I need a Reality Check - Pronto!
So guys... I have been having this guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach and thought I should catch up with you all and get a reality check, yes thats right, I need a reality check.
With everything going on in Gaza I am just feeling so insane. I know this is not going to end and I know its going to get worse. I think the whole situation is odd. I know it is the Israeli government just showing the rest of the world its worth in bullying. Sending massive troops to terrorize Gaza is not only an act of plain old bullying it is to show the rest of the world to not mess with Israel.
I have about one more month until I have to return home and even though I miss my family, I can not say that I miss the daily treatment and feeling of isolation. I have gotten used to the smiling faces and the daily "normalness" of life here in New York. I am getting used to being treated human, I am not sure how I am going to handle going back, AGAIN.
Reality check please.
posted by Palestinian Princess @ Tuesday, July 04, 2006
31 Comments:
Palestinian Princess--you are right. What is going on in the Gaza Strip is insane. And I feel for the poor 19-year-old soldier and his family who must be going through hell. My question is why Hamas would do something like this. After all, Israel retreated to the internationally recognized border. Here was an opportunity for the Palestinian people to begin the creation of their long-awaited state. Why then did Hamas choose to launch rockets into Israel proper? What did they have to gain? And then this kidnapping is beyond insane. I give credit to the Hamas leadership in knowing that this touches off a raw nerve in Israeli society (Entebbe, Munich, Ron Arad) and would provoke an insane reaction. So why do it?
In your opinion are the Palestinian people so oppressed and righteous in their anger that they will squander every opportunity that comes their way? Is there any way that the Palestinian people will focus their energies inward on bettering their own society? Or will they forever carry the mantle of victim, and choose violence at every fork in the road?
Gaza could have been a good test case. Had Palestinians demonstrated their ability to be responsible neighbors in Gaza, you can bet that Israel would have withdrawn from most—if not all—of the West Bank. And even if they didn’t, Palestinians would still enjoy the benefits of a society focused on building for themselves, rather than destroying others. Will Palestinians ever get it? Will they every figure it out that self-reliance rather than wallowing in victimization is the path to liberation? Or are Palestinians a people doomed to be eternally mired in violence, angry over their past, and never building with hope for their future?
Aside from saying, well if Israel would only do A, B, and C … is their anything that you think the Palestinians can do for themselves to get themselves out of this mess?
what's your take on this editorial in Haaretz?
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/734211.html
my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Gaza.
palestine is waiting for it's sharmota....welcome to nablus babe
Wow. I read about you and your blog on the jerusalem post website. My dad is Algerian and my mom is American, but Algerians feel a sense of kinship with other Arabs that maybe is not always reciprocated! We don't care, we still believe in Arab Nationalism! What do you think of that? You seem like a great person and it's good that at least some people in this world still have the courage and strength to tell their story! When I read about the Palestinians in the news, my perception is that they are all starving to death. It's good to know that some of them have computers and are doing ok, even if they live under the occupation of a foreign military force that is not accountable to them! Stay strong sister and maybe I will by random chance see you in NYC some time hehe. I know some Palestinians and a lot of Arabs in NYC, I think I might move there too. Anyways take care and long live human dreams and long live Palestine...
P.S. Did you ever hear of this Palestinian rap group 'DAM'? I thought it was powerful the way they are using music to reach people and communicate their hearts just like how you are writing in your blog! Here's a link to their site if you haven't already heard of them:
http://slingshothiphop.com/
"I know it is the Israeli government just showing the rest of the world its worth in bullying."
--I am sorry but i dont agree with this... I am not from Israel and i am not part on any of this religious belief, I am just a mere observer and reader. But What you've said on this article is so frustrating that I don't feel like reading the rest. Thank you for sharing your musings to the wolrd!
Lucy,
1. Glad you are enjoying NYC. There is no other city quite like it. Don't you love our weather? It doesn't usually rain this much.
I really like your blog and you seem quite level-headed, but I think you are 100% wrong on the Gaza issue.
I happen to believe that Syria/Iran have sold the Palestinians down the river by doing this. Hamas was elected (for better or for worse) to be the government of the PA. Tunneling under into Israel, killing two soldiers, and kidnapping Gilad may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it was an act of war by a government.
Had this been some other country in the world attacking the other, the response against the civilian population would have been ten times worse. Fortunately for the Palestinians, Olmert and Peretz are imbeciles and weak sisters.
You can't hit for both teams.
Hamas either wants to act in the best interests of the Palestinian people and create an environment where there can be an Israel/Palestine, or it wants to be a state-sponsored terrorist group and mafia of sorts.
I was in the IDF. We didn't always do the right thing (in regard to how much patience we showed or how we used our authority), but I can tell you that the soldiers surrounding Gaza right now and the vast majority of soldiers I served with would rather be on the beach in Tel-Aviv with our kids, or wives, or girlfriends, than preparing to fight street-to-street in Beit Hanoun.
But, when you shoot at us, or fire missiles into our cities (the Ashkelon attack was an act of true stupidity), or kidnap our children and execute them
, you leave us with no choice.
The people of Gaza are going to pay the price for Hamas/Syria/Iran's stupidity.
It's not a question of showing the world that Israel can defend itself (granted, we've done a terrible job of late). Israel could repel an alien invasion and the world would condemn us for alien rights abuses.
Stop shooting. I'm not a peacenik, but the old adage of "Make Love, Not War" makes a certain degree of sense if you take it to the next level.
Safe trip home.
Aharon
Aharon, great, great post. Everything I wanted to say about this specific incident has been said in the post above
On another note, though, I think it is about time the Palestinians begin to take some responsibility for their actions. It is not a "Tiny Minority Of Extremists" who have fired over ONE THOUSAND rockets into ISRAEL PROPER since the disengagement, but rather a well-organized chain of groups which a well-defined infrastructure, who enjoy unprecedented local support.
You want freedom? First prove that you know what to do with it. Since disengagement the Gaza population has shown that have no clue what to do with freedom.
And don't give me that stuff about "one big concentration camp." A sovereign nation has the right to not allow citizens from another state/territory (let alone a HOSTILE one) into it's own territory. If they are so claustrophobic, which I'm sure they are, they should ask Egypt for visas. Except...Egypt has also built an apartheid-racist-illegal wall on their Gaza border. The second I can go eat some falafel in Gaza City, I will be inclined to support any Palestinian access into Israel Proper.
Lucy,
did you really need this kind of reality check from the comments above? I know what you mean and when I read this blog http://www.fromgaza.blogspot.com/, you more helpless! Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do at this moment and you just have to grab whatever peace you can get while you can!
Enjoy your vacation, reality will come soon enough!
I agree with both above posters. HOWEVER under basic rules of war and engagement, is it really ok to fire missiles continuously into a small strip of land, killing innocent civilians, over the kidnapping of one soldier? The equilibrium of the balance of force there seems a little off balance.
Hamas should not have been elected. The unorganized fighters are making everything worse not better. But if the palestinian government is behind this, justifying more excessive force and retaliation, call it what it is, declare war, and follow the internationally recognized rules of engagement
Lucy,
The palestinian government has recently murdered a young boy and has kidnapped another. You may somehow justify all this BUT this is not about bullying or fighting. This is about getting that boy back home and to prevent the countless acts of murder that is aimed at men women and children.
Lucy,
I do not agree with your POV, however I do understand one thing, your fellow palestinians are your biggest threat.
JUST BEING NICE to Jews is a DEATH SENTENCE from HAMAS and other groups...
Please let's disagree about everything, we JEWS are not your enemy, we can argue in NYC over coffee and bagels, whereas the moment you get back to that shit hole called "palestine" your life IS in danger by YOUR elected governments.
BE SAFE
It is not israeli occupation.
The arabs living in the jewish home land are hostile towards jews.
Isreal has an army presence in order to protect its jewish citizens from the hostile arab attacks.
chinies people live in china town peacefully.
Arabs can live in Israel peacefully.
chinese people dont claim china town belongs to china and the chinese.
So to the arabs living in israel
G-d gave the holy land to the jews.
Live there peacefully or move to Palestine/trans joran .
I am sure your brothers in the arab world will treat you like humanbeings and give you free utilities and health care o and democracy.
anonymous 5:04 PM -- Hamas committed acts of war. It went into undisputed Israeli territory and fired weaponry into undisputed Israeli territory. It is not Israel's obligation to declare war. Nonetheless, I think that it's quite obvious that Israel is following the rules of engagement for a war.
It is neither firing missiles constantly nor killing innocent civilians -- at least to the extent possible, and at this point not one civilian has been killed in the incursion.
The problem is that now Israel must enter Beit Hanoun in order to stop Hamas from firing long-range missiles into Israel. Hamas is using the populace as human shields, and the resulting casualties must be blamed upon Hamas alone.
Lucy, I am happy to see that you were picked up by the Jerusalem Post. This alone indicates a desire for balance and peace that have been missing from most Palestinian media. You have always been an exceptional voice at least on the latter count.
I so wish that the warm Palestinian people I met while in Israel were the folks actually in charge. More power to you, much as I disagree with your analysis of the Gaza situation entirely.
PP, just discovered your blog today on JPost.com. You have a very interesting point of view. I am a Jewish American so I am admittedly biased on the subject of Israel.
However, I always try to see things from different perspectives and I can most certainly understand where you are coming from.
The thing is, logic and reason (over emotion) says that you are flat out WRONG on this latest Gaza incursion.
The Israeli's left on their own last summer...dragging away their very own KICKING AND SCREAMING citizens.
You can not fire missiles and attack and kidnap soldiers without understanding that there are repercussions for these actions.
This is NOT "bullying"...this is SELF-DEFENSE.
Any other take on this requires skewing facts to fit your opinion.
I am Anon above (6:40 "Palestine" time.
Above I mentioned that I discovered your blog today on JPost. Even though I clearly disagreed with your take on the current Gaza situation, I still found it refreshing that I had found an "open-minded" individual and I looked forward to reading many of your past blog entries...and THEN...I found THIS:
"Oh, I just gotta say whatever and Jesus was a Palestinian so I don't think Jesus would approve of Israel running E. Jerusalem. No, I don't. Not by the people who crucified him."
So much for open-minded. You are just part of the problem. You bitch and moan that you are oppressed (Something that I actually sympathize with) but you have NO RESPECT for what the average Israeli has to deal with...you know...like WACKOS with bombs strapped to them blowing themselves up in Pizza stores filled with Moms having lunch with their babies.
PLEASE, Israel has the right to defend itself and, unfortunately for YOU, y=the "Average Palestinian" has to suffer because of the actions of these people. Shouldn't you blame the scumbags who perpetrate these crimes rather than the people who are trying to defend themselves against it? There’s reason why you have checkpoints every 15 miles...there’s reason why you can't travel easily...there’s reason why Israeli's search you when you wish to enter Israel or when you go to the arport...every once in a while, one of y’all BLOWS up!!
It’s all because of those people who commit these heinous acts...NOT because that's what Israeli's like to do in their spare time...
Unless of course you think we're all JESUS KILLERS...like you say above...in this case, you're just a bigoted fool like the rest of them and...part of the PROBLEM not part of the SOLUTION (as you so foolishly think).
Hi. I like your blog. Hopefully blogs by Israelis, Palestinians (and other Arabs) will improve communication, ultimately leading to peace.
In the short term, a true peace and total resolution is unlikely. However, it may be possible for the next best thing-- a cessation of hostilities by both sides.
How could this happen? Israel could give in, and release prisoners from its jails, in exchange for their soldier being freed. They've done things like this before-- despite what many say, I believe they would not mind freeing Palestinian prisoners-- if they could get their soldier back.
However, there is a problem: if they do release prisoners, that will encourage further kidnappings of soldiers! So-- this is not a workable solution.
It seems to me a better solution would be for those holding the soldier to..merely return him to Israel. Whay have they got to lose?
A chance to have Palestinian prisoners released? Not really, as Israel will never do this as it would encourage more kidnappings.
So-- they have little to lose. What could they gain? Israeli forces leaving Gaza!
Its really quite simple-- each side must give in a bit:
-Palestinians:
1-Return soldier
2-Cease firing of rockets
Would that be a tremendous sacrifice . . . for what they'd gain?
-Israelis:
1-Leave Gaza
2-Stop attacks
Again, not a tremendous sacrifice for "peace" (well-- at least a mutual cessation of hostilities).
While a permanent, "just" solution to the problems in the area aren't possible, it would be relatively to end hostilities-- IF both sides were to compromise....
You are great. Keep up the good work and your spirits high. I don't know where you get your stregnth from.
Do not let these Zionist thugs get you down. These greedy bastards aren't happy with the media, the banks, the real estate, the United States and Israel. They also have to take away your tiny country. STOP them before they take over the world.
I love you and the United States also loves you. God Bless you.
Lucy states: Friday, April 28, 2006
The Question of Al-Quds / Jerusalem
Oh, I just gotta say whatever and Jesus was a Palestinian so I don't think Jesus would approve of Israel running E. Jerusalem. No, I don't. Not by the people who crucified him.
1. Jesus NOT a "palestinian"
In AD 135, after putting down the Bar Kochba revolt, the second major Jewish revolt against Rome, the Emperor Hadrian wanted to blot out the name of the Roman "Provincia Judaea" and so renamed it "Provincia Syria Palaestina", the Latin version of the Greek name and the first use of the name as an administrative unit. The name "Provincia Syria Palaestina" was later shortened to Palaestina, from which the modern, anglicized "Palestine" is derived.
Now lucy, let's see how "moderate" you are, google this and disprove these facts...
otherwise take back and correct your statement.
As for the other statement about who murdered jesus:
100,000 JEWS were murdered by the Romans on the cross, there were NO palestinians at that time, this is history, until your side learn it, you will have problems with the REAL world.
It's a simple thing to learn real history, not invented bullshit....
If you want your lives to be better, whack the Hamas and Fatah monsters and join the 21st century.
Lucy,
In America there is a saying I can sell you the Brooklyn Bridge if you'd like. You can tell anybody anything.
The nonsense these people commenting is the same old nonsense the Zionist controled media have been feeding us. The next thing they'll tell you is that 6 million people (an exaggeration) were killed and that's why the palestinians were thrown out of their land (the truth).
So, do you want to buy a bridge?
Jim get a life, you whack-off.
Jim, why do you hate Jews?
I don't hate Jews. I just hate what many of them do. In this case I hate what they are doing to the innocent Palestinians. Day after day we hear about all these acts of genocide committed against the Palestinians and all we hear is the crying of Israel. Do you think something is fishy? I do.
Jim,
You are either a hateful person or an idiot or probably both. Some important facts you conveniently leave out.
A) Israelis have never targeted any civilian. Nor any Palestinian even military other than those directly involved with terrorism. Palestinians can not make that claim. Unfortunately, the bulk of their “resistance” has been directed against regular civilians. Never has any act been in a self defense capacity.
B) The Palestinians refused a Palestinian state in 1948. They have also refused a peaceful coexistence in very recent times through their voting of Hamas.
C) Israel has offered almost all of the “occupied” territories with no Palestinian acceptance.
LUCY,
THE ISRAELIS ARE NOT MAKING YOUR LIFE MISRABLE. YOUR GOVERNMENT'S REFUSAL TO MAKE PEACE IS.
Free the P,
You are so right.
Hi, Im an italian girl Elena and i'm listening to some news on tv....how is now th situation? if anyone wants to write to me, my mail is elena.bre@fastwebnet.it i would like to know some guys from palestin or israel! ciao!
I am disguested by the situation in Gaza. The Israelis left around 10 months ago and the Palestines should have looked inward to start nation building. Once the Israelis saw that their neighbors where behaving I have to assume that Israel would give them more control (airport, sea ports, etc). Instead Hamas wants to be a victom forever and just creates more headeaches for everyone.
David asserts that "Israel has offered almost all of the occupied territories with no Palestinian acceptance"
"offered almost all of the occupied territories"?
does anyone else perceive this as bizarre?
the palestinians, then, should be grateful that Israel has agreed to give back "almost all" of the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel
yes isn't it appalling this ingratitude?
hi
i dont know you
but i need to do
you look soo smart
has a brave heart
so may be we talk soon at
arabic_teacher@hotmail.com
byee for now
I feel so sorry for Lucy. She asks for a reality check, and she gets a barrage of lies and propaganda from people who read about her blog in the Jerusalem Post. Of course the defamation they heap on her people is trivial compared to the massacre their champions have already committed. Lucy, the vast majority of the world sees through the lies of the US and it's client state. Perhaps the outrage of billions will someday, somehow, become focused into pressure that will force the Israeli government to begin dealing with the Palestinians justly and fairly. Their extremist government is the worst enemy the Israelis have, and if they pursue their folly, the will bring about the ruin of their nation, and they (like South Africa) would be wise to listen to their critics.
That is reality.
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