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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Re: Stanley Berg, Pulse 8.28.02
Wednesday 04 September @ 11:00:49 |
 In response to Stanley Berg’s letter concerning my last article in the Pulse describing the conditions in Tulkarem Palestine, I have to disagree with Stanley’s arguments against the reality I am witnessing here.
First of all, he claims in his letter that I have neglected to meet with any Israelis during my time in the Middle East. In actuality, I have met with Israelis, ranging from Israeli left-wing organizations, common people on the street and soldiers stationed at the checkpoints. I feel that in the U. S. press, Israel receives all the attention unless it is to call the Palestinians terrorists and due to this fact I feel it is within my right to attempt to balance my education by putting Palestinians first during my time here. The media that has been a part of my upbringing in the United States is completely biased towards the interests of Israel and in my attempt to fully educate myself in this world I do not feel that I have to accept this bias without digging further. How many Palestinians have you talked to before accepting as your truth the propaganda of an occupying force?
In response to the repeated comments on suicide bombings, I challenge you to take a more critical look at the situation here instead of swallowing the Israeli and United States propaganda as to why suicide bombings occur and think about what is actually creating the motivation for individuals to blow themselves up. While speaking of peace, Israel constantly is taking steps that only provoke the Palestinians into response. The initiation of this most recent Intifada was an arrogant move on the part of Sharon to visit the Al Aqsa mosque (the most holy place to the Muslim people) with an entourage of 2,000 soldiers. This event portrayed by Sharon as a “visit” was received as an occupation that angered the Palestinian population into fighting what they deemed as degrading and a provocation. During this past summer, hours after several opposition groups in the Gaza Strip ratified an agreement to call an end to suicide bombing, the IDF bombed an apartment building in Gaza city in an attempt to kill one man, killing 15 innocent women, men and children and wounding 150 in the process. I visited this site and saw in actuality the reality that five buildings were destroyed displacing 14 families which amounts to approximately 300 people. I heard the story of that night from a man who lives in the building next to those destroyed and heard him tell of finding the dead bodies of two children ages 4 and 6 underneath the rubble that accumulated between his house and the next. The bodies of these two children traveled through four walls to end up at their final location. One 2-month-old child was found underneath a concrete slab. In discussions of the mangled bodies that result from the suicide bombs, why are these Palestinian children that are killed by the IDF never discussed? Only last week a family of four was gunned down in their grape fields while trying to work. Later that night in the international media this family was portrayed as terrorists trying to attack a settlement. To say they were terrorists and that the people here are lying when they say these people were only working in their fields undermines the fact that people’s personal politics here are not secretive, are widely discussed, known and honored. If these people had been trying to attack this settlement it would be what was talked about. Instead, on everyone’s lips, this was a family of simple farmers. All of these actions by the IDF only continue to create resentment and breed resistance. It’s time to turn the tables and critique the fact that the actions of the Israeli military is not a response to these suicide bombings but that the suicide bombings are a result of the IDF actions.
The fact that there is such a complete focus on the bombings in the U.S. media only goes to prove the bias. The suicide bombings are such a small part of the resistance and life here, yet that is all that gets any attention. It is a propaganda ploy to further demonize a people. Unfortunately, it is a ploy that is working in the United States, creating an atmosphere of concrete opinions without people searching for their own answers. And in addition to all of these words and provocations on the part of the Israeli government, the settlements in the West Bank are continually expanding and being established, taking more and more land, resources and rights from the Palestinian people. If Israel really wants peace, these actions need to be halted to show they are willing to move toward peace, instead of talking one line and acting another.
In being critical of the Palestinians refusal to accept proposals, these proposals need to be examined. The agreements offered have been in no way suitable to accept thus far, and with the agreements attempted, Israel itself has not held up its end of the bargain. With Oslo as an example, there was a system created where the Palestinian authority is obligated to pay money to the Israeli government for water and electricity. Israel in turn is required to extract certain amounts for taxes and then pay the money back to the P.A. Month after month Israeli does not pay or pays only a very little, while the P.A. is forced into paying because Israel controls the water and electricity (these resources being originally controlled by Palestine). Daily these resources in the occupied territories are used to further control the people by being arbitrarily shut off for an indiscriminate amount of times and days. One camp I visited in the Gaza Strip had just had their water turned back on after two weeks. Although called the best option, an agreement such as Oslo also creates an atmosphere of legalized settlement land with much more room for growth, and it did not in any way acknowledge the Palestinians’ right of return. Why would a people be willing to negotiate with another government that is so unwilling to meet them halfway? Already so much of the Palestinian ancestral land has been taken, leaving the majority of the population as refugees (either in foreign countries or within the occupied territories). The proposed agreements only plan to take more land and leave the Palestinian population with even less. What type of negotiation is this?
I do not expect to be able to change the minds or open the eyes of the Stanley Bergs of the world, I can only hope that people are able to set aside their prejudices and miseducations for long enough to hear these words and feel the compassion in their hearts for a people under siege. Set aside the privilege that comes with an American passport and mentality for a minute and really try to understand what is happening here. Look for your education in places not entirely controlled by the corporate media. And really truly take the time to think about the fact that the situation here, innocent people forced into a life under occupation, is being funded by our tax dollars. It is our responsibility to take a stance on this, it is our money that is killing these people, and these people are no different then us. I pray for you if you are one with a similar mentality as Stanley Berg, because this is real life for people here, this is not a game that is OK to be played out through political propaganda anymore.
Kristin Razowsky
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