Admittedly, I am not Palestinian, nor have I ever lived there. I am currently covering the Palestinian blogosphere for Global Voices because there is no Palestinian volunteer to do so (if you're interested, please contact Global Voices). Why do I mention this? Well you see, the Palestinian blogosphere is a difficult one to figure out – judging by the most popular aggregator, The Gazette, the majority of bloggers tend to repost news stories, which isn't in and of itself a bad thing, but difficult for someone like me, whose job it is to discover what Palestinians themselves are saying!
Yet this week, it seems that many bloggers were pondering the current situation of the world, and of Palestine. Israeli Watch asks what the root causes could be, and says:
What should be the policy of America in the Middle East, in particular with Israel? America should have the courage, and impartiality to indicate to Israel it must completely end its occupation of Palestine.
Meanwhile,
Oranges and Olives is thinking about the world powers and what we can do, or in this case, not do:
“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.” The virtuous amongst us try to identify evil, and not do it. However, how often do we consider the act of NOT DOING as evil?
In a world which runs according to a universal system of power and wealth, very few own the power that determines how the world progresses. We all know and refer to the oligarchy of the multinationals and the power of Western Politicians. We consider what Nestle does in Africa, what Coca-Cola does in India and Colombia, what Caterpillar, Motorolla and Intel do in Palestine as evil, and we decide to boycott them.
These corporations are definitely evil in their means. However, did we ever stop to think how we benefit from their deeds?
The blogger concludes the post by saying that “today's ultimate sin is complacency.”
Other bloggers are contemplating more personal issues as well. Decentering Damascus ponders what it really is to be “pro-Palestine” and whether or not that's a good thing:
When I meet foreigners who say that they are pro Palestinians I am not impressed, for to be a pro Palestinian one need to understand the hardship of being a Palestinian, or you're an “academic” “theorist” pro Palestinian who doesn't really know how does it feel to be a refugee or under occupation.
books can teach you the truth, but you can only live the truth right here among us.
Sugar Cubes, on the other hand, is ruminating about ethics:
Sometimes I wonder how ethical it is to be ethical with unethical people. Is it OK to lie to a liar? steal from a thief for example? be a jerk when you’re dealing with bastards? is it OK to sink just as low?
Of course, as always, bloggers are interested in what's going on in the news, and with good reason. Haitham of Sabbah's Blog informs us of a bill which allocates JNF (Jewish National Fund) land in Israel to Jews only:
Even if that land happens to be owned by Palestinians… Israel has over a million non Jewish (Palestinian/Arab) citizens, and while it pretends to be a “democracy” – and as politicians and media the world over parrot the phrase “the only democracy in the Middle East” as if saying it made it so, and as if they were deaf and blind – it is continuously and without international objection passing racist apartheid laws.
Israeli Watch brings good news, something which is often few and far between:
Palestine Times, the only Palestinian newspaper in Israel, will resume publishing their newspaper. Good news indeed for Palestinians under occupation to articulate their problems in the West Bank and Gaza.
Tabula Gaza reports on a wedding party he attended in Deir Al-Balach (Gaza):
The party was a hardcore Fatah celebration and seemed to be almost overshadowed by the constant mention of the groom's political affiliation. The stage was covered in Fatah paraphernalia, most central a picture of a “martyred” friend.
Commenting further on the current struggle in Gaza between Fatah and Hamas, the blogger links to an article about torture going on in Gaza, and adds:
One cannot forget that in the very building that these men are being tortured in, the perpetrators may well have been tortured themselves by those who today are the victims. Under no circumstances does this justify their actions today. The tables of injustice have turned.
Nothing is black and white.
3 comments
Palestine is often compared worse then Apartheid in South Africa and it gets worse by the day when world governments allow Israel to have free will to do what ever it chooses.
http://windowintopalestine.blogspot.com/2007/07/real-holocaust-palestinian-one.html
Why is Americans not speaking about the new deal that George Bush has made with Israel….With Millions and Millions that go to Israel , America could do more to assist it’s citizens. One thing comes to mind..health care, poverty, homelessness, money if not gone to Israel could be well spent better in America.
http://windowintopalestine.blogspot.com/2007/06/bush-pledges-to-increase-us-funding-to.html
Canada was always a good country, and has never taken sides really, a peace keeper but now has taken a step back and serves the Zionist Lobby that controls it…Canadians need to speak out….
http://windowintopalestine.blogspot.com/2007/07/canada-at-human-rights-council.html
I think that Palestinians and Arabs in general should stop hoping naively that the “compassion” or “empathie” of the Western leader would lead them to change their policies in the Middle east. It doesn’t work this way!
Danny D, thank you for the blog links -despite the dates, I may use some of them in next week’s post (it is honestly difficult to find the right posts in an unfamiliar blogosphere!)