My good friend Mohammed is ruminating on some thoughts on his blog (welcome back to blogging my friend, you were missed!) on conflicts which have made him wake up and take notice. I shall respond to one of his points, and I urge you to go read what he has to say, which I think is a valid point of view:
Regarding the deafening Arab silence in condemning Israel, I think it demonstrates several important factors:
1. You are alone. As a country, no matter whichever it may be in the Arab world, and in this case it is Lebanon, one of the main investment centres for Gulf Arabs flush with money, it is still alone when it comes to war. Especially this war. My observation unfortunately it is that as Hizballah is Shia, then to hell with them, let them burn. There is not a single thought given beyond this fact, hence in this case, both country and paramilitaries are on their own.
2. Where does Hizballah get its weapons? Do they go out to the weapons market and buy those Katyushas? Some, maybe, but the majority must be supplied by sympathetic countries who have the legal infrastructure to actually go and buy weapons, considering that these deals now are country-to-country, rather than manufacturer-to-buyer kind of transactions. I’ll leave it to you to decide who those sympathisers are. Suffice it to say that it is a different set than those supplying Hamas and the “resistance” in Iraq.
3. Haifa is hardly the “depth of Israel,” according to the maps, it’s a mere 35 kilometers south of Hizballah’s launch pad. Which begs the question, do their sympathisers not “trust” them with bigger and heavier iron? Don’t they want to reach Tel Aviv or Jerusalem?
4. The UN is a camel, not very beautiful, not very efficient, but sometimes practical. It’s getting to an agreement by committee, hence, don’t expect them to make a decision in a hurry, and certainly not one that might anger even a little member. Are they toothless then in these circumstances? Of course. Their effect only happens after the fact, once things have calmed down. Had they had the authority for immediate deployment of peace-keeping forces, the situation would be a lot different.
5. Nothing, absolutely nothing demonstrates the tribalism of Arabs more than wars and conflicts, even on a micro level, let alone this “huge” conflict we have on our hands now. These events crystalizes positions – unfortunately – without much thought beyond the family, tribe, sect, country. The brain ceases to function beyond those things, and of course logic has left the building quite a while ago, and if – and that’s a big if – one declares a position slightly out of those drawn and accepted lines, then that person is immediately vilified, attacked verbally and possibly physically, labeled a traitor and a sell-out, and ostracized. A lot of these people who do question accepted norms more often than not answer with their lives.
Violence, you see, is something that is built into our psyche as Arabs, if the situation does not yet demand the use of fists, then at least the floor belongs to that person who shouts loudest. Most definitely not to that person who is trying to reason and look at alternate points of view to arrive at a conclusive solution.
It is this trait, I think, more than any other that has succeeded for centuries in cowing us, in forcing us to happily accept tyrants, and has allowed us to regress rather than progress. And we really have only ourselves to blame.
One of my friend Mohammed’s conclusions is that this situation will breed more terrorists. Mohammed I agree with you; this will most certainly rub some passions raw and someone will take it upon themselves to “avenge” the Arab honour. After all, Hizballah’s birth was another Israeli incursion into Lebanon, Al-Qa’idah’s birth was the mountains of Afghanistan in response to Soviet intervention, Zarqawi et al is the result of the American insurrection in Iraq, so it is safe to assume that this conflict too will give birth to some more “freedom fighters” who will continue to perpetuate and wreak havoc in the world.
By the same token, and in the continued absence of proper educational systems in the Arab and Muslim worlds, one that values critical thinking rather than learning by rote, there is no doubt in my mind, that someone, somewhere, out of 250 millions of my Arab brothers and sisters, and the more than 1.3 billion Muslims around the world, will have read part of this post and have already decided that I too, should be ostracized for my views… Simply for asking the “wrong” questions.
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Just one thing regarding Haifa : 35 Km deep, but only 80 from Tel-Aviv. the entire state of israel is a few hundred kilometers… so it is in the depth of israel.
I stand corrected.
Mahmood, your blog writing reveals you have a wonderful skill of personal introspection, worthy of the extraordinary example set by the Prophet, who is, to my Christian mind, probably one of the two greatest improveabilists in all of human history (Confucius is the other). Since “self-criticism,” self-awareness, self-realization, and self-actualization are skills, not innate to any of us sharing this blue marble, how did you so fortunately come by yours?
Human freedom is grounded upon our personal introspection. When watching the behavior of the thugs, always know that the thug viscerally hates introspection, and derides the study of human nature (both Marx and Qutb deny any role of human nature in their philosophies, with the unintended result of guaranteeing that they will become extremist).
“Improveability,” the major feature in the personal psychology of the Prophet, is based upon the deepest, developed sense of introspection, and freedom for others is one of the beneficial results (Muhammad and the Righteous Caliphs freed how many tens of thousands of slaves?).
Hizbollah, Hamas, Syria, Lebanon, Tehran, Jerusalem, Washington, DC…Riyadh! Who teaches the lost skill of introspection, the source of the Prophet’s personal “strength” and the fount of human freedom?
When all the peoples of the Middle East are free, then—and only then—will they achieve a ‘perpetual peace’ (Immanuel Kant). It is the skill of introspection which comes first.
‘Be free,’ Mahmood.
Very intersting blog!
One comment regarding points 2 and 3, in addition to the Jonathan’s.
Seems like Hizballah is keeping its big irons for the right time.
Nasserallah and its supporters are smart, and know better than to waste all they got immediatly after being attacked. An important point is this: Hizballah doesn’t get as much from killing people in Tel-Aviv, as he gets from being able to do so.
Besides, those irons (Zilzal missiles, to be excat) will provide a conclusive answer to point 2. The generous sponsers do not want that.
It should also be said that according to some sources, they did try to launch a Zilzal missile but it went down. (and this is the source for the false rummor about an F-16 that fell).
best,
David, Israel
Mahmood, so very well said. In fact, I’ve been asking some of the same questions. I discovered both you and Jonathan through a mutual friend, Ingrid. I see now why she likes to read you…so very well thought and said.
Mahmoud, bravo. Your introspection and intelligence and common sense AND courage (I say it again) has dominated your recent posts with good reason. If ostracizing is all people would do, then that is preferred. However, as you alluded to in this post and in a previous comment; you/one could also lose their live just for stepping out of the accepted lines of reasoning and opinions. Education is always always key and I’m afraid that the lack of exposre of different ways of thinking, spiritually, intellectually, will always have one function by the default of reacting rather than rationalizing. But does that mean that you have been so lucky to have been exposed to that by educating or upbringing or what? There should be more of ‘you’ out there, that will make a difference for sure!
Ingrid
Which begs the question, do their sympathisers not “trust†them with bigger and heavier iron? Don’t they want to reach Tel Aviv or Jerusalem?
Bigger, heavier missiles make bigger targets. They’d love to give them stuff to reach Tel Aviv, but you can’t hide things like that in your garage, like a katyusha. Plus, shipping a thing like that is hard to disguise…
“Regarding the deafening Arab silence in condemning Israel”
It’s funny you mention that , cause you are doing exactly the same … you seem to hate Hezbollah more than Israel .
And i’ll tell you why .
Because You are a westernized ostrich, that thinks by supporting any sort of islamic or arabic organization/military will destroy that open minded western image you have been trying to build for yourself in the past years. It is “more hip and open minded” to criticize muslims (that are not modern enough for you) than to criticize Israelis or Americans !
The problem is …. you got used to have your head under someone elses shoe in the sake of maintaining that “i am an open minded modern arab” image !
You keep getting praised by israelis , and cursed by arabs …. Congratulations , you have achieved your goal.
I truly feel sorry for your kids.
I think you may be wrong about different sources supplying Hizbollah, Hamas and the various Iraqi groups. Iran is allied with both Hizbollah and Hamas, as well as with Syria.
I believe it is also funding and training both Sunni and Shia insurgents in Iraq, and trying to get a civil war going.
The general aim is to cause chaos, and then step in and take over the ruins.
Sam,
Yes, being “westernized” is the greatest sin of all in your eyes, isn’t it? You can only really be Muslim if you support the most radical and violent Muslims, right? Anything else makes you a heretic and traitor, right? No Muslim can be allowed to think for themselves nor come to different conclusions nor pursue independent lines of thought, can they? Everyone must get in line and think the same thoughts, eh, Saddam?
It’s just that kind of thinking which has led the Middle East into constant chaos, like now. Brilliant.
You are part of the problem.
Steve
Sam, yet, with all this “hatred” I harbour for my fellow Muslims and Arabs as you suggest, I give you a full platform here to voice your views, unedited by myself or any other.
And you, particularly, are the prime example of what I have written about. To you, hate is a way of life, and everyone who opposes your draconian views, nor matter how slight they are different from yours, gets a full unadulterated measure of your hate.
I don’t particularly give a damn about how you view me, nor will I ever lose any sleep thinking about ways to appease you. I have represented myself and my thoughts here in an honourable manner, and I am glad that they have resonated well with people from both sides of the divide. They haven’t done anything to displace a single thought in your head however, and I don’t expect that anything but blood and gore of your chosen enemies to do so. I’m not interested in giving you that platform.
You continue to have a problem with me and my thoughts… yet you keep coming back. Why? Your return is most certainly not for education nor educating… your cards are in view of everyone from the first word you have typed here, I hope you are happy with yourself.
Love,
Mahmood
Mahmood – You write beautifully and show a caring compassion for all people with your words. We all benefit from reasoned discussion. I applaud your ability to stand firm in your belief that education based on critical thinking is key to the future of civilization. It is clear that you have no agenda and harbor no grudge. Thank you for your humanity.
Well, I have been lurking through all of this discussion; because I know how passionate people on both sides are about the issues, but Sam you are just full of it. You think it’s about being Arab or Jew? Is your world view that small and narrow?
Mahmood is quite capable of speaking for himself; none the less, you should be ashamed of yourself for the cheap shots. I have learned more from Mahmood and others here that I could not in any other way learn; it has made me think twice about both sides of an issue and engage my brain rather than believe stuff I am suppose to believe. Through it all, I have been struck by Mahmood’s ability to conduct himself with dignity and openess; traits you clearly do not understand. The ME is changing, Sam, and it’s going to pass you by as it should. Stay stuck on stupid, because we all need Sams to remind us of the direction we need to go collectively as a species.
Hi. My name is Amnon. I am an Israeli blogger, 31 years old, live in Tel Aviv and work in a hi-tech company. Although I strongly believe that this war was forced upon us by the Hezbollah and that we had no option other than this conflict, I still think of myself as a moderate left-wing person.
While usually my blog deals with futurism, technology, tourism and philosophy, the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah which has a dramatic effect on all the people in the Middle East, convinced me to try and communicate with other people from all over the world, to hear other views and get different perspectives. I believe that this is the true power of the information age – not just to be fed by the mass media, but the have the ability to say what is on your mind. I want to invite people from all over the world and especially from Arab and Muslim countries to write their thoughts and ideas about the current situation and the general situation in the Middle East.
I have traveled the world and had been to more than 30 countries in five continents and met many people from different races and cultures. I believe that although there are a lot of cultural differences between people, we all share the same wants and needs – we all want to be loved, to be appreciated, to be treated with respect and to raise our kids peacefully and quietly.
My address is:
http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/UserBlog.asp?folderName=amnon&EntryId=746382
your comments are appreciated.
May we live to see a peaceful middle east!
Mahmood,
First, I’d like to thank you for not putting Sam down by calling him a mirror image of Steve the American. I hate when you do that.
Second, how come you sign off with love to a critic like Sam? Heck, I’ve been plenty critical on this forum and NOBODY has signed off with love to me. Where’s the love for Steve, that’s all I’m asking? Where?
Disgruntled,
Steve
Ahhh.. didn’t think that you were that sensitive Steve, and you know that we love you to bits!
So here you go,
Love,
Mahmood!
Howzat?
Steve, I love you more than you imagine *grin*
Wow,
Mohamed what a courageous man you are!
I pray many of the Arabs will raise up and fight for their better education, better life, and put an end to the conflicts!
In this crazy moments we are going through your words i a gate of hope for all of us.
Good grief. Somebody tells Steve he’s right one time or agrees with him, and the next thing you know he’s looking for love.
Alright. Alright.
XOXOXOXOXOXO
Love,
M
P.S. Don’t get in the habit of expecting this all the time.
by the way, everyone seem to say, Iran and Syria support Hisbullah, and seem to be so critical about it,,,,what about the American millitary support to Israel! is it ok for israel to get unlimited and unconditional support, and forbidden for the rest of the world!
jeeze, and all this time I thought “love” was a weak-kneed, mealy-mouthed liberal affliction!
Welcome to the Dark Side, Steve!
Hugs.
That Sam I am that Sam I am, he doesn’t like green eggs and ham!
Good to see that this discussion is alive and ‘kicking’! good point Mahmoud, if you’re so disliked, why come back? People who ‘hate’ / are unhappy will always go back to the source of their discontent until they figure out that the source is within them.. c’est la vie
Ingrid
u used to have a section with important documents, important reports, 73 constitution etc…where is it?
I was looking for them as I was arming myself for a ‘suicide mission’ tomorrow…of the explosive yet not of the fatal kind
Has anybody here ever heard of Snoopy, Charlie, Peppermint Sally and all the other characters from a once famous cartoon series (no, not “that cartoon”) . This one is known as “Peanuts” and introduces a lot of characters , each one with her/his own particular personality and once a week/day you had the opportunity to watch their reactions to the positive and negative sides of life they were exposed to.
Now, I hope nobody will take any offence of this (because it certainly isn’t meant as such!) but having followed Mahmood’s blog for a couple of month’s you get an idea of the ideology that lies behind the opinions of many of the “regulars”.
With “Peanuts” you know that Charlie will never be successfull in getting his kite off to a successful flight, he will probably never be on the winning side of a baseball match, he will never win the heart of the little red haired girl, he is the eternal looser.
He doesn’t know that, he keeps on trying. The readers know he won’t succeed because they have seen all his futile attempts earlier.
When Charlie for the umpteenth time has another go with his kite or at a baseball match you sometimes wish somebody would tell him what the result is going to be. But then, maybe he doesn’t remember the other games, or maybe everybody told him he actually once won a game. And if everybody even told him he won a match because he won the fist inning (I hope you’ll forgive me my lack of knowledge about baseball) then maybe you can understand him.
Likewise, when you read some of the comments here you know their wishful thinking won’t come true because youv’e seen that kind of attitude fail repeatadly over the last many years in their attempts to create a more “just” and truthful” world. All it does is bring more misery to a lot of innocent people.
Mahmood, people with your attitude are the winners. People that can sit down and analyze the results and strategies of previous games stand a much bigger chance of winning the next one.
But that, of course, means that you will need unrestricted access to all the information you can get about those games, even the pieces of information that do not please one’s memory.
And then, of course, I forgot to mention how much I agree with your 5th point above. That was my main reason for my lenghty comment about “The Peanuts”.
Mahmood: “Ahhh.. didn’t think that you were that sensitive Steve, and you know that we love you to bits! So here you go, Love, Mahmood! Howzat?”
Not bad. Of course, we all understand that’s meant in a manly way.
Anonymous: “Steve, I love you more than you imagine *grin*”
Since you’re anonymous, that’s a pretty easy claim to make. You’re probably Jasra. I always knew you had a thing for me, JJ baby. You never really could hide it. I saw through all the yelling.
sunrunner: “jeeze, and all this time I thought “love†was a weak-kneed, mealy-mouthed liberal affliction! Welcome to the Dark Side, Steve! Hugs.”
Hmmm. That’s not quite a proclamation of love, but a hug’s a hug. Only a fool would turn one away. Backatcha, baby.
M: “Good grief. Somebody tells Steve he’s right one time or agrees with him, and the next thing you know he’s looking for love. Alright. Alright. XOXOXOXOXOXO, Love, M
P.S. Don’t get in the habit of expecting this all the time.”
Don’t worry, I know better. However, I will luxuriate in the warmth of this group love, like laying back in a hot tub full of warm bubbling honey and think only sweet thoughts for the rest of the night. Tonight, I will concentrate on love, sweet, love.
Tonight I love all the peoples of the world. I love all the people I work with, my boss, and my boss’s boss. I love the people riding home on the train with me, even the really fat guy who sat next to me and jammed me up against the partition. I love all the people walking on the sidewalk, even the damned Democrats. I love that cheerleader who turned me down for the senior prom a billion years ago. I love the squirrels in the trees. I love the birds and the clouds.
Excuse me, while I kiss the sky.
Steve
Steve,
Lay off the green. I thought only the Dems “puff puff pass”.
You’re kinda scaring me.
Anon, all the documents are still here, but re-organised. Have a look below the Flickr thumbnails on the left hand side and you’ll find them. If anything is missing, please let me know and I’ll dig it out from the old site’s archive.
Hi,
Mahmood I hope you dont mind me posting this link, just a humble request can you all PLEASE sign it?
http://www.abouyounes.com/Lebanon18-07-2006.htm
thank u
Thanks CNM, I would have signed it had there not been a “500, network error”
I don’t think having those shocking and horrific pictures of the dead would entice people to sign the petition though, I would hazard a guess the most people when faced with those pictures would simply close the page and not sign the petition, so those pictures are detrimental of the main issue of getting large numbers of signatories.
If the object however is to just “shock” (not “choke” by the way, that’s a spelling mistake you might want to get the organisers to correct) then it has achieved its objective.
Finally got through and signed… it thought that I was Chinese though!!
Here’s a direct link without having to pass through those horrific pictures:
http://epetition.net/julywar/index.php
I have a Jordanian friend who claims that corrupt arab regimes and islamist movements have one thing in common: each one needs the other as a cautionary tale. And they will gladly join forces with each other to ensure that no third alternative arises or gets its voice heard.
In some ways it is similar to the democrats and republicans in the U.S. They cooperate to ensure it remains a two-party system while gradually eliminating the ability of citizens to actually make a difference through gerrymandering.
Salaams and good article Mahmood,
I believe that Arab nations need to be self-reliant.
Our leaders, as a whole, are interested to maintain
developement according to the aspirations of their
people and themselves. At times this is in conflict,
based on personal, regional and international issues
concerned.
The Arab nation is divided and fragmented. They
have literally become tribal in their views and thoughts.
Some aspects of tribe are good while other aspects
limit our development.
One needs to elevate to a higher realm of understanding.
Key aspects needs reformation:-
1) Education
2) Industrial development – including defensive weapons industries
3) Technology tranfer and research & development
4) Agriculture – technologies available today to make deserts green
5) Think tank – study world advancements in all fields.
6) NGOs need to be enhanced with all nations – people to people
dialogue needs to be established instead of communicating only
through government channels.
7) Economic integration within Arab and Muslim states – priority to
purchase goods and services from each other – create an economic union
(similar to EU, Nafta, etc.).
‘Divide and rule’ concepts need to be removed. Individuals and
nations have used this to dominate others.
I quote Imam Hamza Yousif, an American convert to Islam at the age
of 17 ‘A hundred years ago Arabs were subjects in the West. Today,
Arabs are objects’.
We need to change this paradigm.
Wishful thinking, some might say. I do believe it is possible.
We all need to remember that Allah/Creator/God will ask
every human being of all nations, colors and creeds,
on the Day of Judgement, ‘ Have you done good in this world?’
Salaams to all
Dear Mahmood,
You stated that “freedom fighters†who will continue to perpetuate and wreak havoc in the world.
If a country is under military occupation for many years, and the occupier uses a “hard-grip” policy on the inhabitants that includes demolishing homes, confiscating land, uprooting trees, deporting etc.
What should its inhabitants do? clap for the occupiers or sing hymns of praise? Or just accept the occupation and put a sign on the front yard saying “Welcome, this was my home, but now its yours. I am your guest..you can even charge me rent”.
As you said to me once, “Courtesy (spelling?) is the key to success, when I didnt follow that golden rule.. it didnt take you long to bless me with a loogie blessings, because theres a limit to whats acceptable and whats not. So in a way I pushed you (indirectly) to bless me 🙂
If I came and uprooted your garden, demolished your house..exposed you to mortal danger, broke your sri lankan mask in half..defaced all your paintings, made life unbearable for you and instilled (spelling?) a fear in you..such that you had to flee your house to protect your family..then I take over your office, prevent you from going to work, cut off your livelihood ..and on top of all that you have no legal process to protect you…
For the final scene…I deport you through “self-deportation” and then say you can never come back and you have to integrate yourself wherever you laid your hat.
What would you bless me with? I am sure the loogie would not be enough. Nor would a few words/lines in a blog.
Justice should be served, and to say “Just forget about it and move on”. Might be accepted by some (and might be the most practical thing to do).
But for those who dont accept it, I think it would wrong to call them morons or that their viewpoint is unacceptable or idiotic.
The question is how far should one compromise without compromising their principles and rights. If i am ready to relinquish (spelling?) my rights for the greater good, I cannot expect everybody to have the same personal understanding as myself. I cannot say I am right, and those who think otherwise are wrong.
Occupation sows the seeds of havoc..and breeds different kind of people.
You know I have a problem wearing shoes, but for formal occasions I have to. They look great but nobody knows the agony I feel inside whilst (while?) wearing them *hint*
Just a few thoughts and I am sorry if anyone is offended by what I said.
Sorry about any grammatical/spelling mistakes as well, as English is not my first language.
Thank you.
how can I smile, when my brothers cry 🙁
I agree with you. If someone comes and tries to move me out of my house I would fight him to the death. If I have a gun or any other kind of weapon I would not hesitate in using it to drive him off. That’s a given.
But what would you do if it is a whole country who have done this? Even if – as we have seen from the comments on the various topics posted – it is demonstrated by both sides that they are “right” and that at least the main points are in contention? What would one do? Who would you believe? It’s not an easy answer my friend, just as in the real world, there are multiple viewpoints and it is a smart person who evaluates all, and then chooses a peaceful resolution to a conflict, in fact, that person should be regarded as courageous and honourable.
What have we – Arabs – benefited from this conflict of 60 years? Had we had honest and democratic institutions, I guarantee that the result of the Arab stance would be vastly different. What we actually gained from it however is the perpetuation of autocratic rule by despots utilising the Palestinian question to further their own gains, rather than solve the essential problem.
Further, I am not saying that the Israelis are right. Nor do I condone the various parties campaigns of force. What I am simply saying that we should either elect to use a pragmatic and practical solution to solve the situation, or be prepared to live for 10s of years, if not 100s of years of conflict. Which is it to be?
I personally choose to allay emotions, and sit across a table and discuss things in a civilised manner. Acknowledging the right of existence of each other would be a good start, and that has already been achieved.
So smile, my friend, and give heart to the destitute and the weary. You might realise that the crying will stop shedding tears if they find a leadership truly interested in easing their pain and suffering, rather than continuing to demand continuous sacrifice which has spanned and will span generations.
Dear Mahmood,
The Arab leaderships that “we” have at the moment are the one and the same despots who you refer to in the following “What we actually gained from it however is the perpetuation of autocratic rule by despots..”
So how can we expect these despots to be now a “leaderships truly interested in easing their pain and suffering.”. The despots continue to work on the principle of “to further their own gains” even if they
“sit across a table and discuss things in a civilised manner”.
Gaddafi is your perfext example. Hardly a saint, yet if he can “Raindance” to an Irish American rhythm, everyone starts to clap, seemingly fairy tales are not really “fairy”. You kiss a frog, it turn into a Prince 🙂
Furthermore. a leadership should be reflective of the aspirations of the public as well, so its a two fold concept: leadership and public.
Let us consider Bahrain as an example, those who belong to the old order of thought and still maintain their positions have hardly changed to integrate to the “new” vision. So we need, I believe for your personal vision – development on both levels – “leadership” level and on a “public” level.
If “acknowledging” your neighbour is through a position of weakness to turn the pulley then I am sorry to say that is not an honest acknowledgment- and it would be more ethical to tell my enemy that I am your enemy rather than saying I am your friend due to the circumstances!”
The scenario you draw is one in which you have to reform both levels -leadership and public, which we dont have at the moment; and the leadership in all cases is not reflective of society in general.
Those who agree and acknowledge from the public , have for the most part grown tired of dreaming and having not”benefited from this conflict of 60 years” . However, is that truly a desire of acknowledgment, or just being practical? What if power game shifts hands..would they still be ready to acknowledge? Is it a civilized acknowldgement?
I think many of us have to ask ourself this question if we really advocates of peaceful coexistence through respect or through necessity?
Peace should be a lasting peace, and not circumstancial peace. A just peace my dear Sayyid.
The despots sit on the negogiating table and the upholders of “rights” twists arms. Which makes me think of some maternal link between them. I wonder who is the “mother of all Desopts”…conspiracy theory..nah..just being sarcastic
In the end we shake the hands and thank our despots 🙂 . Not sure exactly for what exactly …our “fortune” or “misfortune”.
The desposts kill you, walk in your funeral , offer their condolences to your family and expect your family to thank them for coming to pay their respects in return.
Then we grumble for a bit, and when we see the despot again we thank them kindly and wave patriotic flags of the trinity 😉 sometimes willingly and sometimes unwillingly! seems like Raindance is getting popular with the public too.
In conclusion, I say “we” does not exists in a Arab context at the moment. “We” are the despots and not the society even if we have parliments and countries called “Republic” or a new constitution for that matters. Long live the……..
At least the freedom fighters are more honest to those who follow their idealogy. True to themselves and true to their enemies in declaring that they are ememies..
Remember, King Hussain gong down on all four..very touching (human to human), but all depends for what production and who is the director. Not suprisingly, his acting career ended short for him to repeat the same for an Arab mother. Saddam was a good actor too, but I think his trademark laugh couldnt mesmerise Hollywood audiences hehe
Just some thoughts…maybe not coherent at times, so excuse my ramblings (spelling?-rumbling-maybe thats the stomach one)- sorry no dictionary! me no English.
no offence to anybody ..apologies in advance
Here’s a link to an article, “Brought up to Hate”, by Noni Darwish, an Arab Muslim whose father is an honored martyr in Egypt, Gaza and the West Bank. Nasser had him set up the Palestinian Fedayeen during the 50’s in Gaza. He was responsible for the deaths of 400 Israelis. As a Muslim and an Arab who lived 30 years in Gaza and Egypt, she has an important perspective about her own religion and the poisonous culture of hatred throughout the region.
Brought Up To Hate
By Nonie Darwish
Telegraph.co.uk | February 17, 2006
The controversy regarding the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed completely misses the point. Of course, the cartoons are offensive to Muslims, but newspaper cartoons do not warrant the burning of buildings and the killing of innocent people. The cartoons did not cause the disease of hate that we are seeing in the Muslim world on our television screens at night – they are only a symptom of a far greater disease.
I was born and raised as a Muslim in Cairo, Egypt and in the Gaza Strip. In the 1950s, my father was sent by Egypt’s President, Gamal Abdel Nasser, to head the Egyptian military intelligence in Gaza and the Sinai where he founded the Palestinian Fedayeen, or “armed resistance”. They made cross-border attacks into Israel, killing 400 Israelis and wounding more than 900 others.
My father was killed as a result of the Fedayeen operations when I was eight years old. He was hailed by Nasser as a national hero and was considered a shaheed, or martyr. In his speech announcing the nationalisation of the Suez Canal, Nasser vowed that all of Egypt would take revenge for my father’s death. My siblings and I were asked by Nasser: “Which one of you will avenge your father’s death by killing Jews?” We looked at each other speechless, unable to answer.
In school in Gaza, I learned hate, vengeance and retaliation. Peace was never an option, as it was considered a sign of defeat and weakness. At school we sang songs with verses calling Jews “dogs” (in Arab culture, dogs are considered unclean).
Criticism and questioning were forbidden. When I did either of these, I was told: “Muslims cannot love the enemies of God, and those who do will get no mercy in hell.” As a young woman, I visited a Christian friend in Cairo during Friday prayers, and we both heard the verbal attacks on Christians and Jews from the loudspeakers outside the mosque. They said: “May God destroy the infidels and the Jews, the enemies of God. We are not to befriend them or make treaties with them.” We heard worshippers respond “Amen”.
My friend looked scared; I was ashamed. That was when I first realised that something was very wrong in the way my religion was taught and practised. Sadly, the way I was raised was not unique. Hundreds of millions of other Muslims also have been raised with the same hatred of the West and Israel as a way to distract from the failings of their leaders. Things have not changed since I was a little girl in the 1950s.
Palestinian television extols terrorists, and textbooks still deny the existence of Israel. More than 300 Palestinians schools are named after shaheeds, including my father. Roads in both Egypt and Gaza still bear his name – as they do of other “martyrs”. What sort of message does that send about the role of terrorists? That they are heroes. Leaders who signed peace treaties, such as President Anwar Sadat, have been assassinated. Today, the Islamo-fascist president of Iran uses nuclear dreams, Holocaust denials and threats to “wipe Israel off the map” as a way to maintain control of his divided country.
Indeed, with Denmark set to assume the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the flames of the cartoon controversy have been fanned by Iran and Syria. This is critical since the International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to refer Iran to the Security Council and demand sanctions. At the same time, Syria is under scrutiny for its actions in Lebanon. Both Iran and Syria cynically want to embarrass the Danes to achieve their dangerous goals.
But the rallies and riots come from a public ripe with rage. From my childhood in Gaza until today, blaming Israel and the West has been an industry in the Muslim world. Whenever peace seemed attainable, Palestinian leaders found groups who would do everything to sabotage it. They allowed their people to be used as the front line of Arab jihad. Dictators in countries surrounding the Palestinians were only too happy to exploit the Palestinians as a diversion from problems in their own backyards. The only voice outside of government control in these areas has been the mosques, and these places of worship have been filled with talk of jihad.
Is it any surprise that after decades of indoctrination in a culture of hate, that people actually do hate? Arab society has created a system of relying on fear of a common enemy. It’s a system that has brought them much-needed unity, cohesion and compliance in a region ravaged by tribal feuds, instability, violence, and selfish corruption. So Arab leaders blame Jews and Christians rather than provide good schools, roads, hospitals, housing, jobs, or hope to their people.
For 30 years I lived inside this war zone of oppressive dictatorships and police states. Citizens competed to appease and glorify their dictators, but they looked the other way when Muslims tortured and terrorised other Muslims. I witnessed honour killings of girls, oppression of women, female genital mutilation, polygamy and its devastating effect on family relations. All of this is destroying the Muslim faith from within.
It’s time for Arabs and Muslims to stand up for their families. We must stop allowing our leaders to use the West and Israel as an excuse to distract from their own failed leadership and their citizens’ lack of freedoms. It’s time to stop allowing Arab leaders to complain about cartoons while turning a blind eye to people who defame Islam by holding Korans in one hand while murdering innocent people with the other.
Muslims need jobs – not jihad. Apologies about cartoons will not solve the problems. What is needed is hope and not hate. Unless we recognise that the culture of hate is the true root of the riots surrounding this cartoon controversy, this violent overreaction will only be the start of a clash of civilis-ations that the world cannot bear.
Link to article
http://frontpagemag.com/articles/readarticle.asp?ID=21322
Pingback: Chapomatic » Mahmood On Lebanon
The situation is quite depressing.
So, the big question is how do we stop this bloody war?
Yohay,
Tel Aviv.
Hello!
Please visit the following link and sign the petition for Lebanon!
http://www.lebguide.com/lebanon/petition/
Thanks in advance for your support for Lebanon!
Ciao,
Karim
——
His excellency, Mr. Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General,
We, people and friends of Lebanon, would like to express our indignation with regard to the fatal attacks which are destroying our country since July 12, 2006. Today, fifteen years after the end of the civil war, the country is yet again under siege. Israel has imposed on Lebanon a total blockade, destroying the civilian infrastructures of the country, obliging tens of thousands of people to flee their residences, and leading to the death of too many innocent civilians. These actions constitute crimes against the Lebanese population.
And the international community turns a blind eye.
We, Lebanese, friends of Lebanon or simply men and women of peace, would like to make an appeal to the United Nations, in its role as international peace and security keepers, to enforce an immediate cease fire in the country. We invite you to wield pressure on Israel to raise the total blockade imposed on the country as soon as possible. We also ask you to provide the assistance necessary to the Lebanese government so that it can exert its full sovereignty on the whole of the territory.
Over the last few years, the Lebanese people have expressed their utmost desire to see their country free of foreign occupation and to finally be able to exert their total sovereignty on their own territory. The destruction that is now taking place is in no way enabling this process. We need to find a diplomatic and peaceful resolution to this conflict. We believe in the United Nations and in its ability to allow us to achieve these goals, this is why your Excellency, Mr. Kofi Annan we address this petition to you.
Please hear our plea your Excellency the Secretary General, the people of Lebanon need your support.
Steve,
That wasn’t me who proclaimed my love for you darling. But since you seem to be missing me, i send you lots of hugs and kisses and a katshuya or two … 😉
Mahmood,
I think this situation is going to blow up even more and is going to have very significant long term repercussions in the region. Starting with the credibility of the leadership .. from Jordan to Egypt to Saudi Arabia. And apparantly there were riots in Bahrain yesterday in front of the US Embassy? The longer this lasts, the more support Hizballah are going to get. Even if Hizballah are hit, another offshoot will be born. This I am sure of. What a mess. A very depressing time for the region. And, quite frankly, I would like to know where the US certainity for their position is coming from? Does she know what she is doing? Unilaterally? There are no winners here. Except maybe Iran. The rest of us all lose. Some more than others.
I’m inclined to agree with you JJ. Nerves and emotions are frayed all around me, and not just in this site. Yesterday, there were four big demonstrations in support of Hizballah in Bahrain, one, very close to my father’s house turned ugly after the protesters were barred from approaching the US Embassy; they turned over and burnt garbage dumpsters, they burnt tyres and threw them on the road, the scene was repeated elsewhere in Bahrain, and that is on the first weekend that the infamous “Protest Law” has been passed and signed by the king. A few people were arrested and possibly will face charges under this new law. It is a total shambles all over the Arab world, I am tired of just following the news, let alone thinking of how people right in the middle of these various conflicts feel.
And again I think you are right. This is going to blow up. And God help us all when it does.
they are going to make this a sectarian issue. in lebanon. in bahrain. 🙁
(mahmood, sorry i have been away .. lots going on. but am back. saw a welcome post a while ago, didnt have the chance to respond! stay cool. and great work on this site…. 🙂
Yes they are.. and there is a post brewing in my mind about this subject and will post it when ready… posting about my thoughts about the current situation got me labelled a traitor, I wonder what that article about sectarianism is going to land me in!
Welcome back again, and look forward to your contributions.
Jasra Jedi: “That wasn’t me who proclaimed my love for you darling. But since you seem to be missing me, i send you lots of hugs and kisses and a katshuya or two … “
Jasra, you know you are my favorite critic and I am happy to see you once again launching your Katyushas of Love. Pardon me while I duck.
Steve
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