the piece of paper en make the lines longer and longer. And see how far away you have come from the middle, where te two small lines are next to eachother, representing normal conversation. It is imperative that both Israel and Palestine try to go back to the first two lines: to normal conversation. The only reason they don’t is fear. I do not favour either Israel or Palestine. All violence committed is wrong. Wherever it happens in this worl. And it is so bad for the children. Adults fighting keep the children from growing up in peace and happiness. These kinds will turn into violent people (most of them I fear) and will do the same onto their children. I see this as abuse. I know I am not non violent as I can get very angry. But I also realise that non violence is the only way. There is never any reason for violence. None.
I can’t look into each and everyones’ mind. As a Dutch Palestinian I´ll reflect about myself. I remember having a presentation in my final year of highschool (some ten years) about self-defence and the struggle for freedom. I talked about oppression by western imperialism as well as of sovjet oppression. I talked about Ghandi and about his non-violent struggle for freedom. I’d understand if some or many must have thought him being a fool at that time. He proofed them wrong. He earned respect from both his people and his oppressors. My conclusion however was that you can let yourselve be beaten,..once,..twice…, but what if the oppressor doesn’t stop beating you? At some point you will be beaten to death or at least be left in coma. Palestinian society is being beaten to death or at least in coma. For many people genocide isn’t the right word for describing the policy of the Israeli government. I’m not going into that argument, because it won’t help as any further. But what if a society and its citizens as a whole, are being destroyed structurally? Roads being destroyed, agricultural lands are being destroyed, houses are being destroyed, labour, education, social contacts being destroyed by refusing permission to travel, people being destroyed by killing or mentally. If the human, social, economic and material infrastructures of a society are being destroyed, in other words if life is being destroyed, how should we call it? And more important than giving it a name, what if this is seen throughout the world and the world doesn’t act to it…, what is left for the people under occupation to do? Hoping for that one day that an Israeli prime-minister sees the light? As Uri was talking about Palestinian public opinion, there is also an Israeli public opinion. I know you’re struggling for change in Israeli society for decades. And I know it doesn’t change for the better after any bombing on the soil of Israel. By the way to reduce acts of Palestinian armed resistance only to suicide-bombings, would be a short-coming. But as long as the sense and the awareness among Israeli citizens of being indeed an occupational power is lacking in Israeli society, I don’t think the beating will stop and well,…should people under military occupation just swallow this and keep on living under occupation, no matter what and untill…when?
One image of the non-violence way of Ghandi pops up in my mind now and then. It’s an incredible image, at least I think it is. Imagine every Palestinian leaving his/her home to walk on the streets defying the occupation. Can you imagine a whole oppressed nation coming out of its houses to walk on the streets, young, old, men, women, no weapons, no stones, no yelling, no slogans, just walking towards the tanks, the soldiers, the checkpoints,..walking on, without stopping. An incredible image…non-violent way of Ghandi,..but how much blood would be shed on that day??…
Dear Lydia and O.
I will tell you a little story about a non violent action by the Palestinians against the Israeli aggression on Rafah. Once the Israeli tanks and bulldozers were attacking Rafah camp and this happens very frequently. There operation lasted very long and the people under the aggression suffered a lot. Children, women, sick people suffered the most due to lack of food, medication and other basic needs. Injured people were laying on the streets bleeding to death, but the Israeli officer said that he could not allow terrorists to be saved (it is the Israeli human rights). As a result, people who are living near to the action area decided to walk in a non violent demonstration carrying food, water and medication to the people under aggression. Children, young people, women and men shared to this peaceful demonstration. Do you imagine what happened???!!!!
More than 10 tanks bombs and rockets were the Israeli respond to this peaceful demonstration, hundreds were injured and the children were collected in small pieces. Many families did not recognize their children due to the peaceful Israeli respond to the non violent demonstration. Believe it or not, we who are living here for long time and expect everything could not believe it. Also I am sure that Ghandi (God Bless Him) will be angry if he heard about it. It is more complicated than what you thing my friends. It is our dream to live in peace and to be sure that our little ones will return home in one piece. I love to talk with my son about music and computer games instead of finding answers to the noises of the Israeli music that tears the silence of night a part.
Dear Ramadan,
When I said…”An incredible image…non-violent way of Ghandi,..but how much blood would be shed on that day??…”…I meant it rhetorically, for the same image that you described was what I meant with it. The non-violent way of Ghandi implemented in Palestine..might just as well be called peaceful suicide-non-bombers…
Dear O. I read your piece with interest. i am a Dutch woman living inside Israel in a Palestinian village. the situation here is not that bad as ramadan describe in his answer yo you, but still. I am a non- violent person, and always I am trying to look for non-violent solutions. When i have a disagreement with somebody, I try to talk, I go to non-violent demonstrations against the wall, which, thanks to the “peacefull” reaction of Israeli forces always ends up in many wounded (and sometimes) killed people. But still, I believe in non-violence. Now is the situation so that 5 years ago we build a house here, on land of my Palestinian husband. The local council of the surrounding settlements, named MIsgav, who has jurisdiction of almost all the Arab land , told us that we have to demolish the house.it is a long story, no use to tell everything. But we suffered a lot, husband in prison, paid many fines, thousands and thousands of shekels, etc. One month ago we received a document from teh court, again we have to go to court, because this Misgav, wants to ask the judge to demolish our house. You know, it is nice that we live in a “democratic” country, at least they ask the judge if they may destroy Arab houses, and unlike in the occupied territories, were they just demolish, you can hire a lawyer, but this laywer cannot do anything, and in 99% of these cases, they will at the end destroy the house, and they let you pay another time thousands of shekels, because ‘you did something against their law”. Dear O, I know that, will this happen to us, I think that I will become violent, I don’t know how, but I will hate so much……….. And as every well thinking human being knows that violence isn’t the solution, and I am sure Ramadan also knows that it is not the solution to become violent, I think he saw enough violence in his life. But I know that, when they destroy my house in the name of the Israeli people, or whatever, I will hate them, and will think only how to punish them.It is not about looking for solutions anymore, because I think that destroying my house is destroying a part of my life, so their is nothing to solve anymore, I am just a normal human being, who wants to live in peace. But things are happening here, which are going beyond many things.
This is were Ramadan is talking about. The first Intifada was only non-violent, but it didn’t bring anything. I also think violence is wrong, very wrong, but what to do.
yes, you are right, I am not so positive about the whole situation, and I have to tell you that I am sometimes surprised how “human” Palestinians still are, despite all the things they went throught for many decades.
yes I hate the suicide bombings, because it is so much suffering for so many people, and I hesitate to say that I can understand it. No, I don’t understand it, becasue I cannot understand how beautifull young people deciding to blow themself up. You, living in Holland know that there are many nice things in life, you can go were you want, study, go to the cinema. MY DEAR, YOU ARE FREE,and the Palestinians aren’t, and I think that, for a young human being who is killing himself, the situation became very grave, and desperate. I hope that i will never come that far.And I wish it to nobody.
These things only hapenens when there is an abnormal situation.
regards
Dear Trees,
Thank you for your writing. I read your words with interest as well and I think we don’t really disagree about the subject. That’s why I’m getting the idea that you and Ramadan have misunderstood my words. (Correct me if I’m wrong).What I tried to make clear in my piece was the following. One can talk about non-violence as a moral standard of human life, but it’s much more difficult to walk the road of non-violence if your and your peoples’ life are being destroyed almost completely. As a free man in the Netherlands, from childhood on I’ve had to defend myselve as being from Palestinian origin. The majority of the young people in this country have never been involved in any form of occupation or deprivation of human rights. As free human beings they simply don’t know what life under occupation means and seem not to be able to understand peoples’ resistance against an occupation. And many of the older generation seem to have a blind spot for Israels’ occupational policy. Both generations are very slowly changing their views, but it’s still hard to show people that there’s a situation in which a military occupying power is oppressing a whole nation and destryoing and suffocating the Palestinian society and its citizens. For people living in the Netherlands, it seems hard to identify themselves with people living under occupation, when the oppressed ones are Palestinians. So I try to show them what is going on in that part of the world. And I try to let them look in a mirror, or at least really start to think about it, instead of saying that “no matter what, I will always stay non-violent”. I tried to trigger this inner-struggle (struggle inside every persons’ mind and conscious) by saying “I don’t think the beating will stop and well,…should people under military occupation just swallow this and keep on living under occupation, no matter what and untill…when?”. And well, of course it’s easy to talk about violence and non-violence from a safe place in a free country, and of course I know that even if Dutch public opinion would be 100% anti-Israeli occupation-policy, it wouldn’t change anything, but for me this isn’t a reason to keep my mouth shut about the injustice done to the Palestinian people. Instead, I see it as an opportunity to tell people about it and to make people aware of it and delibarate about it within themselves as with others. But it won’t stop any bombing of tanks, I know…
(hhmm,…I’ve send it before completing it…)…But it won’t stop any bombings of tanks, I know…or any demolishing of houses…,
My regards, vriendelijke groeten & salam
Dear Friends;
Lets agree that at least myself as a Palestinian who is living in a refugee camp in Gaza strip and many others who are my age are at least non – violent minded. We believe in peace and love to live a free nice non-violent life. You are right Trees, I have seen enough or more than enough violence in my life, but you know what, my concern is my little ones. Mohammed and Mahmoud, should they see and go through the same violence or more than what I have seen. Or, am I sure that they will be safe to even see this violence. Am I sure that they will be old enough to talk about their experiences while tanks are there. I am not, no one is. What I can do is try to teach them to survive and (be non violent), and not pay attention to the bombing and shelling because it is going on anyhow. I love them to the degree that I cry sometimes when I do not know what to tell them when the Israeli tanks are attacking our camp. Could I teach them not to hate the Israelis? Will it be logical to show them flowers in the next morning of the attack and kiss them peacefully. I do it, but they hear it in the news and see it down the street, big bullets and remaining of tank shells. It is a big debate with the little ones, will it becomes a small debate with big ones???!!!
Dear Ramadan,
Although we live on the same planet and internet is bringing us closer to eachother, we live in different worlds. I wish it wasn’t like that, but it is. I’m not living your life and you aren’t living mine. I’m not living under the rule of occupation. Therefor I cannot tell how I would act if I was living in Palestine. But what I do is talking from my position in the Netherlands. And unfortunately, yes, dear Ramadan, if anybody opens his/her mouth about Palestine here in the Netherlands, that person is taken accountable for almost every Palestinian act of violence. If you start to speak about Palestine or even if someone asks you about it (because almost always you’re the first Palestinian the other has ever met), one of the first things that is being thrown at you, is the violence. Here in the Netherlands there’s a strange ambiance when talking about Palestine. “I have had a roommate who was Israeli, O. what do you think about Israeli’s?”, “I really thought Israel has created a paradise out of a desert, because that’s what they thaught me at school.” “You have to see both sides”. “O., you can’t talk about it objectively because you’re Palestinian”. When you stay calm, you might get the reaction ” You seem not to feel any emotion when talking about Palestine, how come you can stay so calm?” When you get emotional..” You shouldn’t loose your temper and let your emotion rule, it’s obvious now, you can’t be objective about it”. “You are from Palestine?, oh pity you.” These are some of the many reactions I’ve heard over the years. Dear Ramadan, this is the way it goes when talking about Palestine in the Netherlands. People want to hear from you, that you should blame both sides and that you first have to apoligize for every violent Palestinian act, before talking about the occupation. Or people pity you. Talking about Palestine here in this country causes small and big debates about violence and non-violence. I can understand completely if it feels so unreal for you or for any other person living under occupation, but that’s the way it goes. And this is the background of my pieces of writing. On this weblog many different people from many different backgrounds comment and I realise now, that maybe I should first set my background and then say what i have to say. Because I wasn’t disagreeing with you at all Ramadan. I can’t stop any wrong-doing, I can only say you all are in my mind. And I do hope your children when they are of your age, don’t have to raise their children in the same situation.
Salam,
O.
By the way, it’s been some time since I got in contact with Palestinians through the net and I think this weblog is a nice way of getting in touch with you and with all kinds of people. So, thank you Anja and all others who make it a nice place..:-).
Thanks O. I could feel it coming out deeply from your heart and sometimes feel it easier to face the situation and live inside it instead of being blamed for it while you haven’t experienced it. I know very well that you were not disagreeing with me and I respect every ones’ point of view and I wish that every single person on this planet could believe in non violence.
Salam Allah Aleik Wa Ala El Col
Dear O., Trees, Ramadan, this is a good discussion and I’m happy it is taking place on this weblog. Two of you are my friends, and one I don’t know yet, but I know all of your experiences, I have visited the house of Trees and Ali and I have written about it in Het beroofde land (The robbed land) and I can feel with her, there is a limit of what you can endure of injustice, especially I think because the whole world is watching and not doing anything. I also have known Ramadan now for many years, even before he was married and became a father, and I know how having children changed him. I understand this also about my other Palestinian friends who have children. I know many Palestinians who tell me: I don’t care so much about myself, if it is my time to die I die, but what future can we give to our kids, what to tell them when they ask daddy why are the Israeli’s shooting at us. Most of the older Palestinians I have had had jewish friends, or still have them. They see a difference between Israeli’s and jews. But what about the children when the only jews they see are soldiers who shoot and settlers who shout death to the Arabs?
I also know how the situation is in the Netherlands, O. I’m not Palestinian but my friends say I have a Palestinian heart which may be true by now. I sometimes get desperate and angry when I see how difficult it is to explain here what is really happening.
This is how I see it: for a very long time most of the Dutch thought Israël was a small brave country, built by the survivors and children of a people who suffered extremely, a small country that has to defend itself against a sea of Arab enemies. I call this paradigm 1. Now this is slowly changing, now most of the Dutch see two people who are fighting for the same piece of land. I call this paradigm 2. In this way of thinking it is both people’s fault, both have bad leaders, both act violently. Both should stop it and then the talks about a compromise could start. In the way Lydia reacts on this weblog, you can see she is a strong believer in paradigm 2, like in de Dutch saying: were two people fight, two people are to blame. So this means whenever you want to talk about what occupation really means people start to talk about Palestinian suicideattacks.
I have moved to a next paradigm, paradigm 3 acknowledges the fact that Israel and Sharon have had plans for a long time to take away as much land as possible from the Palestinians, and if it is not possible to move the Palestinians out completely since CNN is watching, to push them together in big prisons with walls around them. What we can see if we dare look at the facts, is that nothing has stopped Israel from building more settlements and roads and walls even during the Oslo period when everybody in the west was thinking, and even many Palestinians were thinking that things were moving in the right direction. Look at the last half year. For 6 months no suicide attacks. Did this mean Israel started to talk again with the Palestinians, or ease the restrictions at checkpoints? No way.
So this is paradigm 3: this is a totally unequal fight. This is a colonialist enterprise backed by the United States. There is no way the Palestinians can make ‘a compromise’ since they have already given up 78% of their country and are losing more land daily. There is nothing to ‘exchange’ anymore. Not even giving up armed resistance will change the Israeli plans.
Nothing will happen until the world is brave enough to see what is happening and saying enough, Israel should be stopped. And this is what is very difficult in the Netherlands, because many people still simply can’t believe what is happening. It is easier to blame both people for the violence and say both are guilty than to face the fact that the victims from the persecution in Europe are now persecuting another people who are in no way to blame for what happened in Europe.
It takes a lot of time and this is the horrible thing: we don’t have time. Everyday people are killed. Yes, also Israeli soldiers and civilians who are dying for nothing.
This is what I believe, when people say I’m not objective anymore because I take the side of the Palestinians,in the end Israel is destroying not only the Palestinian society, it is also destroying itself. It is becoming a morally bankrupt society, full of blind people and racism.
Remember South Africa? It took us in Holland a long time to see the crimes the white people did against the black people. Even in Holland Mandela was called a terrorist because they used armed resistance. Everybody seems to have forgotten now that Mandela said he would prefer to stay in prison, but he would not pronounce armed resistance wrong until the apartheid was abolished. Who are now seen as the real friends of South Africa? The people who protested strongly against the apartheid and took the side of the ANC. I believe absolutely that one day people will see that the real friends of Israel are the ones who stand up for the rights of Palestinians and criticize Israels politics as strongly as they can, and not the people who look the other way,or who say both are to blame. There is no way that Israel can save itself if they don’t give back the Palestinians the means and the rights to live a normal life. And I’m absolutely sure, since I know from very close experience that Palestinians are people like other people, they are not born more violent than we are, that once the Palestinians can live a normal life violence will stop. It will take time for the hatred to disappear, but even that will be possible since already now I know many parents, like Ramadan, who want to teach their children peace, not hatred.
I wish we could take more people to Gaza. To see the situation, to get to know the people. You remember Ramadan, we always make a joke, when we take somebody new to Gaza, within three days they will cry. And always they do, people who have a heart, and they will be changed forever. Now since it is becoming harder and harder to take people to Gaza, we have to tell what we have seen. And we need the stories of Ramadan and Trees, in the hope that finally people will start to SEE.
I agree completely with Uri Avnery who says the only way to stop the violence is to give the Palestinians an alternative way to achieve peace and justice. Right now no matter what they do, the Palestinians are not given any chance at all.
There are a few people who think like me and a few more every day. But it is hard and slow work, and we meet a lot of people who get angry with us on the way, because it is hard to see the truth when the truth is so painful. So be it.
Yes Anja, you are so right.
First I like this discussion being in English, so Palestinians like Ramadan can be involved too. I surely think, they are the people who have to be heard.Because they know so well how th esituation is, they live in it.
yes, I have many experiences with people who were stucked in paradigma two. people who are still in paradigma one, i find it hard to discuss with them. But the paradigma two people. The ones who say that both are to blame, like it are equal parties. many of those people who came to Israel/Palestine jumped very quickly to paradigma three. it is very difficult to go to Gaza, and it is squaring, not everybody has the guts like Anja has.
But there are many places inside Israel and close to the Westbank were you can see what is happening here. if you see only the settlemetns, build on hiltops surrounding the palestinian villages, if you see the difference between the small settlements, with 500 inhabitants, and a beautifull swimmingpool, busses who brings the children to school, parks etc. and the unrecognized villages of the bedouins.
therefor, I would like to invite everybody who is doubting, please come, and see with your own eyes, it is not only dangerous, Palestinians are lovely people, and you will also meet many Israeli Jews who are opposing the policy of this state.
Ramadan, one of my dreams is to go to Gaza and to have a picknick on the beach,with my friends from Gaza, without crossing this terrible Erez checkpoints, without tanks everywere around. this is the day I am looking for, just taking the car in the morning, because I feel too, and drive from the North of this country to the South,to Gaza, and meet you, and everybody I know without interference of any soldier, any israely, who thinks that he has the right to stop who ever they like. let’s dream about this day , I hope it will be soon.
Very correct Anja;
It is great the way that you descriped the people who are conected in a way or in a nother to the Palestinian problem. This is the first time I hear it from you but I like it very much and hope to have the opportunity to discuss it when we meet.
Please Trees, come on and try it, come to Gaza, it is a great warm and nice place. You are welcome anytime and our houses are open for you once you come.