Yes, there is “violence” going on recently in the Middle East, and I am, once again, at a loss for Words. What can I say that hasn’t been said before, multiple times and more? Shall I say that it amuses me, as well as infuriates me, that this “violence” becomes cause for consternation only when it involves Israel?
That the US “violence” in Afghanistan and Iraq, Yemen, Libya et alia, with our killing of numerous innocent civilians, destroying the homes of thousands upon thousands, that our tearing down walls and doors, incarcerations, interrogations, torture and drones was all for “good” reason, because we were chasing “terrorists” and bringing “freedom and democracy” to the region? That we draw “red lines” when we feel like it and threaten those whom we and the Israelis think of as “enemies” at any day and at any time of our choosing?
Yet, as soon as the Palestinians throw rocks and stones, use slingshots and, lately, knives, we rush our highest diplomats to the region, we assemble conferences and UN meetings, we occupy the airwaves and television broadcasts with our biased analysis and skewed policies and rush to call for “calm!” Mind you, Never do we act so fast – if at all! – when Israelis are burning boys and families, or committing any heinous crimes!
Strange!
It seems really strange that we can juggle so many “principals” at one time: ones for Israel and the total opposite for the rest of the region, pulling out of our hypocritical, racist diplomatic hats that which only we deem correct!
We have been doing that for seventy years in Palestine, across the Middle Eastern and Arab regions, as well as in the Far East, in Latin America and in Africa. We have assassinated political leaders, bribed immoral natives, stolen resources, toppled elected governments and set up puppet regimes at whim and all for a “good” cause, “our” cause!
However, the difference between then and now is that these days citizens, be they children, teenagers or adults are very well aware of our lies, our hypocrisy, our double standards, our racism and our arrogance. They all know, and none more so than the Palestinians.
. . . and so these past few weeks have seen, once again, Security Council meetings and American diplomats aflutter and abuzz, spewing out Words, Words and more Words, twisting and warping them and the Facts! And the More Words, the Less Expectations!
We Palestinians know that all the conferences, meetings and Words are only – Only! – meant to send our hopeless and despairing Palestinian youngsters back to their homes so that tranquility for the Israelis will be restored, and the status quo ante resumed.
We Palestinians know that all those Words and documents, all the pledges and cajoling, all the resolutions towards attaining a real, genuine, just and dignified Peace are Empty Promises. No more, no less!
Talk of Confidence Building Measures, Settlements, a “Jewish State,” a Religious War, Israeli “fears” and all those old and tired clichés do not resonate anymore.
That the latest “violence” began simply because of the trespasses and provocations by the Israelis on Al-Aqsa Mosque is simply Untrue, and only the straw that seems to have broken the camel’s back. This “violence” is the product of Seventy Years of hardships, racism, belligerence, provocations, incarcerations, burnings, demolishing of homes, businesses and orchards, expropriating, uprooting and infringing on the Palestinian people by an enemy that is exercising its power to subjugate, annihilate and subdue an entire population, trample on their human rights and dignity and on their very souls. It has been ongoing apace for seventy bloody years!
All our efforts at dialogue and appeasement, our peaceful protests and activism on the world stage with the BDS movement gaining more traction by the day, all our waiting has got us Nothing, Zilch, Nada to date! All the thousands of “analysts” and “experts,” as well as the tons of documents have gained us not a scintilla of an advantage. To the contrary, our miserable situation seems to be going from bad to worse with every month and year. If only they would all just shut the hell up and stop trying to sell us more palliatives and delaying tactics! Just shut up!
Shut the hell up because, contrary to what is being professed with all that double-speak, it is NOT that complicated an issue, and never was! It merely suited Israel to complicate it and muddy the waters so well in order to stall for time until it realizes its sordid objectives! And oh! how sordid these are!
I am very proud of our Palestinian youth and activists and one part of me is cheering them on, the other is terrified that, once again, they will be mowed down by a ruthless, reckless, brutal, criminal Israeli regime of outright liars and manipulators who are supported by an American foreign policy that is equally ruthless, reckless, brutal and criminal!
And let us be very clear here and call a spade a spade: there is Nothing that has occurred in the Middle East since the inception of Israel that was not Caused, Planned and Designed by Israel with the tacit and/or overt endorsement of the United States! Nothing! Sheer and Utter Depravity!
The answer to the two-state solution is, and has always been, as clear as light! And, yes, that is the only solution that makes any sense at all despite all those who are idealistically promoting one democratic state with equal rights for all – ideals that could only be realized when pigs fly!
Third Intifada?
I do not have an answer. I am very conflicted about all this. What I do know very well, though, is that we, Palestinians, are on our own once again. Our salvation as Palestinians has not – and will not – come from the US, Europe, or our Arab brethren. It has not – and will not – come from the Israeli left or its peace camp. It has not – and will not – come from the supporting demonstrations occurring all over the world, or from all those terrific people lending their support to our demands for Justice!
We are on our Solitary Own, as we have always been! However, we have proven that we are not going anywhere and that every one of our generations will continue to demand our Human Rights, Equality, Freedom and Justice!
I am not a crystal ball gazer; I will not even try to predict what the future and this violence holds. I can just hold onto my very sad heart as I watch and fret, toss and turn and hope?
Hope? Dare I do that as I hear More Words, Less Expectations? Could we possibly turn that into: Less Words, More Expectations? How could we, when we Palestinians know not to expect any damn thing anymore? We are on our Solitary Own!
My Seventy Year Old Eyes 