Letters from the Sandbox

Letters from the Sandbox has moved!

2009-03-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

Hello Euphrates fans!

This will be the last post on this site. You can find our new blog on the Euphrates Institute site.
http://www.euphratesinstitute.org/blog

Come check it out!

Thanks to all and hope to read your comments soon...

--Janessa Gans

"World Peace Game"--exposing kids to world problems and their solutions

2009-02-18T11:04:00.000-08:00

I thought this was such a great idea, a board game called the "World Peace Game" developed by an elementary school teacher, Jim Hunter, link to article.

The World Peace Game assigns different leadership roles to kids and it's a great way to get kids direct exposure to solving problems, making tough choices, and working together for universal good. The only thing I would change about the game is involving more non-state or IGO actors into the mix. In today's globalized world, a Bill Gates has just as much influence on the world stage as does a national leader. And the power of individuals is increasing exponentially...we can't afford to leave them out of the mix or discount their voices. That idea should start early--ideally with kids!

Here's a snippet of the article:

"Some leaders get along better than others, but everyone gets a say. From a distance, it looks like chaos, but the hard, important work of negotiation is always going on.

At first, players might wonder whether the fun will ever begin. Once they get the hang of it, though, they can't wait to get back. But how can you win when so many different things come at you from so many directions and all at once? There's really only one way – by working together for peace and prosperity for all.

This job is even harder than it sounds. You have to be flexible. To succeed you have to give up some things you really want so you can accomplish things that are important for everyone.

Throughout the game, reports keep coming in about spy satellites, weather disasters, and stock markets booming and crashing. Nothing ever stays still."

Obama on al-Arabiya

2009-01-31T19:43:00.000-08:00

Obama's first televised interview

Our President truly "gets" it, that the old school ways of dictating to others and painting the world in Manichean terms only leads to more violence, division, and insecurity. The fact that his first televised interview was with an Arabic news station appears to highlight his prioritization of the region and an understanding of the importance of this critical relationship between Middle East and West that Euphrates Institute is working hard to improve.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the interview. (The full transcript of the interview follows those.)

"And that is that the language we use matters. And what we need to understand is, is that there are extremist organizations -- whether Muslim or any other faith in the past -- that will use faith as a justification for violence. We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith's name."

"...start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating -- in the past on some of these issues --and we don't always know all the factors that are involved. So let's listen."

"And so what I want to communicate is the fact that in all my travels throughout the Muslim world, what I've come to understand is that regardless of your faith -- and America is a country of Muslims, Jews, Christians, non-believers -- regardless of your faith, people all have certain common hopes and common dreams."

DUBAI (AlArabiya.net)
In his first interview since taking office, President Barack Obama told Arab satellite station Al Arabiya that Americans are not the enemy of the Muslim world and said Israel and the Palestinians should resume peace negotiations.

“My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy,” Obama told Al Arabiya’s Hisham Melhem in an interview broadcast Tuesday morning.

During the presidential election campaign last year, Obama vowed to improve U.S. ties with the Muslim world and after he won promised to give a speech in a Muslim capital in his first 100 days in office. The President repeated this pledge in the interview but did not give a time or specify the venue.

Obama pointed out that he had lived in the world’s largest Muslim nation, Indonesia for several years while growing up, and said his travels through Muslim countries had convinced him that regardless of faith, people had certain common hopes and dreams.

In the interview, Obama called for resumed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and said his administration wanted to begin by listening and talking to all parties involved in the conflict without prejudging their concerns.

He also praised Saudi King Abdulla for putting forward an Arab peace plan and said his administration would adopt a more extensive and regional approach in its relationship with the Muslim world.

“[W]e are ready to initiated a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest,” said Obama, noting that only then can progress be achieved.

I think it is possible for us to see a Palestinian state – I’m not going to put a time frame on it – that is contiguous
President Barack Obama
Obama, who took office a week ago, said he had already begun to fulfill the promises he made during his campaign by naming former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell as his Middle East peace envoy and sending him to the region within days of becoming president. Mitchell arrived in the region Monday evening on the start of a nine day tour.

Although Obama expressed support for a contiguous Palestinian state, he hedged on specifying when or with what borders.

“I think it is possible for us to see a Palestinian state – I’m not going to put a time frame on it – that is contiguous,” the president told Al Arabiya.

Obama reiterated America’s support to Israel and the “paramount” importance of the Jewish state’s security, making no mention of the suffering of Palestinians, the Gaza war, or the continuing Israeli blockade of the beleaguered territory.

Prior to his Jan. 20 inauguration Obama had remained silent about his views on the 22-day Israeli offensive in Gaza that left more than 1,300 Palestinians dead.

He also reiterated his promise to withdraw troops from Iraq, close the infamous Guantanamo prison and respect the rule of law.

Breaking with his predecessor George W. Bush, who had a penchant for adopting terms like Islamofacism and crusade that heightened tensions with the Muslim world, Obama underscored the importance of language and repeated the importance of listening as a part of communication.

“[M]y job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world that the language we use has to be a language of respect,” he said.

“[T]he language we use matters,” he continued. “We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith’s name.”

Yet his continuing silence on the enormous amount of civilian casualties during the Israeli offensive and accusations by the U.N. and humanitarian organizations that Israel committed war crimes also spoke volumes to an audience that has waited for America to take a more balanced approach to the conflict.

TRANSCRIPT

The following is a full transcript of Hisham Melhem's interview with President Obama on Al Arabiya TV:

Q: Mr. President, thank you for this opportunity, we really appreciate it.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much.

Q: Sir, you just met with your personal envoy to the Middle East, Senator Mitchell. Obviously, his first task is to consolidate the cease-fire. But beyond that you've been saying that you want to pursue actively and aggressively peacemaking between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Tell us a little bit about how do you see your personal role, because, you know, if the President of the United States is not involved, nothing happens – as the history of peace making shows. Will you be proposing ideas, pitching proposals, parameters, as one of your predecessors did? Or just urging the parties to come up with their own resolutions, as your immediate predecessor did?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think the most important thing is for the United States to get engaged right away. And George Mitchell is somebody of enormous stature. He is one of the few people who have international experience brokering peace deals.

And so what I told him is start by listening, because all too often the
United States starts by dictating -- in the past on some of these issues --and we don't always know all the factors that are involved. So let's listen. He's going to be speaking to all the major parties involved. And he will then report back to me. From there we will formulate a specific response.

Ultimately, we cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them. They're going to have to make some decisions. But I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people. And that instead, it's time to return to the negotiating table.

And it's going to be difficult, it's going to take time. I don't want to prejudge many of these issues, and I want to make sure that expectations are not raised so that we think that this is going to be resolved in a few months. But if we start the steady progress on these issues, I'm absolutely confident that the United States -- working in tandem with the European Union, with Russia, with all the Arab states in the region -- I'm absolutely certain that we can make significant progress.

Q: You've been saying essentially that we should not look at these issues -- like the Palestinian-Israeli track and separation from the border region -- you've been talking about a kind of holistic approach to the region. Are we expecting a different paradigm in the sense that in the past one of the critiques -- at least from the Arab side, the Muslim side -- is that everything the Americans always tested with the Israelis, if it works. Now there is an Arab peace plan, there is a regional aspect to it. And you've indicated that. Would there be any shift, a paradigm shift?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, here's what I think is important. Look at the proposal that was put forth by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia --

Q: Right.

I might not agree with every aspect of the proposal, but it took great courage
President Obama on the Saudi peace plan
THE PRESIDENT: I might not agree with every aspect of the proposal, but it took great courage --

Q: Absolutely.

THE PRESIDENT: -- to put forward something that is as significant as that.
I think that there are ideas across the region of how we might pursue peace.

I do think that it is impossible for us to think only in terms of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict and not think in terms of what's happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon or Afghanistan and Pakistan.

These things are interrelated. And what I've said, and I think Hillary Clinton has expressed this in her confirmation, is that if we are looking at the region as a whole and communicating a message to the Arab world and the Muslim world, that we are ready to initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest, then I think that we can make significant progress.

Now Israel is a strong ally of the United States. They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States
Now, Israel is a strong ally of the United States. They will not stop being a strong ally of the United States. And I will continue to believe that Israel's security is paramount. But I also believe that there are Israelis who recognize that it is important to achieve peace. They will be willing to make sacrifices if the time is appropriate and if there is serious partnership on the other side.

And so what we want to do is to listen, set aside some of the preconceptions that have existed and have built up over the last several years. And I think if we do that, then there's a possibility at least of achieving some breakthroughs.

Q: I want to ask you about the broader Muslim world, but let me – one final thing about the Palestinian-Israeli theater. There are many
Palestinians and Israelis who are very frustrated now with the current conditions and they are losing hope, they are disillusioned, and they believe that time is running out on the two-state solution because – mainly because of the settlement activities in Palestinian-occupied territories.

Will it still be possible to see a Palestinian state -- and you know the contours of it -- within the first Obama administration?

I think it is possible for us to see a Palestinian state
THE PRESIDENT: I think it is possible for us to see a Palestinian state -- I'm not going to put a time frame on it -- that is contiguous, that allows freedom of movement for its people, that allows for trade with other countries, that allows the creation of businesses and commerce so that people have a better life.

And, look, I think anybody who has studied the region recognizes that the situation for the ordinary Palestinian in many cases has not improved. And the bottom line in all these talks and all these conversations is, is a child in the Palestinian Territories going to be better off? Do they have a future for themselves? And is the child in Israel going to feel confident about his or her safety and security? And if we can keep our focus on making their lives better and look forward, and not simply think about all the conflicts and tragedies of the past, then I think that we have an opportunity to make real progress.

But it is not going to be easy, and that's why we've got George Mitchell going there. This is somebody with extraordinary patience as well as extraordinary skill, and that's what's going to be necessary.

Q: Absolutely. Let me take a broader look at the whole region. You are planning to address the Muslim world in your first 100 days from a Muslim capital. And everybody is speculating about the capital. (Laughter) If you have anything further, that would be great. How concerned are you -- because, let me tell you, honestly, when I see certain things about America -- in some parts, I don't want to exaggerate -- there is a demonization of America.

THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely.

Q: It's become like a new religion, and like a new religion it has new converts -- like a new religion has its own high priests.

THE PRESIDENT: Right.

Q: It's only a religious text.

THE PRESIDENT: Right.

Q: And in the last -- since 9/11 and because of Iraq, that alienation is wider between the Americans and -- and in generations past, the United States was held high. It was the only Western power with no colonial legacy.

THE PRESIDENT: Right.

Q: How concerned are you and -- because people sense that you have a different political discourse. And I think, judging by (inaudible) and
Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden and all these, you know -- a chorus --

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I noticed this. They seem nervous.

Q: They seem very nervous, exactly. Now, tell me why they should be more nervous?

Now, my job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world that the language we use has to be a language of respect
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think that when you look at the rhetoric that they've been using against me before I even took office --

Q: I know, I know.

THE PRESIDENT: -- what that tells me is that their ideas are bankrupt. There's no actions that they've taken that say a child in the Muslim world is getting a better education because of them, or has better health care because of them.

In my inauguration speech, I spoke about: You will be judged on what you've built, not what you've destroyed. And what they've been doing is destroying things. And over time, I think the Muslim world has recognized that that path is leading no place, except more death and destruction.

Now, my job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world that the language we use has to be a language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries.

Q: The largest one.

THE PRESIDENT: The largest one, Indonesia. And so what I want to
communicate is the fact that in all my travels throughout the Muslim world, what I've come to understand is that regardless of your faith -- and America is a country of Muslims, Jews, Christians, non-believers -- regardless of your faith, people all have certain common hopes and common dreams.

Sending George Mitchell to the Middle East is fulfilling my campaign promise that we're not going to wait until the end of my administration to deal with Palestinian and Israeli peace, we're going to start now
And my job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives. My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect. But if you look at the track record, as you say, America was not born as a colonial power, and that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there's no reason why we can't restore that. Andthat I think is going to be an important task.

But ultimately, people are going to judge me not by my words but by my actions and my administration's actions. And I think that what you will see over the next several years is that I'm not going to agree with everything that some Muslim leader may say, or what's on a television station in the Arab world -- but I think that what you'll see is somebody who is listening, who is respectful, and who is trying to promote the interests not just of the United States, but also ordinary people who right now are suffering from poverty and a lack of opportunity. I want to make sure that I'm speaking to them, as well.

Q: Tell me, time is running out, any decision on from where you will be visiting the Muslim world?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm not going to break the news right here.

Q: Afghanistan?

THE PRESIDENT: But maybe next time. But it is something that is going to be important. I want people to recognize, though, that we are going to be making a series of initiatives. Sending George Mitchell to the Middle East is fulfilling my campaign promise that we're not going to wait until the end of my administration to deal with Palestinian and Israeli peace, we're going to start now. It may take a long time to do, but we're going to do it now.

We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith's name
We're going to follow through on our commitment for me to address the Muslim world from a Muslim capital. We are going to follow through on many of my commitments to do a more effective job of reaching out, listening, as well as speaking to the Muslim world.

And you're going to see me following through with dealing with a drawdown of troops in Iraq, so that Iraqis can start taking more responsibility. And finally, I think you've already seen a commitment, in terms of closing Guantanamo, and making clear that even as we are decisive in going after terrorist organizations that would kill innocent civilians, that we're going to do so on our terms, and we're going to do so respecting the rule of law that I think makes America great.

Q: President Bush framed the war on terror conceptually in a way that was very broad, "war on terror," and used sometimes certain terminology that the many people -- Islamic fascism. You've always framed it in a different way, specifically against one group called al Qaeda and their collaborators. And is this one way of --

THE PRESIDENT: I think that you're making a very important point. And that is that the language we use matters. And what we need to understand is, is that there are extremist organizations -- whether Muslim or any other faith in the past -- that will use faith as a justification for violence. We cannot paint with a broad brush a faith as a consequence of the violence that is done in that faith's name.

And so you will I think see our administration be very clear in
distinguishing between organizations like al Qaeda -- that espouse violence, espouse terror and act on it -- and people who may disagree with my administration and certain actions, or may have a particular viewpoint in terms of how their countries should develop. We can have legitimate disagreements but still be respectful. I cannot respect terrorist organizations that would kill innocent civilians and we will hunt them down.

But to the broader Muslim world what we are going to be offering is a hand of friendship.

But I do think that it is important for us to be willing to talk to Iran, to express very clearly where our differences are, but where there are potential avenues for progress
Q: Can I end with a question on Iran and Iraq then quickly?

THE PRESIDENT: It's up to the team --

MR. GIBBS: You have 30 seconds. (Laughter)

Q: Will the United States ever live with a nuclear Iran? And if not, how far are you going in the direction of preventing it?

THE PRESIDENT: You know, I said during the campaign that it is very important for us to make sure that we are using all the tools of U.S. power, including diplomacy, in our relationship with Iran.

Now, the Iranian people are a great people, and Persian civilization is a great civilization. Iran has acted in ways that's not conducive to peace and prosperity in the region: their threats against Israel; their pursuit of a nuclear weapon which could potentially set off an arms race in the region that would make everybody less safe; their support of terrorist organizations in the past -- none of these things have been helpful.

But I do think that it is important for us to be willing to talk to Iran, to express very clearly where our differences are, but where there are potential avenues for progress. And we will over the next several months be laying out our general framework and approach. And as I said during my inauguration speech, if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us.

Q: Shall we leave Iraq next interview, or just --

MR. GIBBS: Yes, let's -- we're past, and I got to get him back to dinner with his wife.

Q: Sir, I really appreciate it.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much.

Q: Thanks a lot.

THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate it.

Q: Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you

A very different inauguration

2009-01-20T12:08:00.000-08:00

The last change of administration I was on the Mall in Washington, DC, watching Bush get sworn in first-hand. The weather was miserable--freezing rain, icy cold. I had just moved to Washington a couple weeks earlier from Northern California, after having completed graduate school at Stanford. It was a new era in Washington and in my life. I was in a brand new city; I had just started a new job with the government, and George Bush was now our president. Looking back at that day and the sense of excitement I felt about the future, nothing could have prepared me for what happened later that year, 9/11 and the subsequent eight years.

This inauguration day I watched the proceedings of the sunny, brisk day in Washington via big-screen TV, surrounded by my students in a hall at my alma mater, Principia College, where I now teach. It was a similar feeling of a new beginning but one grounded in a much more fervent hope, a deeper understanding of what is at stake, and a sense of my own role to play.

In class directly after President Obama's speech, my students brought up their awe and pride in our country and in our new President. They remarked on Obama's reaching out to others in a spirit of friendship, combined with his realistic acknowledgement of our own need for security--without "sacrificing our ideals". The students mentioned Obama's comfort with the old and the new--the timeless principles of truth espoused by our founding principles, our religious faiths--and his commensurate embracing of the new, the future, and of progress.

To me, Obama is the anti-fundamentalist, the bridger of gaps, the appreciator of both sides, the fearless moderate. I think our founding fathers would be smiling down on us today as we pledge as a nation to live up to their ideals of equality, justice, liberty, and freedom for all.

I'm sure many ages have hoped and aspired for the realization o these ideals. I know that eight years ago on the Mall I wished for these same things. This time it's just that there are fewer storms and less freezing rain to cloud the path. It's a clear day in Washington, after all.

Two must-read opinions on Gaza in today's WaPo & NYT

2009-01-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

I just had to share these two articles from today's WaPo and NYT, from Jimmy Carter and Rashid Khalidi, respectively. They are must reads about the situation in Gaza, providing personal experience and a primer on Gaza itself that few people know.

An Unnecessary War

By Jimmy Carter
Thursday, January 8, 2009

I know from personal involvement that the devastating invasion of Gaza by Israel could easily have been avoided.

After visiting Sderot last April and seeing the serious psychological damage caused by the rockets that had fallen in that area, my wife, Rosalynn, and I declared their launching from Gaza to be inexcusable and an act of terrorism. Although casualties were rare (three deaths in seven years), the town was traumatized by the unpredictable explosions. About 3,000 residents had moved to other communities, and the streets, playgrounds and shopping centers were almost empty. Mayor Eli Moyal assembled a group of citizens in his office to meet us and complained that the government of Israel was not stopping the rockets, either through diplomacy or military action.

Knowing that we would soon be seeing Hamas leaders from Gaza and also in Damascus, we promised to assess prospects for a cease-fire. From Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who was negotiating between the Israelis and Hamas, we learned that there was a fundamental difference between the two sides. Hamas wanted a comprehensive cease-fire in both the West Bank and Gaza, and the Israelis refused to discuss anything other than Gaza.

We knew that the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza were being starved, as the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food had found that acute malnutrition in Gaza was on the same scale as in the poorest nations in the southern Sahara, with more than half of all Palestinian families eating only one meal a day.

Palestinian leaders from Gaza were noncommittal on all issues, claiming that rockets were the only way to respond to their imprisonment and to dramatize their humanitarian plight. The top Hamas leaders in Damascus, however, agreed to consider a cease-fire in Gaza only, provided Israel would not attack Gaza and would permit normal humanitarian supplies to be delivered to Palestinian citizens.

After extended discussions with those from Gaza, these Hamas leaders also agreed to accept any peace agreement that might be negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the PLO, provided it was approved by a majority vote of Palestinians in a referendum or by an elected unity government.

Since we were only observers, and not negotiators, we relayed this information to the Egyptians, and they pursued the cease-fire proposal. After about a month, the Egyptians and Hamas informed us that all military action by both sides and all rocket firing would stop on June 19, for a period of six months, and that humanitarian supplies would be restored to the normal level that had existed before Israel's withdrawal in 2005 (about 700 trucks daily).

We were unable to confirm this in Jerusalem because of Israel's unwillingness to admit to any negotiations with Hamas, but rocket firing was soon stopped and there was an increase in supplies of food, water, medicine and fuel. Yet the increase was to an average of about 20 percent of normal levels. And this fragile truce was partially broken on Nov. 4, when Israel launched an attack in Gaza to destroy a defensive tunnel being dug by Hamas inside the wall that encloses Gaza.

On another visit to Syria in mid-December, I made an effort for the impending six-month deadline to be extended. It was clear that the preeminent issue was opening the crossings into Gaza. Representatives from the Carter Center visited Jerusalem, met with Israeli officials and asked if this was possible in exchange for a cessation of rocket fire. The Israeli government informally proposed that 15 percent of normal supplies might be possible if Hamas first stopped all rocket fire for 48 hours. This was unacceptable to Hamas, and hostilities erupted.

After 12 days of "combat," the Israeli Defense Forces reported that more than 1,000 targets were shelled or bombed. During that time, Israel rejected international efforts to obtain a cease-fire, with full support from Washington. Seventeen mosques, the American International School, many private homes and much of the basic infrastructure of the small but heavily populated area have been destroyed. This includes the systems that provide water, electricity and sanitation. Heavy civilian casualties are being reported by courageous medical volunteers from many nations, as the fortunate ones operate on the wounded by light from diesel-powered generators.

The hope is that when further hostilities are no longer productive, Israel, Hamas and the United States will accept another cease-fire, at which time the rockets will again stop and an adequate level of humanitarian supplies will be permitted to the surviving Palestinians, with the publicized agreement monitored by the international community. The next possible step: a permanent and comprehensive peace.

The writer was president from 1977 to 1981. He founded the Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization advancing peace and health worldwide, in 1982.

What You Don't Know About Gaza
by Rashid Khalidi, New York Times

NEARLY everything you’ve been led to believe about Gaza is wrong. Below are a few essential points that seem to be missing from the conversation, much of which has taken place in the press, about Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.

THE GAZANS Most of the people living in Gaza are not there by choice. The majority of the 1.5 million people crammed into the roughly 140 square miles of the Gaza Strip belong to families that came from towns and villages outside Gaza like Ashkelon and Beersheba. They were driven to Gaza by the Israeli Army in 1948.

THE OCCUPATION The Gazans have lived under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel is still widely considered to be an occupying power, even though it removed its troops and settlers from the strip in 2005. Israel still controls access to the area, imports and exports, and the movement of people in and out. Israel has control over Gaza’s air space and sea coast, and its forces enter the area at will. As the occupying power, Israel has the responsibility under the Fourth Geneva Convention to see to the welfare of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

THE BLOCKADE Israel’s blockade of the strip, with the support of the United States and the European Union, has grown increasingly stringent since Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006. Fuel, electricity, imports, exports and the movement of people in and out of the Strip have been slowly choked off, leading to life-threatening problems of sanitation, health, water supply and transportation.

The blockade has subjected many to unemployment, penury and malnutrition. This amounts to the collective punishment — with the tacit support of the United States — of a civilian population for exercising its democratic rights.

THE CEASE-FIRE Lifting the blockade, along with a cessation of rocket fire, was one of the key terms of the June cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. This accord led to a reduction in rockets fired from Gaza from hundreds in May and June to a total of less than 20 in the subsequent four months (according to Israeli government figures). The cease-fire broke down when Israeli forces launched major air and ground attacks in early November; six Hamas operatives were reported killed.

WAR CRIMES The targeting of civilians, whether by Hamas or by Israel, is potentially a war crime. Every human life is precious. But the numbers speak for themselves: Nearly 700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed since the conflict broke out at the end of last year. In contrast, there have been around a dozen Israelis killed, many of them soldiers. Negotiation is a much more effective way to deal with rockets and other forms of violence. This might have been able to happen had Israel fulfilled the terms of the June cease-fire and lifted its blockade of the Gaza Strip.

This war on the people of Gaza isn’t really about rockets. Nor is it about “restoring Israel’s deterrence,” as the Israeli press might have you believe. Far more revealing are the words of Moshe Yaalon, then the Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff, in 2002: “The Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people.”

Rashid Khalidi, a professor of Arab studies at Columbia, is the author of the forthcoming “Sowing Crisis: The Cold War and American Dominance in the Middle East."

Gaza and Warriors for Peace

2009-01-08T13:11:00.000-08:00

The fact that I'm so worked up about the Gaza conflict and some of the statements I read are making me realize that I need to focus on the one aspect of this conflict that I can immediately control, which is my own thinking about it. I'm not going to defeat the Israeli military or Hamas. Heck, I'm not even in the Middle East, but at a small, liberal arts college in the Mid-West! But my thoughts can have a powerful impact. Irving Tomlinson wrote that "the way to universal peace must begin in the consciousness of the individual." If we are fighting for peace within, we are, by extension, part of the solution without.

At Euphrates Institute, we are developing a Warriors for Peace initiative, soon to be unveiled, that will provide a deeper explanation of this idea and foster a community around it. But, here's a sneak peek of the steps each of us can take to be a warrior for peace, to truly be part of the solution, and to bring about peace in our world.

#1: Inform yourself—and then others.
Learn more, become well-versed in the topic and share the knowledge you gain with others.

#2: Meet the “other”.
Don’t take our word for it; go to a mosque, meet your neighbors. Or, you might even take a trip to the Middle East and learn about the issues and meet people firsthand. Yitzhak Komem, an Israeli high school teacher, wrote that a lack of “genuine human dimension of the Other is the greatest barrier to a realistic teaching of the Arab-Israeli conflict”. The flip-side to this statement is that exposing the human dimension of the Other is the greatest boon to a thorough understanding of the conflict and opens up paths for resolution.

#3. Press your leaders to act in accordance with our values.
We must decide if liberty, justice, equality are just nice words on paper, or are meant to be practiced. Or if they’re just for Americans, or for all peoples. Living in accordance with them might mean pressing our leaders for even-handedness on issues, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ,and not turning a blind eye when either side deprives the other of those rights.

#4. Heal divides in your own community.
It all begins at home. We can not expect to be peacemakers in a conflict “out there” if we are not practicing what we preach in our daily lives. Healing divides within ourselves, our families and our communities, has a powerful ripple effect and will create more efficient practitioners of peace and a wider circle of effort.

#5. Pray.
Some may think, if all else fails, pray, right? But prayer can be effective and powerful in situations that seem utterly hopeless. And prayer may be the only way conflicts centered on religion can be solved.

ATFP Pres: Mideast political conundrum

2009-01-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to meet this article's author, the President of the American Task Force on Palestine this summer in DC. His article in the Washington Times is dispassionately and intelligently argued, and makes an excellent case for what needs to move forward and who needs to be involved to secure peace and stability.

Mideast political conundrum: Settlement expansion is a threat to peace negotiations
Ziad J. Asali
The Washington Times, Opinion
January 6, 2009

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/06/mideast-political-conund...

The renewed violence between Israel and Hamas, in which 1.5 million innocent Palestinians are caught, is yet another definitive demonstration that there is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel will not be able to secure its future, normalize its relations with the region and live in peace without an agreement with the Palestinians; Palestinians will not achieve liberation and independence without an agreement with Israel.

The fundamental conundrum is that the Palestinians and Israel cannot completely bridge the gaps that separate them on their own. To achieve an agreement, both parties require an outside intervention, and that can only come from the United States.

Beyond the violence, there is a critical problem that renders the status quo unmanageable: this is the expansion of the settlements, which erodes the physical possibility of a two-state solution. Settlement expansion threatens the meaningfulness of future negotiations about the establishment of a Palestinian state and poisons the political atmosphere. It creates political problems in Israel by empowering a passionate and belligerent constituency opposed to necessary territorial compromises. The responsible leadership in the Palestinian Authority, and the whole Arab world, is largely defenseless against the accusation that they have failed to deliver as long as settlements grow.

Along with securing a lasting cease-fire in Gaza, freezing the settlements will be the main issue the incoming administration must deal with in its early days. There is an urgent need to buy time to prepare the political groundwork for a successful round of negotiations, bolster moderates on both sides, establish an effective framework, and perform the other necessary tasks that would have to precede an agreement, without continuing to lose ground and credibility.

The reality is that no Israeli political leadership has been able to take the bold step of enacting a comprehensive settlement freeze, even during the Oslo period, nor is one likely to be able to do so on its own and survive. Israeli leaders need help, even though doing this is in their country's own interest. Only the American president can give the vital and necessary political cover to an Israeli prime minister and cabinet for this step to be adopted. This cannot take the form of pressure but should instead reflect strategic understandings and interests.

Along with the United States, the Arab states have an important role to play in this equation. While expanding the dialogue and even negotiations at the appropriate level with all parties, we need to work on a strategic partnership with responsible Arab leaders committed to ending the conflict. Israel's freeze of settlement activity needs to be coupled with significant incentives provided by the Arab world. These could take the form of public movement towards operationalizing the Arab Peace Initiative that could serve as a reasonable quid pro quo for Israel's settlement freeze.

Many political issues in the Middle East are interconnected and interdependent. A comprehensive regional strategy is needed in which the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is prioritized. Even though dealing seriously with this issue with view to resolving it will not solve all the other problems, it would be uniquely helpful across the board. Acknowledging that no other achievable goal in the Middle East would have as many benefits to the United States, we must abandon any thoughts about managing this conflict and proceed with a serious strategy to resolve it.

Palestine is the ultimate political symbol in the Arab and Muslim world. Whoever is perceived as the authentic champion of that cause gains enormous, possibly unassailable, credibility. Permanently losing the issue to radical religious extremists would very likely pave the way to an unstoppable wave of revolts and even revolutions. The forces aligned with Iran could not wish for a more powerful weapon in their campaign to destabilize Arab regimes and the Arab state system, to promote domestic radicalism and regional rejectionalism.

The United States, Israel and the Arabs have much to fear from such a scenario, and all need to move quickly to defuse this ticking bomb. The strategic partnership must move public perceptions from a zero-sum game to a win-win scenario through a conflict-ending agreement.

Equally, and urgently, closer attention needs to be paid to damage inflicted on moderate and realistic policies, and their advocates, by a toxic public discourse being peddled in the Arabic-language media that puts pragmatism and realism itself on the defensive.

It should be clearly understood that the radical religious forces' main appeal is to the sense of injured dignity that the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim peoples feel intensely. Military defeats, daily humiliation, and gruesome images and accounts of suffering under the occupation, enhance rather than weaken their appeal.

The lack of a palpable improvement on the ground in the daily lives of the people of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with continued humiliation and hardship, continues to be a serious failing of the present policy: It weakens the moderate leadership, strengthens radicals and breeds a toxic public political discourse.

Improvement of the quality-of-life for the Palestinians requires the further development of the Palestinian security system based on a nation-building doctrine rather than one perceived as serving to enforce the Israeli occupation; improving access and mobility; economic improvements and institutional development, including good governance - all of which will take time./ The Bush administration launched initiatives on some of these fronts since Annapolis that have begun to bear fruit and need to be expanded.

All the criticism notwithstanding, Annapolis has yielded several positive trends that must continue:

1) It reaffirmed the indispensible world commitment to a two-state solution.

2)It launched several channels of formal and serious negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis dealing with all outstanding issues.

3) It was followed by the indispensible, and the unquestionably successful, rebuilding of the Palestinian security system.

4) It placed a premium on Palestinian economic development but was short on delivering sustainable vehicles for development.

5) It identified good governance as a major objective. The global instruments designated to achieve this goal have fallen far short and need to be reassessed. The twin policy of isolating Hamas and empowering moderates as implemented, has meant very little to the Palestinian people.

While the quality of life plummeted in Gaza under Hamas, the anticipated improvement in the quality of life for the Palestinians of the West Bank and Arab Jerusalem has simply failed to materialize. Failure to rectify that now would be political malpractice.

The two-state solution, as Winston Churchill once said about democracy, is the worst solution except for all the others. And, to make matters worse, it has an expiry date.

The Palestinians and Israelis have their futures, and even their survival - perhaps not just as states but as peoples - at stake. Decision makers who procrastinate may come to discover that their inaction has yielded the future to the advocates of paranoid delusions and primordial fears.

Just as the economic global crisis is offering an opportunity to rebuild the global economic system, the current crisis in the Middle East offers the opportunity to resolve the Palestine Israel conflict and to transform the political landscape, not just in the Middle East, but across the world.

Ziad J. Asali is president and founder of the American Task Force on Palestine.

Gaza: a light shining out of darkness

2009-01-06T19:14:00.000-08:00

Like many others I've heard from, I have been deeply dismayed by the conflict in Gaza and the media coverage surrounding it. I think this op-ed in the Washington Post gets at the fundamental reason why this war is pointless, because it will not actually achieve the security Israel needs, nor the rights and justice the Palestinians deserve.

Here is a quote from the article that was written by an Israeli woman living on the border with Gaza.

But I know the answer to our conflict will not come with this war. We will know peace only when we accept the fact that the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have every right to lives of dignity. We will know peace only when we recognize that we must negotiate with Hamas, our enemy, even if we are devastated that the Palestinians did not elect a more moderate party to lead them. We will know peace only when our leaders stop considering our lives cheap and expendable, and help us create a beautiful, green Negev, free of fear and despair.

Darkness in Qassam-Land
By Julia Chaitin
Wednesday, December 31, 2008; A15

In the winter, the Negev becomes quite beautiful. Though it rains very little here, the rain we get turns everything green, and there is a cleanness in the air that we don't have during the dry summer months. But since Saturday, when a major Israeli offensive began in the Gaza Strip, less than 20 kilometers from my home and less than two kilometers from the college where I teach, all we have had is darkness, despair and fear.

This war is wrong. It is wrong because it cannot achieve its manifest goals -- long-term "normal" life for the residents of the Negev region. The war is morally wrong because most of the victims are Palestinian and Israeli civilians whose only "crime" is that they live in Negev or Gaza. This war is wrong because it is not heading toward a viable solution of the conflict but is instead creating more hatred and greater determination on the part of both peoples to harm one another. It is wrong because it is leading to stronger feelings that we have nothing to lose by striking further, with greater force. This war is wrong because, even before the last smoke rises from the rubble and the last ambulance carries the dead and wounded to hospitals, our leaders will find themselves signing a new agreement for a cease-fire.

And so this is an unnecessary, cruel and cynical war -- a war that could have been avoided if our leaders had shown courage during the months of the cease-fire to truly work toward creating better lives for people whose only crime is that they live in the south.

Since the Israeli air force began bombing Gaza, it has been almost impossible to speak openly against the war. It is difficult to find public forums that welcome a call for a new cease-fire and for alternative solutions to the conflict -- ones that do not rely on military strength or a siege of Gaza. When people are in the midst of war, they are not open to voices of peace; they speak (and scream) out of fear and demand retribution for the harms they have suffered. When people are in the midst of war, they forget that they can harness higher cognitive abilities, their reason and logic. Instead, they are driven by the hot structures of their brains, which lead them to respond with fear and anger in ways that are objective threats to our healthy survival. When people are in the midst of war, voices calling for restraint, dialogue and negotiations fall on deaf ears, if their expression is allowed at all.

I live in the Negev and teach at the Sapir Academic College -- the school located next to Sderot -- in the heart of what is called "Qassam-land," after the rockets that fall on us. I know the fast beating of your heart and the awful pit in your stomach that comes when a tzeve adom -- red alert -- is sounded, heralding a rocket attack. I know what it is like to comfort students and colleagues when the rockets strike very, very close -- and to wish that someone was there to comfort you as well. I know what it is like to be afraid to get into the car and drive to work because you are not sure you will make it from the parking lot to your classroom alive.

But I know the answer to our conflict will not come with this war. We will know peace only when we accept the fact that the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have every right to lives of dignity. We will know peace only when we recognize that we must negotiate with Hamas, our enemy, even if we are devastated that the Palestinians did not elect a more moderate party to lead them. We will know peace only when our leaders stop considering our lives cheap and expendable, and help us create a beautiful, green Negev, free of fear and despair.

The writer is a senior lecturer in the Department of Social Work at the Sapir Academic College and program developer at the Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development.

"Prayer this Christmas"

2008-12-23T22:31:00.000-08:00

A dear friend of mine, Jill Gooding, recently returned from a trip to Israel and the West Bank, which included a visit to Bethlehem. She wrote this inspiring and uplifting poem that has very special meaning at Christmas. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Written after seeing the wall in Bethlehem, dividing Israel and Palestine,
November 2008

They come in teeming busloads
To Bethlehem today
To see the spot of Jesus birth
To find out where he lay.

But -

A wall divides that little town;
Bethlehem’s not the same
As when those shepherds and the flocks
In awe and wonder came.
A wall is there to separate
Brother man from brother;
It tries to say in concrete form
That God is not “our” Father.
A wall just speaks of hate, not love;
A wall is built on fear;
A wall says yes, we are at war;
And shouts, “God is not here.”
But the Bible tells us clearly:

“For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man (nation) so making peace.”
Ephesians 2:14,15

So may our prayer this Christmas
Be to see our world ‘unwalled’;
Graffiti-less, unbounded, free,
Where everyone is called
To be the royal child of God,
Not hemmed in by a wall,
But one united family
Kneeling at Bethlehem’s stall.

May your Christmas be filled with
the SIMPLICITY of the first Christmas,
the JOY of the angels at that time,
the LOVE that the shepherds brought,
the ABUNDANCE given by the three kings,
and the RADIANCE of that guiding star:
and may true UNITY be felt at your firesides
and in the world.

--Jill Gooding

The pictures are from my past trips to Bethlehem. They include the Church of the Nativity, Jesus' manger inside the church, and various pictures of the wall surrounding Bethlehem. See my previous Bethlehem blogpost for details on my last trip there.

Merry Christmas to all!

NYT: Iraq May Ban Blackwater

2008-12-18T11:29:00.000-08:00

Despite the uproar my Oct. 07 Blackwater op-ed in the Los Angeles Times produced, I am not an anti-Blackwater ideologue. I simply questioned operations like Blackwater whose practices undermine the whole reason for our being in Iraq in the first place. Especially when there were other security firms who were doing the same job but with less of an adverse impact on the daily lives of Iraqis.

There's really no need to ban Blackwater from Iraq, just a definite need to amend its tactics so as not to undercut the "winning the peace" effort. And it seems this is already happening...see the part in bold in today's NYT article below. I'm heartened to learn this, and hope that all current and future security companies will act similarly.

December 18, 2008
Report Says Iraq May Ban Blackwater

By SCOTT SHANE
WASHINGTON — The State Department’s inspector general has warned in a new report that Blackwater Worldwide, the security contractor, may not be licensed by the Iraqi government to continue to protect American diplomats in Baghdad next year, forcing the Obama administration to make new security arrangements.

The report says that if State Department contractors lose their immunity from criminal prosecution under Iraqi law, as many officials expect, employees of Blackwater and other contractors may choose to leave Iraq or demand higher pay. Five Blackwater guards were indicted this month in a 2007 shooting in Baghdad that killed at least 17 Iraqis.

Unlike some American contractors in Iraq, Blackwater does not have a license, but it has applied for one. Iraqi authorities have allowed it to operate while officials consider the application.

The inspector general’s findings were first reported Wednesday by The Associated Press, and The New York Times obtained a copy of the report.

The report says the State Department “faces a real possibility” that no license will be granted and that the Iraqi government will ban Blackwater. The American Embassy in Baghdad would then face a major challenge; officials said Blackwater’s services would not be easily replaced.

State Department officials have said they will decide whether to renew Blackwater’s contract in April only after the F.B.I. completes its inquiry into the contractor’s role in the shooting.

The report by Harold W. Geisel, the acting inspector general, finds that changes since the 2007 shooting “have resulted in a more professional security operation and the curtailment of overly aggressive actions” by contractors toward Iraqi civilians.

In response to its findings, Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who will take over the Foreign Relations Committee next month, again urged the State Department to drop Blackwater as an Iraq contractor.

A Blackwater spokeswoman, Anne E. Tyrrell, declined to comment because the report had not been officially released.

UN passes Middle East Resolution

2008-12-17T18:06:00.000-08:00

The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution aimed at giving fresh momentum to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, according to yesterday's BBC News report. The text of the article is below.

The resolution describes US-brokered talks between Israelis and Palestinians as "irreversible" and urges greater diplomatic efforts to secure a deal.

The resolution is the first on the Middle East issue adopted by the 15-member council in almost five years.
It passed by 14 votes to zero. One council member, Libya, abstained.

The draft calls on both parties to "refrain from any steps that could undermine confidence or prejudice the outcome of negotiations".

It also urges an "intensification of diplomatic efforts" to build lasting peace in the Middle East.

The US-brokered negotiations were launched at Annapolis, Maryland, in November 2007, with the goal of achieving a peace deal before President George W Bush leaves office on 20 January 2009.

This is not going to happen but, says the BBC's Laura Trevelyan at the UN, the resolution gives the security council's backing for the talks to continue.

Diplomats say the resolution is America's attempt to carry over any progress to Barack Obama's administration.

Polls suggest the hawkish Binjamin Netanyahu could be elected Israeli prime minister in February, however, and he does not want to carry on with the negotiations in their current format, our correspondent adds.

"Very Shameful" Shoe-throwing incident

2008-12-16T09:46:00.000-08:00

I was stunned by yesterday's news report about an Iraqi journalist throwing his shoes at President Bush, during his press conference in Baghdad. I was chatting with an Iraqi friend online last night and asked for his thoughts. Here's his viewpoint...

Me: Did you hear about the shoe-throwing incident at Bush? What do you think?

Iraqi friend: Very shameful! All decent people are ashamed of it. You should read the Iraqi press and the internet

Me: Well, the demonstrations on the street in support of the shoe-thrower are getting a ton of press, too..

Iraqi friend: The few Sadris? (supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr) Come on...

Me: What's the Iraqi press saying about it?

Iraqi friend: Read the comments from thousands of people on the internet. They are very embarassed and ashamed that a guest has been treated like this. Look at sites like SotalIraq and elaph.com

Me: Why are decent people embarassed? Because it wasn't appropriate? Aren't a lot of Iraqis mad at Bush?

Iraqi friend: Many people are calling Bush a liberator and it was his work and the freedom he brought that allowed this guy to do what he did. Plus, he was a guest of the people of Iraq. Many people are saying that they hated Bush until the incident and now they are embarrassed because this was simply bad manners towards a guest.

Walking from Nazareth to Bethlehem for Christmas

2008-12-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

This is so neat. A friend just forwarded me this link to a BBC reporter's online diary, starting today, of his walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem, intending to make it by Christmas. He'll be traveling through military checkpoints and disputed territory in the Israel and West Bank. You can follow along on his daily adventures via video and text here.

Why is he doing it?

(This from the BBC article.) BBC correspondent Aleem Maqbool explains his motivation for retracing the Christmas journey made by Joseph and Mary in the New Testament.

For all the sacred places in this region - Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jericho - it is the land in-between where you can often feel most connected to history.
The hills and valleys have played a part in so many of the stories that still shape the lives of millions around the world today.

Whether you believe Mary and Joseph's walk ever took place or not, most of us became familiar with the story at a young age.

Many of us are even scarred by embarrassing moments acting in school nativity plays - or perhaps that is just me... I once played a sheep.

If it did happen, the journey of around 150km (93 miles), along Roman roads and dirt tracks, is likely to have been an arduous one, particularly for a heavily pregnant woman.

What does not get included in the nativity plays, is the probability that the couple also faced hostility from Samaritans who lived in what is now the northern West Bank.

Complex land

Of course, there are new difficulties today. The supposed route goes through areas of continued conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

Army incursions, militancy, and checkpoints manned by soldiers are commonplace, and all have the potential to interrupt my journey.

Still, the notion of a walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem is, for me, a romantic one.

When I have told people here what I intend to do, they have generally seemed quite amused, but understand that it is a vehicle to tell modern day stories along this ancient route.

It will hopefully help me to get to know at least a little bit more about this complex land through getting to hear people's stories on the way.

For carrying daily provisions and equipment, a donkey seemed as practical a solution now as it might have done two millennia ago, and will, of course, be an added connection to the tale that inspired the journey.

"Life is Good" comes full circle

2008-12-14T12:07:00.000-08:00

I often marvel at life's coincidences. Two of my students are currently vacationing in Lake Placid, New York, and they were walking through a shopping center and popped into a Life is Good store. If you don't know Life is Good, they are the laid-back t-shirt and paraphernalia store with the infectiously optimistic mantra and the ubiquitous smile of Jake, their logo.

My students, Hillary Austin and Alyson Wright, pictured left and right, respectively, were browsing the store and came across a notebook of various letters to Life is Good. To their surprise, they noticed one of them was from me while I was living in Baghdad. They sent me this picture holding the notebook with my letter that reads,

Hi “Life is good” crew,

I thought you all would enjoy the attached picture taken in Baghdad, Iraq where I have been for over a year. Playing Ultimate Frisbee with local Iraqis (teaching them the game has been a hoot!) and subscribing to the motto “life is good”, even amidst falling mortars and rockets, have kept us going.

My dear friend sent me a bunch of your stickers, the disc, and a few other things. They are a huge hit here as you can imagine how much people are thirsting for reminders of life (rather than death) and even more so, reminders that life is good. Here we have even started a daily report, the “good news goose”, where we can note good things that have happened to us during the day. It’s all a part of keeping the right focus.

Thank you so much for all you’re doing and for your infectious optimism and enthusiasm. It is felt in all corners of the world!

Cheers,

Janessa

I find it so amazing how things come full circle...that students of mine with whom I'm sharing my passion for the Middle East would remind me of the time in which my own passion was cultivated. What a cool world. Thanks Hillary and Alyson! :-)

Carter's op-ed in WaPo, "Obama's Human Rights Opportunity"

2008-12-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

Carter is the man. He is one of my greatest heroes and I so hoped I would fatefully bump in to him during my trip to the Carter Center earlier this year in Atlanta, GA. Oh well. I at least proudly sport my Carter Center t-shirt and hat. Here's a guy who took "retirement" to a whole new level, embarking on peace-keeping missions, democratic reforms, and health care worldwide. If you haven't checked out his book Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis, it's a must-read. And I've mentioned his Palestine, Peace not Apartheid book before.

Here is his latest op-ed in yesterday's Washington Post, in which he takes his usual clear stand for our values over fear tactics in the name of "security".

Obama's Human Rights Opportunity
By Jimmy Carter
Wednesday, December 10, 2008; A25

The advancement of human rights around the world was a cornerstone of foreign policy and U.S. leadership for decades, until the attacks on our country on Sept. 11, 2001.

Since then, while Americans continue to espouse freedom and democracy, our government's abusive practices have undermined struggles for freedom in many parts of the world. As the gross abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay were revealed, the United States lost its mantle as a champion of human rights, eliminating our national ability to speak credibly on the subject, let alone restrain or gain concessions from oppressors. Tragically, a global backlash against democracy and rights activists, who are now the targets of abuse, has followed.

The advancement of human rights and democracy is necessary for global stability and can be achieved only through the local, often heroic, efforts of individuals who speak out against injustice and oppression -- endeavors the United States should lead, not impede. If the early warnings of human rights activists had been heeded and tough diplomacy and timely intervention mobilized, the horrific, and in some cases ongoing, violence in Bosnia, Rwanda, Sudan's Darfur region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo might have been averted.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. With a new administration and a new vision coming to the White House, we have the opportunity to move boldly to restore the moral authority behind the worldwide human rights movement. But the first steps must be taken at home.

President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to shut down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and end torture, which can be accomplished by executive orders to close the prison and by enforcing existing prohibitions against torture by any U.S. representative, including FBI and CIA agents. The detention of people secretly or indefinitely and without due process must cease, and their cases should be transferred to our courts, which have proved their competence in trying those accused of terrorism. Further, a nonpartisan expert commission should be named to conduct a thorough review of U.S. practices related to unwarranted arrest, torture, secret detention, extraordinary rendition, abandonment of habeas corpus and related matters. Acknowledging to the world that the United States also has made mistakes will give credence to our becoming "a more perfect union" -- a message that would resonate worldwide. Together, these actions will help us restore our nation's principles and embolden others abroad who want higher moral standards for their own societies.

By putting its house in order, the United States would reclaim its moral authority and wield not only the political capital but also the credibility needed to engage in frank but respectful bilateral dialogues on the protection of human rights as central to world peace and prosperity. Human rights defenders around the world, whose annual conference began at the Carter Center this week, are eagerly awaiting the Obama administration. In Pakistan, they look for our help in restoring the rule of law that was undermined when the United States sided with Pervez Musharraf as he debilitated an independent-minded Supreme Court. Defenders of the struggling democratic movement in Egypt seek a tough U.S. stance supporting free and fair elections and ending the abuse of opposition political candidates. Throughout the Middle East, there is hope that the United States will move more aggressively and persistently to help orchestrate a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the prism through which the region measures the U.S. commitment to human rights.

In the war-ravaged Democratic Republic of the Congo, rights defenders under daily threat hope the United States will pressure its allies in Rwanda and Uganda to withdraw support from proxy forces that continue to wreak havoc there. All agree that the United States should reengage with agencies of the United Nations to make that body a more effective tool to protect human rights, knowing that this must be a global effort.

The moral footprint of the United States has always been vast. Our next president has an unprecedented opportunity to lead through example by inspiring and supporting those who would reach for freedom and by being tough and effective with those who would impede freedom's march. All Americans must give him full support.

The writer, the 39th president, is founder of the Carter Center, a not-for-profit organization advancing peace and health worldwide.

"Why am I for Obama?" published in Iraqi news weekly

2008-12-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

Happy belated Thanksgiving to all! I just had an article published in Arabic in a leading Iraqi news weekly, called Al Esbuyia, or Iraq Weekly, entitled "Why am I for Obama". Al Esbuyia recently made other news by publishing a political cartoon depicting female suicide bombers that provoked the ire of Iraqi parliamentarians.

Here's the link to the article in Arabic, Why am I for Obama?, and the original pasted below in English. Unfortunately, I don't think the poem made it through the final edit, but I thought I'd leave it here for you to read.

As the article points out, most Iraqis I knew supported McCain, and it was helpful to get this note back from an Iraqi friend after he read the article. "Your perspective gives me hope because I hoped McCain would win, but your article shows that Obama will understand Iraq better and hopefully help it while serving the American people. By the way, congratulations on such amazing elections and groundbreaking outcome."

Why am I for Obama?

Unlike for Republican candidate John McCain, Iraq was never President-elect Barack Obama’s lodestar. Obama opposed the US invasion into Iraq in 2003 as well as the troop “surge” in 2007. Even during his campaign, Obama preferred to focus attention on what he considered the real fight in Afghanistan, from which Iraq was just a distraction, and a costly one at that. We “took our eye off the ball” with our myopic obsession of winning the war in Iraq at the expense of catching Osama Bin Ladin, Obama proclaimed in the first presidential debate with McCain.

Does Obama’s lackluster consideration of Iraq make Iraqis nervous? From my informal canvassing of my Iraqi acquaintances, it seemed to. Many preferred McCain because of what they perceived to be his iron-clad determination to stay put until democracy is shored and security restored.

But recent events seem to poke holes in my theory that Iraqis are wary of Obama. The Iraqi cabinet just signed the elusive security pact with the United States, in part because members believed that an Obama administration would actually respect the timetable because it more closely coincided with, and even elongated, his own stated plan of 16-months. There was some distrust as to whether a Republican administration would stick with the notion of pulling out of a country on which it had staked its entire foreign policy (not to mention its grand plans to remake the Middle East)—especially if that country were descending into chaos, disorder, and left an image of leaving with our tail between our legs. An opposition administration would have no problem deeming the whole operation a failure, proclaiming how badly the previous government screwed it up, and making a public vow that they never would have or never would in the future make such poor decisions.

It is true, however, that McCain had visited Iraq many times and took on the issue with much passion and fervor. One could say that he cared much more deeply about the situation in Iraq; he saw Iraqi success and security as inseparable from American success and security, versus Obama’s more flippant attitude. However, prioritization does not ensure right decision-making, or even intelligent policy. Obama, though less knowledgeable and experienced on Iraqi issues, is, as many pundits have pointed out, a very “quick study”, and very comfortable with nuance and complexity, without which one could not even hope to grasp the labyrinth of Iraqi politics and history. McCain, on the other hand, despite his experience, has often confused “Sunnis” and “Shias” and has been criticized as similar to President Bush in his tendency to avoid fine distinctions.

Another reason why Obama might be good for Iraq is his stated penchant for “talking” before fighting. This helps especially with Iran, whose Ahmedinejad already sent Obama a conciliatory overture in a letter of congratulations after his election. Obama’s election—and the prospect of a less hostile administration occupying its neighbor— also might have softened Iran’s opposition to Iraq’s security pact with the United States, according to political analysts. The notion a rising regional power and the world’s superpower engaging in more diplomatic exchanges rather than proxy wars inside Iraq is a heart-warming outlook for Iraqi security indeed.

It’s probably becoming clear where my biases lie, with my intent extolling of Obama’s virtues. But, in truth, I have two biases—I am staunchly pro-Iraq and pro-Obama, (and I’ve been pro-Iraq for longer). After witnessing (and sometimes participating) in the incredible mistakes committed during the first two years of the American program in Iraq, I believe the best thing for Iraq is to have an America in its midst that understands that it has taken a wrong turn somewhere in the past years and that change must happen. This view has been the mantra of Obama’s campaign. He has also stressed that we must not only talk about, but live up to, and act on our ideals, whether that involves repairing frayed friendships, talking to our enemies, closing an ignominy like Guantanamo prison, or leaving a country that asked us to.

Along with the prospect of a changed America that Obama brings with him, the election itself also brought home the example of something so wonderful about America that doesn’t change—the power of democracy. This month’s election showcased the peaceful transition of power and a transparent process that involved real choice, real accountability, and fairness. And the election of the first African-American candidate showed that anything is possible.

This thrilling election reminded me of another election just as powerful—in Iraq on January 30, 2005. At the polling center I visited that day and the Iraqis with whom I spoke, I saw the faces lit up with glee at the “feeling of freedom” and of the opportunity to have a personal say and stake in the future of their country. It was an incredibly moving sight to witness voters who were braving dire and grave terrorist threats to cast their ballots and demonstrate their freedom. As Iraq heads into this tense period before its upcoming provincial elections, I hope the recent American elections remind the Iraqi people of their own in 2005, during which Iraqis banded together to defeat fear, intimidation, and violence. You truly showed the world that anything was possible, and reminded us of that most powerful force—freedom. Allow me to share the poem I wrote on that day.

Badge of Honor

My finger is still purple,
My tears are still wet,
With the feeling of freedom.
My heart is overwhelmed by their joy,
Their hope, their courage.
I am humbled, bowed before them.
They are the lights shining in darkness.
They are the river, the lifeblood of the world!
This is their gift to us, their purpose.
They have not only changed themselves and their country.
Their fight is for the world,
Tipping the balance on the side of freedom.
What could express the depth of our gratitude?
They say we saved them from the maniacal regime;
We gave them democracy.
Little do they know they are giving it back to us,
Giving us their example of freedom from fear,
Of the rewards of courage.
True warriors,
Each ballot a sword brandished against evil,
Each purple finger a
Badge of honor.

WaPo's Editorial on Egyptian Professor: "Still a Fellow Dissident'?

2008-08-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

Today's Washington Post editorial page provides exactly the kind of example of double-speak and lack of consistency I pointed out in my most recent CSMonitor opinion piece. My favorite part is the last line, quoting Egyptian dissident Saad Ibrahim in a recent interview, "Don't give dictators money to oppress us." Our oft-repeated but seldom acknowledged policy of aiding tyrants in the Middle East does not stand in line with our favorite and oft-brandished buzz words of supporting freedom and democracy.

Still a 'Fellow Dissident'?
As Egypt's Hosni Mubarak continues to hound an advocate for democracy, the administration is nearly silent.
Thursday, August 21, 2008; A14

Today, we repost an opinion piece by Egyptian professor and dissident Saad Eddin Ibrahim that first appeared on our op-ed page one year ago. This month, Mr. Ibrahim was convicted of seditious libel or "tarnishing" the image of Egypt. For this transgression, the ailing, 69-year-old scholar was sentenced to two years in jail, with hard labor, and ordered to pay a fine equivalent to about $1,500. The prime piece of evidence against Mr. Ibrahim: The opinions he expressed in this newspaper.

Mr. Ibrahim, a dual Egyptian and American citizen, has for some time been living in exile in the Middle East and so may escape this sentence and other potentially draconian punishments. He is still subject to some 20 other legal actions brought against him by allies of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. He is accused, among other things, of grand treason, in part for organizing a forum for Arab democracy advocates and for meeting briefly with President Bush last year after a conference in Prague. A conviction on these charges could subject him to death by hanging.

The fact that Mr. Ibrahim faces imprisonment -- or worse -- if he sets foot in Egypt speaks to the tightening grip of tyranny in that country. It is also testament to the Bush administration's failure to hold Mr. Mubarak to his commitment to further freedom and democratic institutions there.

There was a time when President Bush spoke openly, eloquently and forcefully about his sense of solidarity with Mr. Ibrahim, so much so that the president referred to himself as a fellow dissident. There was a time, only a few years ago, when he withheld millions of dollars in aid to Egypt until the country released Mr. Ibrahim from an unjust incarceration. Now, the administration can only muster an official, feeble "expression of disappointment" through an organ of the State Department as it continues to funnel billions to Egypt, enabling Mr. Mubarak to run an increasingly repressive police state.

A strong relationship with Egypt and continuing financial assistance to the country are most likely in the interest of the United States. But the relationship need not be exclusively with a regime that is on the wrong side of history; the United States should support those many Egyptians who believe in reform. At the very least, it should not continue to freely subsidize a regime that abuses its bravest citizens. Or, as Mr. Ibrahim succinctly put it in an interview this week: "Don't give dictators money to oppress us."

NYT Op-ed: Tough Love for Israel by Nicholas Kristof

2008-08-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this Kristof article from NYT's July 24th edition, especially the way he responded to the various critiques he received about the blog he kept from his time in Hebron. You may have read my own earlier blog posting about my harrowing and disturbing experience in Hebron. It is such a tense, divided place, and here it is remembered for Abraham, the chief patriarch, and the elder whom all Jews, Christians, and Muslims look to as the first prophet. As such, he and the town that is dedicated to his remembrance should be a place around which to find common ground rather than division. We can only work to that end...

Op-ed on NYT site.
Kristof's blog in Hebron

Tough Love for Israel?

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
On his visit to the Middle East, Barack Obama gave ritual affirmations of his support for Israeli policy, but what Israel needs from America isn’t more love, but tougher love.

Particularly at a time when Israel seems to be contemplating military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the United States would be a better friend if it said: “That’s crazy” — while also insisting on a 100 percent freeze on settlements in the West Bank and greater Jerusalem.

Granted, not everybody sees things this way, and discussions of the Middle East usually involve each side offering up its strongest arguments to wrestle with the straw men of the other side. So let me try something different.

After I wrote a column last month from Hebron in the West Bank, my blog, nytimes.com/ontheground, was flooded with counterarguments — and plenty of challenges to address them. In the interest of a civil dialogue on the Middle East, here are excerpts from some of the readers’ defenses of Israel’s conduct in the West Bank and my responses:

Jews lived in Hebron for 1,800 years continuously ... until their community was murdered in 1929 by their Arab neighbors. The Jews in Hebron today — those “settlers” — have reclaimed Jewish property. So I don’t see what makes them illegitimate or illegal. (Irving)

True, Jews have deep ties to Hebron, just as Christians do to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, but none of these bonds confer any right to live in these places or even visit them. If Israel were to bar American Christians from Jerusalem, that would not be grounds for the United States to send in paratroopers and establish settlements. And if Israel insists on controlling the West Bank, then it needs to give citizenship to Palestinians there so that they can vote just like the settlers.

One side is a beautiful, literate, medically and scientifically and artistically an advanced society. The other side wants to throw bombs. Why shouldn’t there be a fence? (Mileway)

So, build a fence. But construct it on the 1967 borders, not Palestinian land — and especially not where it divides Palestinian farmers from their land.

While I do condemn this type of violence, it pales in contrast to Palestinian suicide bombers, rockets and other acts of terror against Jews. (Jay)

B’Tselem, the Israeli human rights organization, reports that a total of 123 Israeli minors have been killed by Palestinians since the second intifada began in 2000, compared with 951 Palestinian minors killed by Israeli security forces.

To withdraw from the West Bank without a partner on the Palestinian side will find Israel in the same fix it has once it withdrew from Gaza: a rain of daily rockets. Yes, the security barrier causes hardship, but terrorist attacks have almost disappeared. That means my kids can ride the bus, go to unguarded restaurants and not worry about being blown up on their way to school. Find another way to keep my kids safe, and I’ll happily tear down the barrier. (Laura)

This is the argument that I have the most trouble countering. Laura has a point: The barrier and checkpoints have reduced terrorism. But as presently implemented, they — and the settlements — also reduce the prospect of a long-term peace agreement that is the best hope for Laura’s children.

If Israel were to stop the settlements, ease the checkpoints, allow people in and out more freely, and negotiate more enthusiastically with Syria over the Golan Heights and with the Arab countries on the basis of the Saudi peace proposal, then peace might still elude the region. But Israel would at least be doing everything possible to secure its long-term future, rather than bolstering Hamas.

If there is no two-state solution, there will be a one-state solution — and given demographic trends, that will mean either the end of Israeli democracy or the end of the Jewish state. Zionists should be absolutely clamoring for a Palestinian state.

Laura is right about the need for a sensible Palestinian partner, and the failures of Palestinian leadership have been legion. At the moment, though, Israel has its most reasonable partner ever — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas — and it is undermining him with its checkpoints and new settlement construction.

Peace-making invariably involves exasperating and intransigent antagonists and unequal steps, just as it did in the decades in which Britain struggled to end terrorism emanating from Northern Ireland. But London never ordered air strikes on Sinn Fein or walled in Catholic neighborhoods. Over time, Britain’s extraordinary restraint slowly changed attitudes so as to make the eventual peace possible.

I hope Mr. Obama, as a candidate or as a president, will be a true enough friend of Israel to say all this, warmly but firmly.

I invite you to comment on this column on my blog, www.nytimes.com/ontheground, and join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kristof.

"Obama's Opportunity in the Middle East" in Christian Science Monitor

2008-08-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hello Euphrates fans,

I just wanted to share my article that was recently published in the Christian Science Monitor, entitled "Obama's Opportunity in the Middle East". The link and the text are below. Comments are welcome as always!

Best,

Janessa

Article on CSM site.

Obama's opportunity in the Middle East

To strengthen ties, he should not ask 'Why do they hate us?' but 'Why don't they believe us?'

By Janessa Gans
from the July 21, 2008 edition

Elsah, Ill. - Sen. Barack Obama is visiting with leaders in Europe and the Middle East this week to "deepen important relationships and exchange views with nations vital to the country's national security," said a spokeswoman. In short, Senator Obama will seek to repair friendships that have frayed in the past seven years.

It won't be easy, especially in the Middle East, where a thick coat of skepticism and cynicism has dulled the reflection of American aspirations.

I saw this firsthand in May, when President Bush spoke to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. He preached the virtues of democratic reform to an audience of English-speaking, pro-Western businesses; NGOs; and political leaders. The effect? More grating than gratitude.

If Obama seriously aspires to the title Leader of the Free World, he must speak with a different tone. But more important, perhaps, he must listen for a different answer.

The prevailing question Americans have been asking since 9/11 – "Why do they hate us?" – is the wrong one. The better question is, "Why don't they believe us?"

The good news is that the next president – whether Obama or Senator McCain – won't be speaking from beyond a yawning philosophical divide. When he repeats America's familiar mantra of freedom, democracy, and fighting terrorism, he will be preaching to the choir.

The bad news is that he should expect cynicism; Arab leaders claim that our actions do not live up to our rhetoric. At the WEF I attended, they pointed to our use of the war on terror as an excuse to curtail civil rights and to squelch democracy in the Arab world. When Mr. Bush asserted, "Terrorist organizations … create chaos and take innocent lives in an effort to stop democracy from taking root," Arabs wondered aloud who had created chaos; who was visiting death and violence upon the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

To improve relations with the Arab world, Obama should strike a markedly different tone from Bush, who came across the WEF participants as disingenuous, biased, and arrogant.

Just days before he addressed the WEF, Bush spoke to the Israeli Knesset and extolled democracy as "the only way to guarantee the God-given rights of all people." He got a standing ovation. Then, at the WEF, he told the mostly Arab audience that Middle Eastern politics too often consists of "one leader in power and the opposition in jail." Some participants, having seen the text in advance, walked out.

Bush's remark wasn't inaccurate. But it was incomplete and, to the audience, hypocritical.

In 2006 the US insisted on elections in the Palestinian territories, then refused to accept the outcome when Hamas, the Islamic militant group, emerged with a surprising, but undisputed, victory. Audience members also noted how many of these "one leader in power and the opposition in jail" autocracies – Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, to name three – enjoy unwavering US political, military, and economic support!

The next president should also not dismiss the reforms and significant progress already taking place. "We are improving at a steady, stable pace," Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly's editor told me at the WEF. He contended that press and political freedom had increased substantially in the past decade and stressed, "We do not need pressure from outside to reform."

During his travels to the Middle East Obama must walk a fine line on Iran, treading between Israel's hawks and Arabs' cautious pragmatists. High-ranking officials at the WEF especially disapproved of Bush's strategy of isolation.

Finally, Obama must bear in mind something so obvious that it often goes unrecognized: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the massive cloud that overshadows all life in the Middle East.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit bluntly declared, "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the cause of everything. Everything bad that happens in the region is a direct result of this issue." And nearly all Arabs see the US as rubbing salt in the wound with its consistent pro-Israel bias.

To Bush's statement that "freedom is a universal right – the Almighty's gift to every man, woman, and child," officials asked me wryly whether this freedom extended to Palestinians as well. Did they not deserve to be free from oppression and occupation? How can the US in good conscience claim to support freedom and human rights, while uncritically backing a government that deprives millions of Palestinians of those rights?

Tough talk from the crowd, indeed, but let's not forget these are not reactions from our foes in the region but from our closest allies. This disparity between US rhetoric and US policies on the ground is alienating the base of Arab moderates we so desperately need.

If the next president also emphasizes the buzzwords of democracy, freedom, and human rights while supporting undemocratic regimes or essentially nullifying unfavorable elections, he, too, will be greeted with aversion.

Perhaps it's time to ensure that our words match our deeds. Do Americans care more about stability and pro-US regimes, or democracy and freedom? If the former, we should not pretend otherwise. It is better to be accused of realist pragmatism than hypocrisy.

But if we believe that democracy and freedom are absolute American values, we should insist upon their consistent application. If we can't convince even our friends of our commitment to these values, how could we possibly convince them to join with us to defeat our enemies?

Janessa Gans teaches political science at Principia College, and is the founder and executive director of the Euphrates Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to improving relations between the Middle East and the West.

Rabbi Waskow's Letter to Obama on Middle East Peace

2008-07-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

A friend just alerted me to this wonderful letter to Senator Obama from Rabbi Arthur Waskow, founder and director of The Shalom Center.

See link for complete source: Newsweek.com

Rabbi Arthur Waskow has been one of the creators and leaders of Jewish renewal since writing the original Freedom Seder in 1969. In 1983, he founded and has since been director of The Shalom Center (www.shalomctr.org). In 2007, Newsweek named him one of America's fifty most influential rabbis.

Peace and Ethics in the Mideast

Dear friends, I am writing this out of personal experience and my own individual ethical concern, not on behalf of any organization or campaign. It comes with Martin Buber's teaching ringing in my brain: that he had no idea what it meant to say that "the ends justify the means," but that for sure the means we actually use will become the ends that we actually achieve.

Or as ancient Torah teaches, "Justice, justice shall you pursue." Why "justice" twice? To teach that just ends can only be achieved through just means.

A lesson for all who work to change society. Perhaps especially for those who profess a religious commitment to do so.

Shalom, salaam, peace -- Arthur

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Dear Senator Obama,

I met you at your talk with Philadelphia Jewish leaders in April. It was I who as you entered the room handed you a copy of the original Freedom Seder, which I wrote in 1969, and which bound together the freedom struggles of Blacks and Jews. And during Q & A, it was I who asked you how as President you would deal with the peace-obstructing settlement policy of this and many previous Israeli governments.

I was satisfied by your answer -- then. But since then, I have become increasingly concerned by your words and actions concerning the Middle East and Islam.

I asked that question because one of the advance speakers for your meeting, Congressman Roth of New Jersey, had just asserted that you believe the failure of the peace process has been solely the result of the absence of a Palestinian partner for peace.

"Solely the fault of the Palestinians?" I thought. "Surely he doesn't believe that!" So I rose to say that hundreds of rabbis and hundreds of thousands of American Jews see Israeli settlement policy as obstacles to peace, and asked what as President you would do about it.

Your answer cited the vigorous debate on these questions in Israel -- more vigorous than here; the recognition by most Israelis that for peace to unfold, there will have to be a shift in settlement policy; and your sense that most Israeli know that internal debate would be so wrenching that they want to know there is a partner for that decision before going through the debate.

Though you avoided saying what you would do, I was satisfied with your answer -- then.

I was especially ready to be satisfied because I knew that earlier, when you met with Jewish leaders in Cleveland, you had gone even further, saying:

"I sat down with the head of Israeli security forces and his view of the Palestinians was incredibly nuanced because he's dealing with these people every day. He was willing to say sometimes we make mistakes and if we are just pressing down on these folks constantly without giving them some prospects for hope, that's not good for our security situation."

It would be profoundly important to have a President who understands that! Yet more recently, in your speech to AIPAC, there was no such language. And you slid so far into simply repeating official shibboleths like "Jerusalem undivided" that you had to correct yourself the next day.

No one knows better than I that many of the "official" Jewish organizations would go ballistic to hear a presidential candidate bring such ideas to the fore in, say, a major speech about making peace across the whole region that Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah walked.

And no one knows better than I that millions of American Jews , Christians, and Muslims want exactly that kind of honest talk and vigorous diplomacy. They would support any President who insisted on exactly the kind of broad pursuit of peace you have sometimes affirmed, and the changes in not only Palestinian, Syrian, and Iranian but also Israeli and American behavior it requires.

I know some people who carry a strange mixture of cynicism and wish-fulfillment in their heads -- who think you can, will, and should say anything to calm folks like the AIPAC membership and thereby get elected, and later will work hard for a real peace. I know people who think that you can, will, and should pretend you never met Palestinians and heard their suffering, never got to understand their understanding of their history as you have so eloquently explained that you have heard and understood the Jewish story -- all in order that once you are in office, you can bring your "true" knowledge into policy.

But I don't think it works that way. Not only would that kind of campaign be an ethical failure and a personal self-betrayal, abandoning the honest, nuanced, politics of change that you claimed to represent -- but I think it won't work politically.

First of all, that kind of campaign will greatly weaken your appeal to the passionate supporters you have had -- just like your betrayal of your own understanding that the FISA bill violates the Fourth Amendment's prohibition of searches without warrants. Already, the drop-off of small contributions to your campaign suggests that these people are dismayed. And they are the core of your strength, as you yourself have repeatedly said.

Secondly, it will weaken your ability if you are elected President to take the steps necessary for peace. For it would weaken and delegitimate the millions of American Jews, Muslims, and Christians who seek precisely a policy of peace for Israel alongside a peaceful Palestine, and peace between Iran and the United States. Who would thank God -- literally! -- for a President who would seek to meet the crucial needs of all these peoples while refusing to humiliate or subjugate any of them. There will be many people and organizations ready to attack any President who takes such positions. There need to be people and organizations motivated and mobilized to support them.

To strengthen such a faith-based coalition, you will also have to make clear -- by where you speak as well as what you say -- that of course American Muslims are as much a part of American society as any other religious group. So your unwillingness to speak in any mosque -- presumably for fear that might reinforce the wicked rumors that you are really a Muslim -- simply strengthens the mind-set that thinks to demonize you on the false grounds that you are a Muslim, and any Muslim must be anti-American.

I remember being moved when in your speech to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, you said, "If there's an Arab-American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties." That line had no political pay-off in numbers of voters. It was a principled statement, fearlessly swimming against the tide of public opinion. And -- against all "realistic" calculation -- it won vigorous applause from those assembled number-centered politicians!

You owe it to Americans of all faiths, to Jews around the world, to the Arab and Muslim billions - - to treat all these people as part of the world community that must work together to heal our planet from war and eco-disaster.

Just as in Philadelphia you expressed compassion for white working-class anger without surrendering to right-wing policies that ignore Black poverty and despair-so you can express compassion for Jewish fears without surrendering to oppressive right-wing Israeli policy. And in the same new approach to change, you can include Muslims in the body politic and express compassion for some Muslims' anger and fear, without affirming violence and terrorism.

You will need to address these questions honestly if you are not to be caught against your will in years of war and terror that would destroy an Administration you might lead as it did the last one, will damage America at least as deeply as our deafness to others' narratives has damaged us this past seven years.

Just as the racial chasm has haunted and daunted American democracy two centuries and more, the growing chasm between "the West" and "Islam" will haunt and daunt every effort to make peace and heal our planet, if we and you do not address it in all its depth and difficulty.

So just as you spoke in Philadelphia with nuance and compassion about race, I implore you to speak as clearly with nuance and compassion about these questions.

With blessings of shalom, salaam, peace.

World Economic Forum 2008 Day 1 - Sharm al Sheikh, Egypt

2008-05-19T00:47:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the World Economic Forum in Sharm al Sheikh, a truly global gathering of nearly 1500 leaders convening to discuss current political and economic issues of the Middle East. I feel privileged to be a participant, as it's quite an impressive group and a beautiful setting. I'm somewhat disappointed I will not have the chance to dip in the Red Sea or lie on the beach, but discussing the very pressing issues of the Middle East trumps relaxation time. Listen in to the live webcasts at WEF ME Forum

Here are a few notes from Day 1.

The opening session consisted of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Jordan's King Abdullah, and President Bush. Mubarak and Abdullah focused on the Palestinian issue as we just passed the 60th anniversary of the creation of Israel, al Nakba, the "catastrophe" to Palestinians. Mubarak and Abdullah also highlighted many of the economic successes achieved in their respective countries, including growth rates of about 4 percent. Unfortunately, this growth has not trickled down to average citizens, who in Egypt, are increasingly agitating against the government due to increases in food prices and decreased subsidies on food and fuel.

As so often happens in US communication in the Middle East, there appeared to be a disconnect between the US and Arab message. Both sides emphasized justice, freedom, and liberty. For the Arab leaders, that was tied to the Palestinian issue. For the US, it is tied to defeating Hamas, Hizbollah, and Iran. Bush again emphasized and nearly chastised Arab leaders for not doing more to promote democracy, freedom, and human and women's rights. What seems to be lost on our President is that this admonition rings hollow for many Arab leaders, who view the US as supporting suppression of democracy and freedom in many Arab lands, especially the Palestinian Territories, in addition to our favored allied nations.

Day 1: Hot Topic: Iraq's Shaky Progress
Panelists: Vice President Adil abd al Mahdi, Deputy Prime Minister, Barham Salih, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, and Congresspersons Christopher Shays and Jane Harman.

Below are notes:

Rep. Jane Harman (Democrat from CA): al Qaida, although reduced, remains a dangerous threat. Even if quashed in one area, can move elsewhere. But these successes must necessarily change US interests on the ground. The US should not leave precipitously; we do have a commitment and responsibility to rebuild. It was our invasion that resulted in a failed state. Our posture should change, provide assistance to counter terrorism, porous borders, protect our Embassy, and train Iraqis. We should end our combat mission in Iraq and support withdrawing combat troops and by end of 2009 have a different posture.

Barham Salih (Deputy Prime Minister)
The success of the past six months is because of a fundamental change in attitude on the ground in other communities. Delivered a serious setback, but resourceful enemy.

Basra instructive: government taking on other groups, and the US in supportive role. We are not yet able to do it on our own. Progress serious, tangible, but fragile.

Rep. Chris Shays (Republican, Conn.)

If Iraq goes badly, it’s because the US at the very point that it should move forward, we’ve left them. The Iraqis are more effective than the US politicians, when you take into account that they need 70% of legislator approval to pass legislation.
Signs of success:
--new Sec of Defense who is not tied to past policy mistakes.
--surge is working
--tribal leaders effective; Sunnis want to be part of govt.
--political leaders able to work on the issues.
--elections, de-Bathification
Leaders don’t get credit they deserve.
We were wrong. There were no WMD. And then we really screwed it up, but that was then. We are not making progress, and I'm fearful that the American public will drop Iraq at a crucial time. These leaders deserve our commitment. I would risk my election because these leaders risk their lives.

Hoshyar Zebari (Foreign Minister, Iraq): Iran is a major regional player and have to face this reality. Encouraged dialogue between the US and Iran about Iraq.
--addressed concerns to Iranians. Want to keep confrontation away.
-only way to deal with powerful neighbors and influence is for Iraq to get stronger. Also, Arab countries need to help and have so far failed Iraq.

Abdulla-Janahi (Co-chairman of WEF on ME): Iraqis must sign status of forces arrangement with US. Arab countries have indeed failed Iraq. Iraqis also failed Iraq. Much bigger thing than al Qaida. Elites happy to see Iraq bogged down, impoverished, were fearful of democracy. Now it’s been discredited.
--lessons learned: corruption.
--partnership with Iraqis: we only see it from one side, the American perspective. To the US, tell the truth and do better at PR. Iraq PR is abysmal.

A letter from a Vietnam vet in response to "Five years in Iraq"

2008-05-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you all a response I received from a friend of mine who is a former infantry officer who served two tours in Vietnam. He sent me this after listening to a podcast of a talk I gave entitled "Five years in Iraq: How did we get there and where do we go from here?" You can listen to the presentation by clicking on the "podcasts" link from this site: Prin radio I found his remarks so heartfelt, interesting, and a serious call to action for all Americans. I hope his comments spur thought about the endeavor in which we find ourselves.

Dear Janessa,

My wife and I finally carved out time this afternoon to listen to your
moving talk at Prin on the 5 years in Iraq. We felt like we were sitting
in the front row!

It was really hard to stay up with your dialogue as my feelings kept
coming out as I pictured my fellow soldiers trying to do the only thing
they knew how to do and then suddenly realizing that it was accomplishing
nothing permanent. No hills were taken; no territory was captured;
no enemy army surrendered. Only death and doubt and frustration day after
endless day. How we find men and women who return there for their
third (and some their fourth) tour, knowing they will make no difference,
yet willing to return again and again, laying their life on the line.

So, you did everyone a service by carrying us back to 2003
and without a bias or an agenda, laying out the facts surrounding 2004-2008 for all to see.
Hearing the letter from your brother regarding one of his Seal Team Five
buddies that was lost was soul crunching. such a waste!

I know that prayer is the ultimate future course of action, for only
through this course can we bring the full power of God to this problem. There is
no human power that can peacefully resolve the problems in the Middle East.

Yet, the politicians, being politicians, and not have their sons and daughters over there,
will look for yet another course of action that preserves
the oil, preserves the administration's reputation, gives the appearance of progress,
and places the blame for failing on the other political party. Insane.

At a CS (Christian Science) Lecture last Thursday evening, Ryder Stevens reminded us
not to expect a quick reconciliation between the Shia and Sunnis as they
have been enemies since the year 620!! If we leave next year, they
will kill each other; if we leave in 2020, they will kill each other. The
difference between choosing those 2009 and 2020 to depart is how many
more American lives and American dollars are we willing to spend to
delay the ultimate killing of each other. It's really a form of insanity.
Forgive the terminology, but in Hawaii, we used to refer to this type of
thinking as "pissing into the waves"...you only get wetter.

So long as we seek diplomatic, political, military future courses of action,
soldiers will be walking the same ground, being killed by the same (or more sophisticated) Iranian IEDs
next year, the year after, the decade after that. I remember on day
on a daylight patrol north of Qui Nhon SVN in 1970, the point man stepped
on an antipersonnel mine which blew his leg off. He was lifted out
by medical helicopter and we continued our mission. Thirty minutes
later another soldier triggered an antipersonnel mine, and the shrapnel
killed him. At that point, the soldiers let me know by nothing but the
expression on their faces that whatever lay ahead was not worth one more life today.
They didn't refuse to continue forward; I refused to command them to do so. We reversed our direction,
went to a safe pickup zone and returned to the base came. We would have
accomplished nothing by continuing on the patrol...would have killed or
wounded another soldier before the day was over.

Wonder if some day, soldiers will no longer get in vehicles and go down
roads knowing that if not today, then tomorrow, they will be blown up
and killed by an IED? Interesting question. Of course when the IEDs
cause us to stop going a certain place, using a certain route, then the
insurgents have won.

Yes, the US people are tired of the war and I'm afraid the government
and the US media do not want the American people to become too attached
to what's going on or they would begin to influence decisions made in
Washington. So long as the public doesn't have to pay for the war with
direct taxes and so long as it is not their sons and daughters dying over there,
they will, like those of 1971, continue to visit Walmart, complain about high
gas prices, and plan their vacation trips as if peace was a permanent given.

I remember in 1971 in Vietnam, the country had almost totally turned
off their TVs and stopped reading any story in the paper about Vietnam.
Yet, each and every hour, we felt we had a reason to be there, we had
daily examples of freeing villagers from Viet Cong oppressors.

But you know, we shouldn't have been in Vietnam either. And had LBJ
not used the fallacious attack on the destroyer Turner Joy as a reason
to execute a massive build up of forces we would never have been there.

So now, as I hear our navy cruising up and down the Straits of Hormuz
taunting the Iranians to send out small gunboats, I wonder how long it
will be before the Iranians launch an anti-ship missile into the side of
one of our ships, and in response our government launches a HUGE
response into downtown Tehran and off we go again.......
Except this time, he war will have to be fought by the air force
and navy ONLY as we have no Army or Marine units to put on the
ground in Iran.

Should be interesting.

I pray you will be watching it from an office in the US somewhere...but I know that
will probably not be the case.

Back to the talk: Years from now as we see how history ultimately unfolds,
the students and parents you have touched with your talk will reflect on that
night when they first caught a glimpse of a huge American diplomatic and
military blunder that could have been prevented had honesty and patience
prevailed.

Looking back at the length of my thoughts about your talk, you can easily see it struck a chord with me.
Humanly, I really feel very small and powerless to do anything about Iraq...Yet, spiritually, there is prayer, and
I know the power of prayer, so I do have a purpose, and I commit to that purpose.

Sincerely,

a former Infantry officer who served two tours in Viet Nam

The Baghdad Observer - Rulers of Iraq

2008-04-21T07:58:00.001-07:00

I really enjoy the entries on the blog, The Baghdad Observer. Here's one of Ms. Fadel's postings from February 26. http://washingtonbureau.typepad.com/baghdad/

Rulers of Iraq
We walked into the Iranian embassy today to interview the ambassador. It was built 70 years ago and reoccupied by the Iranian mission after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. My translator looked at me as we walked through the double wooden doors to interview the Iranian Ambassador.

"This is the second ruler of Iraq," she said.

I looked at her.

"After Crocker," she said, referring to the U.S. Ambassador. She never mentioned the Prime Minister of Iraq, Nouri al Maliki. She expressed what most Iraqis feel, Iraq is a tug of war for power between Iran and the United States.

ABOUT THIS BLOG

Baghdad Observer is written by Leila Fadel, the Baghdad bureau chief for McClatchy Newspapers. She has covered the war in Iraq for Knight Ridder and now McClatchy on and off since June 2005, as well as the 34-day war in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel in the summer of 2006.

Five years in Iraq--who is the parent and who is the child?

2008-03-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

I've been kicking myself for not writing an article on Iraq to be published on the five-year anniversary. Anniversaries prompt reflection, and there's certainly a lot upon which to reflect. Iraq is changed; we are changed; indeed, the world is changed.

Ideally, that change would have been positive, akin to the growth a child experiences in five years, as it miraculously develops its faculties, comprehension, and independence. I had that hope in Iraq in 2003. Many of us felt like mothers in a way-- helping to birth this new nation, a country remade, liberated from a dictator, free to celebrate human rights, freedoms, equality and justice for all. And the Americans weren't alone. The Iraqis whom I met were so overjoyed to be rid of Saddam, so hopeful for the future, and so sure that the superpower had a plan for their country--that soon the streets would be drowning in dollars.

Alas, it's as if we birthed a child only to leave him to the wolves. There was no plan--no post-war (Phase IV) plan, no understanding of realities on the ground, and countless errors of inference. Those early mistakes are well known: standing by while looting engulfed Baghdad, robbing it of its antiquities and heritage, laying waste to infrastructure in government ministries, stealing and destroying an estimated over a billion dollars. In the process, we showed Iraqis that this new sheriff in town was not a sheriff at all, and so new criminals rode into town--al-Qaida, Shia militias, gangs, insurgents.

Add to that the infamous triad of errors enacted by L. Paul Bremer during the Coalition Provisional Authority, that permanently stunted the growth of the child:

--De-Bathification: A CPA order established a commission to prosecute former Baathists and eliminated Baath party members (above Firqa level) from government posts, i.e. the technocrats, professors, bureaucrats with experience and expertise.

--Disbanding the Iraqi army. Despite an estimated 130,000 soldiers waiting in the wings to come back to service, Bremer disbanded the army, without consulting Iraqis or Americans on the ground in Iraq. This instantly put nearly half a million trained, professional soldiers out of work. It's no wonder that an insurgency started developing thereafter, as you had a lot of unemployed, unhappy guys trained to use guns, and who also knew the locations of the unguarded weapons caches.

--Aborting the Interim Iraqi government. ORHA head Jay Garner had been assembling an indigenous group of key leaders to serve as an interim government--moves Bremer quickly quashed as he instead moved the US presence to a legal US-led "occupation", a term not taken to kindly in the Arab world, given the Israel parallel.

So, there we have our child, first robbed blind of clothing through looting, then stripped of its faculties through De-Bathification, abused through disbanding the army, with its independent growth stunted through aborting the moves towards interim government. It's no wonder that the child is confused, conflicted, and fighting to survive.

And what of the parents? Don't we have some responsibility to our child? Do we attempt to redress the errors we committed in its upbringing? Should we plead for forgiveness, pledge to start over, and shower it with affection, the right tools and education? Or, do we give up, and have another one? (Iran, anyone?)

The answer to all of these questions is simple. As parents, we have to realize, that Iraq is no longer a child. In the eyes of the world, she is an adult--a sovereign nation, and free to do as she chooses. Although, like many eighteen year olds in the US who are savoring their legal independence, Iraq seems also conflicted between complete independence and the reliance on parents, however ill-equipped they are. "Do I want to leave their house, (i.e. kick out the Americans), or do I need the security (troops) they provide for a while longer?" As parents, we need to realize the child is grown, that it's impossible to start over. And who would trust us to have another child after the mess we made of the first one? Perhaps the CIA's December 2007 National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, which indicated Iran's cessation of nuclear weapon development in 2003, was like showering the mother on welfare with contraceptives.

But who is really the parent here? And who the child?

In reality, the most astonishing lesson of the Iraq war for Americans is that rather than the Mothers or parents of democracy, we are indeed the children being taught the ways of the world. And perhaps, rather than mere children, Iraq is acting out the role of parent.

Iraq is perhaps the ultimate Mother-figure, the historic Mesopotamia, the "land between the two rivers", between whose flows the cradle of civilization was birthed. Iraqis are people with true wisdom--they first established farming techniques, government, writing, mathematics, astronomy. They have persevered, persisted through millenia of conquest, invasion, and upheaval, and are still surviving. In the span of this long lifetime, five years of hardship are but a drop in the bucket.

America, however, is perhaps the child--the rebellious youth bracing against chastening life experiences. We are loathe to learn that we can't always have it our way and that we don't know it all, that we're no longer invincible and innocent. We're coming face to face with our own mortality; our unbridled, youthful strength is weakened; our empire, crumbling. We learn that change does happen, and it's not always for the better.

One hopes that the youth at this point becomes humbled, and realizes that there is so much that he does not know, that he must prepare, do well in school, study and work hard, and earn a place at the table. He can no longer take success for granted because he has youthful strength and an air of indomitability. He must rather doggedly live by his ideals and pursue his dreams. If not, he will not be successful, and must pass the mantle to others. Those who put in the work, who have results to show for it, will become the true leaders, and they will deserve it.

Meeting with Iraqi Minister of Electricity

2007-12-20T15:14:00.001-08:00

A few days ago, I met with the Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Karim Wahid (pictured far right), about the "Solar Cells for Peace" project. I had told a friend of mine at State Department about our solar cell project the day before and she mentioned the Minister happened to be in Washington on a trip. So, through my Iraqi contacts in Washington, I was able to arrange a meeting with him to tell him about the idea.

A fascinating guy, Mr. Wahid, is an electrical engineer by education and trade, having worked at the Ministry since 1975. He described the changes that have been made in the Ministry since Saddam's time, especially the increase in strategic planning and the focus on training for the Ministry's staff in all areas. Since becoming the Minister last year, Mr. Wahid said he has put together a ten-year strategic plan that will get Iraq fully powered in that time. He was in the US to urge American companies to aid Iraq by bidding on the plethora of projects, contracts, etc. they need implemented. He said they have the money and the plan; they just need the expertise and the muscle to do them.

I asked him all about the Ministry's plans for "going green", ideas for alternative technologies, and our Solar Cells for Peace idea. He recounted that they wanted to power a large portion of streetlights in Iraq using solar means, but that individual homes were too expensive. I showed him our figures that are based on a thorough and interesting study done by the Naval Postgraduate School estimated about $9,000 per home. (see Naval report: OPERATION SOLAR EAGLE: A Study Examining Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power as an Alternative for the Rebuilding of the Iraqi Electrical Power Generation Infrastructure)

In any case, I didn't get any immediate promises for funding, but I was heartened to see that the Ministry is looking at solar options for some functions and that he was at least open to meeting with me and promised to review the ideas. We'll see...!

Happy holidays to all. I've just arrived to beautiful Northern California, but I'm thinking of the Holy Land, especially Bethlehem in the Palestinian Territories, where I was last year near this time. How important to think of "on earth peace, good will toward men," for ALL peoples and places.

Solar Cells for Peace

2007-12-06T22:49:00.000-08:00

We've been working on a new idea at Euphrates Institute. Solar Cells for Peace is an idea to improve the daily lives of Iraqis by meeting their acute power needs sustainably, using Iraq’s most abundant and renewable resource, the sun. We want to conduct a demonstration project to equip 100 homes in Baghdad, Iraq with solar generated power by Fall 2008. In so doing, we not only accrue benefit for US efforts in Iraq by showing Iraqis tangible evidence of American goodwill, but we also benefit Iraq’s physical environment and the well-being of its people through provision of a sustainable alternative to the dilapidated power grid or to expensive and polluting traditional generators.

There are many groups out there doing incredible alternative energy projects throughout the world, as well as projects closer to home. (You've all heard of Brad Pitt's initiative in New Orleans' lower 9th ward.)

Here are a few of the fantastic groups that have inspired me. Enjoy!

Solar Electric Light Fund

Blue Energy Group

Blue Energy Group's Founder Mathias Craig's philosophy

Muslim - Christian Rapprochement

2007-12-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

There is the most incredible development taking place on finding common ground between Christians and Muslims. In response to the Pope's comments in September disparaging Islam as medieval, a group of over 130 Muslim scholars responded with an open letter entitled "A Common Word Between Us and You".

The letter identifies two "foundational principles" on which Christians and Muslims are duty-bound to work together: love of God and love of one's neighbour.

The following is an excerpt from The Guardian's December 1st paper:

"Love God, the letter states, is not only the basic message of the Quran; it is also the first and greatest commandment of the Bible. Jesus preached the need to love your neighbour as yourself, just as numerous injunctions in Islam emphasise the paramount importance of showering love and mercy on one's neighbours. This common ground, say Muslim scholars, is sufficient for the two faith groups to build permanent bridges of peace. We are not asking for "polite ecumenical dialogue", say the scholars. With Muslims and Christians locked in battle everywhere, fighting with the terrible weaponry of the modern world, "our common future is at stake". Christians and Muslims need to rise above their differences and vie with each other only in righteousness and good work.

Go to this site for details, especially click on the tab, "Christian Responses" to see the letter in response to the Muslim scholars' letter that was signed by over 300 American Christian leaders and was published as an ad in the New York
Times. You can also personally endorse the letter on the site!

A Common Word

Great things are happening! Developments like this are just what the Euphrates Institute stands for, finding our commonly held values and building bridges between humanity.

Interview airs today on APM's "The Story with Dick Gordon"

2007-10-22T10:52:00.001-07:00

Check out my interview on American Public Media's "The Story with Dick Gordon" on Blackwater and US foreign policy. You can download the podcast from the link. It airs on over 50 NPR stations across the country.

Monday, October 22

Ahmed's Diary
People in Baghdad are still talking about what happened on September 16 - the day an incident involving the private security company Blackwater USA left at least 17 Iraqis dead. Ahmed Abdullah visited the scene in Nisour Square and talked to witnesses. One witness, an Iraqi soldier, told Ahmed that he tried to get Blackwater personnel to help the wounded. Instead, one of them took aim at the man and shot him in the chest.

Surviving Blackwater
Janessa Gans
Janessa Gans had regular contact with the private security company, Blackwater. Between 2003 and 2005 she was working in Iraq, and on many of her trips around the country she traveled in vehicles driven by Blackwater contractors. Janessa talks to Dick about both the professionalism and recklessness she experienced firsthand.

In her opinion, every time a Blackwater convoy passed through an Iraqi town, the company lowered the reputation of the United States in the eyes of Iraqis.

The job of a contractor
Ken Sherrod went to Iraq for the first time as a soldier with the Air Guard Reserves. When he got the opportunity to go back as a private contractor in 2004, he took it. Ken spoke with Dick in April of 2006, when he had just returned after working for 2 years as a military contractor in Iraq. While he was there, Ken had to get a client to the airport - an extremely risky assignment. The vehicle he was in was shot at, but Ken got lucky: the bullets missed him by a few inches. Despite the many dangers, Ken said he'd be willing to go back.

Op-ed Receives National Media Attention

2007-10-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week and a half with all of the media attention generated by the LA Times oped on Blackwater. I've received requests for interviews from CNN, CBS, NPR, Democracy Now, and Radio Netherlands.

So far, the CBS Evening News and Democracy Now pieces have aired. Here are links if you'd like to read or view...

CBS video link

Here's the transcript of the CBS video.

(CBS) Janessa Gans, a former U.S. official who served in Iraq from 2003 to 2005, often traveled around Iraq in a Blackwater convoy.

After the Blackwater shooting incident on September 16 in Baghdad's Nisour Square that left as many as 17 Iraqis dead, she wrote an angry letter to the Los Angeles Times saying that Blackwater's aggression on many occasions had undermined the diplomatic work she was trying to accomplish in Iraq.

"We would careen around corners, jump road dividers, reach speeds in excess of 100 mph and often cross over to the wrong side of the street, oncoming traffic be damned," she wrote.

"I began to wonder whether my meetings, intended to further U.S. policy goals and improve the lives of Iraqis, were doing more harm than good ... how many enemies were we creating?"

CBS News found Janessa Gans safely back in the U.S., teaching political science at Principia College in Illinois.

This is an edited transcript of our interview with her:

CBS: When you heard about the shooting in Nisour Square on September 16th, were you surprised?

Gans: Frankly, I was surprised at how long it had taken the Iraqi government to be upset about the activities of Blackwater inside their country. During my more than two years in Iraq, I saw first-hand the aggressive tactics of Blackwater in the streets, and I wondered why is the Iraqi government not speaking up about this?

CBS: What was it like to be a passenger in a Blackwater convoy?

Gans: Well it just felt like you were suiting up to go on a roller coaster. I remember just telling myself, "Just pretend it's a roller coaster ... rolls and flips and jumping over barriers." It was just uncomfortable ride - always fast, all the time.

CBS: Were Blackwater guards especially aggressive?

Gans: Well I did ride with other companies, and my personal experience was that Blackwater was the most aggressive.

You want the biggest, meanest guys protecting you [in a war zone] and they do their jobs very well most of the time. Think of their 100 percent success rate ... no diplomats in their care killed.

During my more than two years in Iraq, I saw first-hand the aggressive tactics of Blackwater in the streets, and I wondered why is the Iraqi government not speaking up about this?

Janessa GansI was grateful on a daily basis for protection from Blackwater - without which I could not have gone to meetings or done my work, but I think that softer tactics would have been appropriate.

I'm very pro-military. My brother was a Navy SEAL for 10 years and my father was in the Air Force. It's just that these guys were making my job harder.

Their approach was "We're getting you from Point A to Point B - and nothing will stand in our way. And if there's a hint of anyone approaching, we view that as a terrorist threat or a possible decoy and we will do what it takes to remove the obstacle."

If the sole mission was to get me safely from A to B, then they were 100% successful, and correct - but the mission was larger: to improve the lives of Iraqis and achieve peace and stability.

If the Iraqis' only contact with Americans was with aggressive convoys of security contractors - with guns, speeding around, delaying their traffic and pelting them with water bottles, damaging their cars - then certainly their image of the United States was not going to be positive.

CBS: Did you ever protest to Blackwater?

Gans: I did in one incident in which it seemed obvious that there was a family in a car driving in front of us. They were clearly not terrorists. They couldn't get out of the way in time and so we forced them off the road. And I thought, "Was that necessary?"

I asked one guard if he thought their tactics might be creating more terrorists. He had never considered that possibility. He'd just never thought of it that way before.

For Democracy Now:

You can watch it on their site. or on youtube

Will keep you posted on other interviews to air soon! Meanwhile, I'm working on my next oped entitled, "Blackwater Not Black and White", an attempt to bring more substance into the Blackwater conversation. Blackwater is not the enemy; it's a symptom of a larger problem of the US's undue focus on the narrow mission of force protection when the conflict demands a larger view of the mission to win "hearts and minds", not alienate the population, and win the war. There are lots of qualities and tactics that go into winning this larger battle that we need to develop in our military, in our private security contractors, and our diplomats.

Controversy over LA Times Op-ed

2007-10-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share two of my favorites of the many, many emails I've received to date about my op-ed in Saturday's LA Times, entitled "I Survived Blackwater".

It's not the first time I've mentioned something about the effect our actions have on the lives of Iraqis. My two other op-eds all concentrated on the same issue, yet they garnered very little attention.

The Blackwater issue is highly sensationalized and unfortunately for the firm, has become the scapegoat for American frustrations about the war in Iraq.

So, on the with fanmail (or not),

Janessa,

We met briefly in Baghdad when I arrived. I read your LA times op-ed, which was linked to Talking Points Memo. I'm glad you published it - at least three Iraqi colleagues of mine have been either shot at or forced off the road by private security contractors, in separate incidents. Every Iraqi I know - even very pro-American Kurdish friends - fear these security companies and resent their presence. Certainly, those of us in the NGO world are uniformly upset about the damage groups like Blackwater do and we question the need to use them rather than US soldiers or marines.

Best,

_____

Janessa,

I just read your October 6, 2007 piece on latimes.com. How silly can you get? You didn’t mention your idiotic concerns to your protectors until..... Wow Sweetie!!!!

However you’re alive and well and enjoying life right here in good old America after having spent some time in Iraq. How do you think that happened? Was it a matter of chance? Is it possible that Blackwater did what it takes to keep your sorry backside alive?

It is too bad that Blackwater couldn’t have played a game of security ping pong with your security, that is the kind of security game you support, without also endangering their own lives and failing to meet their commitments so that if someone hadn’t been able to survive and return it would have been just you. That sounds really fair to me.

I think its a boy thing so I don’t believe that you will ever be able to really understand. You are, after all, a girl and you really didn’t belong where you were in the first place. It was a place for men, not girls. OH I KNOW!!! WHAT A TERRIBLE THOUGHT!!!

I suggest you continue to study political “science” whatever kind of “science” that is, and get your hair and nails done frequently or perhaps you could get a tattoo or have a hole drilled in your lips or some other part of our body so you can appropriately express whatever it is those kinds of things display.

I would suggest you also get married and have children but I am not really sure children is a good idea. Who knows what you would teach them.

However, you could marry a guy that gets a vasectomy. You wouldn’t even have to use any other forms of birth control to keep from adding to the world population. I mean, how modern can you get?

Ta Ta Sweetie,

Jihad and Crusade: Questions from MEEF Q&A on Islam

2007-05-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

I've been quite remiss in writing lately, but I can't pass up the opportunity to share the best MEEF to date last Thursday. (For those of you not well-versed on the acronym yet, it stands for the "Middle East Engagement Forum", one of The Euphrates Institute's initiatives in Washington, DC).

We invited reps from the Muslim Public Affairs Council (http://www.mpac.org) to come address our group and engage in a very frank discussion on Islam. The speakers, Safiya Ghori (Director of Government Affairs) and Dr. Hassan al-Ibrahim (Board of Directors), were comprehensive and compelling, and fully responded to every question the group asked.

The questions ranged from the basics to specifics, and included the following:

1.) The Quran was written a long time ago. How do you know the meaning of the words has not changed in modern-day Arabic?

2.) Are non-Muslims allowed to touch the Quran? Is the text regarded as the literal word of God? What do you do about contradictions within the text?

3.) What is the meaning of jihad?

4.) Why is there no groundswelling of condemnation in the Muslim world against acts of terrorism, yet there are mass protests about a Danish cartoon or an Apple store called "Mecca"?

5.) What is the difference between Wahhabists and Salafists? Sunni and Shia?

6.) What do you think of the terms used in the media, such as "Islamo-fascist, radical Islamist, jihadists"? What if the groups refer to themselves in those terms?

7.) How do misperceptions affect Muslims living in the US?

My attempt to recall the answers in their entirety will leave a lot to be desired, but here goes...

1.) Classical Arabic has remained the same and has been safeguarded through the generations through the focus on memorization and repetition of the Quran. So, the meaning of words has not changed.

2.) The Quran is the literal word of God. Contradictions arise from reading phrases out of context.

3.) Jihad means "struggle" or "exertion of effort". Dr. Hassan al-Ibrahim likened the term jihad to Westerners to "crusade" for Muslims. There are different meanings and contexts for the word just like jihad, yet to Westerners and Muslims, the words generally mean fighting all the infidels/heretics.

4.) MPAC described the tireless efforts of their and similar Muslim groups to denounce terrorism, yet they are rarely discussed or picked up in the media.

5.) Salafists are essentially fundamentalists, and Wahhabists are a certain strain of Salafists, named after Muhammad ibn 'abd al Wahhab. Wahhabism is the dominant form of Islam in Saudi Arabia, and is the form subscribed to by Osama bin Laden.

6.) These terms feed the overall picture of Islam as a violent religion, with violent adherents. These groups are largely political, fighting to realize political aims, yet are using religion as propaganda and to enhance their appeal. We should not give in to their desire to paint policies and ideas in a light that pits religions against each other. Rather than these terms, we could say "terrorists, radicals, insurgents, etc."

7.) MPAC commented on the widespread misperceptions of Americans about the Muslim religion and Muslims in general. One of the speakers said that her children are constantly jeered at and labelled "terrorist", although they were raised in the US.

Our next activity will be visiting a mosque in the area...will hope to get even more insights and learn more. Check the website for info!

Getting the Inside Scoop--Dinner with Iraqi Officials

2007-04-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

I had dinner this week with two Iraqi friends who are senior members of the Iraqi government. Sobering, but interesting, as always, to hear the inside scoop on what's actually happening there.

A few interesting points they made...

1.) Current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is even more disorganized than former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Ja'fari was. I'm actually not sure this is possible, as we had an impossible time ever finding someone in the office to follow up on things and who was efficient and knew the whole picture of what was going on. The office was entirely in reactive mode and in pure chaos. My friend gave as an example that Maliki was in Japan while he was here in DC and he needed to get in touch with him about a matter. He called the office in Baghdad and no one in the staff there knew how to get a hold of him.

He also mentioned how Maliki's staff is comprised entirely of his party cronies (Da'wa party), who are largely inexperienced and incompetent. (When I was there, Ja'fari's staff included 7 medical doctors with no experience in politics, with whom Ja'fari was close. Ja'fari himself was a medical doctor by trade.)

2.) Sunnis lack leaders. The ones there now are content with making maximilist demands and are not prepared to do the tough, compromising work required of minority leaders in a mult-dimensional environment. (Most Sunni leaders with whom I spoke wouldn't ever admit they were a minority. They still maintain they're the majority.) My friend noted how few of them are actually in the country and are just running around the Arab world raising money for what could be conjectured as for future coup attempts. In any case, the Sunni leaders are doing their people a disservice.

3.) Sectarian strife party-driven. My friend mentioned that with the two sectarian parties in power, they view every issue, every bill, every conversation, every act, through a sectarian lens. Of course this is fueling violence; of course this is fueling extremist positions on each side. What is needed is support for liberal, moderate parties and institutions that safeguard them. He of course blamed the US for putting those extremist parties into power in the first place in the Governing Council, in which their participation secured them a foothold they've greatly expanded.

4.) Support for Moderates Key. He worried that the next elections will be stolen, violently altered, bribed, propagandized, etc. Somehow the US should ensure outside institutions are monitoring the elections commission, the parties, the ballots, he hoped. Moderates are losing ground in Iraq and we, as the US and their biggest supporter, must find a way to bolster them. (He mentioned generally media, education of a culture of openness and tolerance, financial support, etc.)

Disturbing Trend of Islamic Fundamentalism

2007-03-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

The inclination towards Islamic fundamentalism was extreme in Iraq. Moderates saw an almost immediate decline in their ability to dress the way they wanted, go to theater, cofee shops, hair salons, and mix genders after 2003. Whereas, in the West Bank last year, the people with whom I spoke (mainly Christians) saw it as a gradual threat, but one they were less concerned with than Israeli occupation. Yet it is growing...and outside pressures such as war, occupation, and economic depravity (occurring in both Iraq and Palestine) only abet the causes of it.

Here's an interesting article from Friday's CS Monitor:

Book ban turns intra-Palestinian fight cultural
Hamas's ban from schools of a book of folklore has fueled moderates' concern about greater Islamist constraints.
By Ilene R. Prusher | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK

For more than 30 years, anthropologist Sharif Kanaana has been collecting and studying Palestinian folk tales so that people at home and abroad would understand the story of his people.

This week, the Hamas-run Palestinian Authority (PA) added a new chapter: a directive to pull Professor Kanaana's book from school libraries and destroy it.

"I don't want to generalize about all of Hamas – I rather hope it's a unique case, a mistake by an individual," says Kanaana, a scholarly, bespectacled academic who was just heading into semiretirement when he inadvertently became the poster child of the Palestinian divide between liberals and ultra-conservatives. "Unfortunately, it confirmed some of the worst expectations people had for this government."

The decision underscores the struggle for ideological and political hegemony, one that is making itself felt more strongly than ever before.

While literature lovers and others on the more progressive side of Palestinian society see the order to ban the book as an attack on the cultural freedoms, the Islamist Hamas movement and its supporters see the move as a democratically endorsed step toward protecting students from "harmful" influences and "offensive" language, in the words of one leading official here.

"The book was withdrawn because of the problems with offensive language which contradicts our beliefs and morals," says Sheikh Yazid Khader, who is the director-general of the PA's Ministry of Education.

Hamas says it's guarding values

Religious conservatives say that they didn't like five stories within the 400-page book of folklore, which includes academic explanations and theory, because of references to body parts or human excretion.

The decision to pull the book "Speak Bird, Speak Again," first published in English in 1989 and later in Arabic in Lebanon, was issued by the education ministry last month in a letter to teachers, who were instructed to destroy it.

"Our society depends on Islamic values and has for hundreds of years," continues Sheikh Khader. "Our most important objective is to make curriculum adhere to our social values."

In his viewpoint, too many Western influences are seeping into Palestinian society, and children must be better shielded from them.

"This new generation is unable to distinguish between what is harmful and what is beneficial, so we have to protect them from these harmful influences," he says. "The Israeli occupation is interested in introducing us to Western values that work to destroy our Arab and Muslim values."

The fresh wave of negative press for Hamas, domestically and internationally, comes at a particularly uncomfortable time for the organization, whose name is an acronym that stands for the Islamic Resistance Movement.

Hamas and Fatah, the mainstream and secular political faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), are moving closer to reaching an agreement that would pave the way for the creation of a national unity government.

The two sides have been wrangling after what was hoped to be a breakthrough powersharing deal reached in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, last month. Banning of the book, written by Kanaana and coauthor Ibrahim Muhawi, adds to concerns of many Palestinians that Hamas has not moderated on core issues, be it reconciliation with Israel or making Palestinian society more Islamic.

Many notable Palestinians have condemned pulling the book from schools. Yahya Yakhlef, who was the PA's minister of culture until a year ago, when Hamas formed its cabinet after its landslide election victory in January 2006, says he was shocked.

"We consider this an act of ignorance," says Mr. Yakhlef. "What we are worried about is that the trends become a normal pattern in our life, and we'll get to the point where we'll be like a Taliban culture. We will not allow medieval values to dominate."

First nonpolitical book to be banned

Still, many Palestinians say that, thus far, having Hamas leadership has been felt as a political issue, even perhaps in the form of a worsening economy and lack of security – but not as a sign of cultural oppression.

One of the incidents people here cite happened two years ago, when the Hamas-run municipality in the West Bank city of Qalqilya banned a cultural festival that would have including the debke, a Palestinian folk dance that includes men and women holding hands.

"We can say now that Hamas is being revealed to the Palestinian people," says Yakhlef. "I think the popularity of Hamas has dropped."

It's not the first time the PA has banned a book. In the 1990s, the works of intellectual Edward Said were banned because of his criticism of the PLO and the Oslo Peace Accords. Israel once used to censor Palestinian newspapers and periodicals. But this is the first time that a book is being taken off the shelves for something other than its political content. "Speak Bird, Speak Again," is still being used in colleges and can be purchased in stores.

All of this surprised Kanaana, who wrote the book with an audience of graduate and PhD students in mind. The book was later added to school libraries – usually just one per school – so that teachers could access it and choose an appropriate story or two to share with children or teenagers.

"Any folk tales of any people in the world will have an obscene term or two. I recorded these stories in colloquial Arabic in the exact words people use, because otherwise, there's no point," says Kanaana who sat calmly drinking his afternoon coffee. At the insistence of his wife, he has turned off the phone for a break from nonstop calls.

"All that attention is not over me," he says. "It's toward Hamas and the political struggle."

Busboys a Bust

2007-03-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

Well, we were very much looking foward to our second Middle East Engagement Forum tonight at DC's most happening spot, Busboys and Poets. We had booked the "Poet's Corner" and had a wonderful speaker lined up. Nadia Oweidat, a Rand Corp. Middle East affairs analyst was going to speak about "Reasons for the Increase in Radicalism in the Middle East".

However, when we got there, we found out they messed up our reservation and we were stuck in a long table in the middle of the restaurant, which happened to be PACKED, and therefore, LOUD. There was no way anything was going to be heard. So, we just sat down to a nice dinner instead and viewed the evening as a mingling event. At least the food was great and conversation better. We were in good company as well. That night, in honor of "International Woman's Day, there was a reception for two Congresswomen in the room next door, one of whom was Maxine Waters, Rep. from California.

So, stay tuned for the next forum, which will be two weeks from today, at a much quieter place where we will be able to hear the remarks about this incredibly important topic.

Thank you, Jimmy Carter

2007-02-21T01:17:00.000-08:00

I've been in a lot of discussions lately about Carter's book, Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid. I am so grateful for his book which is indeed effecting his stated aim, to stir debate. I found the below article very interesting, a response to the book from Rabbi Michael Lerner, published on www.tompaine.com

Thank You, Jimmy Carter

Rabbi Michael Lerner

December 06, 2006

Michael Lerner is editor of Tikkun magazine, rabbi of Beyt Tikkun synagogue, which meets in San Francisco and Berkeley, and national chair of the Network of Spiritual Progressives. He is the author of Healing Israel/Palestine (North Atlantic Books, 2003) and of the national best-seller The Left Hand of God: Taking Back our Country from the Religious Right (Harper San Francisco, 2006).

Jimmy Carter was the best friend the Jews ever had as president of the United States.

He is the only president to have actually delivered for the Jewish people an agreement (the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt) that has stood the test of time. Since the treaty, there have been bad vibes between Israel and Egypt, but never a return to war, once Israel fully withdrew from the territories it conquered in Egypt during the 1967 war.

To get that agreement, Carter had to twist the arms of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat. Sometimes that is what real friends do—they push you into a path that is really in your best interest at times when there is an emergency and you are acting self-destructively.

When the U.S. government is following a self-destructive policy, even a policy backed by people in both major political parties, its best friends are those who try to change its direction and are not afraid to offer intense critique. That’s why a majority of Americans, and 86 percent of American Jews, voted in the 2006 midterm elections to reject Bush’s war in Iraq and his policies suspending habeas corpus and legitimating wire-tapping and torture. Not because we were disloyal, but precisely because we love America enough to challenge its policies even when Vice President Cheney questions our loyalty. We know that critique is often an essential part of love and caring.

That is precisely what Jimmy Carter is trying to do for Israel and the Jewish people in his new book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.

So it’s astounding to see the assault on Carter that has been launched by the ADL chair Abe Foxman, law professor Alan Dershowitz and a bevy of other representatives of the Jewish community. I recently received a mailing from our local Jewish Community Relations Council containing four such attacks on Carter, with zero representation of American Jews who support the Israeli peace movement.

Of course, any selection of facts is always going to be a choice, and those who buy the mainstream narrative of either the Palestinian or Israeli partisans are going to be unhappy with moments in which their narrative is not the dominant one in this book.

Carter recognizes the mistakes on both sides—precisely what the “You are either for us or against us” crowd in both camps cannot stand. Nuance, recognition that both sides have at times been insensitive to the legitimate needs of the other, insistence that both sides need to take steps that are currently rejected (by Hamas in the Palestinian world, by the Israeli government in the Jewish world—this is what makes for rational discussion.

Here’s an easy way to tell an extremist on Israel/Palestine issues: Just ask that person if he or she can list at least three terrible errors his/her side has made in this struggle, errors that deserve moral condemnation. If they can’t, chances are that no amount of evidence or moral reasoning is ever going to open their minds.

Instead, you’ll hear Palestinians who talk about their own refugee status but never acknowledge that, when Jews were refugees trying to escape the Holocaust in Europe, the Palestinian leadership convinced the British to not allow any Jews to come to Palestine. Nor will they talk about the human suffering that results when Palestinian terrorists explode bombs in cafes, movie theatres or dance halls in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Or you’ll hear the right-wingers in the Jewish crowd claiming, quite mistakenly as we’ve demonstrated in Tikkun, that Palestinians rejected a reasonable deal presented to them at Camp David in 2000. They’ll make the equally absurd claim that the Gaza pull-out of troops in 2005 “gave the Palestinians what they’ve been asking for and yet they continue to fight.” In fact, the Palestinian Authority had pleaded with Sharon not to pull out unilaterally but to negotiate an end to the occupation of both Gaza and the West Bank, recognizing that negotiations would give credence to the Palestinian Authority for being able to deliver something in return for the nonviolent stance it had taken since the death of Arafat, while unilateral withdrawal would give Hamas an important chip (which it was able to use to parlay itself to electoral victory, claiming that it was their violence that had driven the Israelis out). Similarly, the apologists for the current policies of the State of Israel simply ignore the ongoing suffering that constitutes collective punishment for the entire population of Palestine when Israel cuts off food and funds and allows tens of thousands of people in the Occupied Territories to suffer from malnutrition. The partisans always have to see themselves as “righteous victims” and the other side as “the evil other.”

Carter does not claim that Israel is an apartheid state. What he does claim is that the West Bank will be a de facto apartheid situation if the current dynamics represented by the construction of the wall, by the passage of discriminatory legislation and by the inclusion of racists in the leadership—most recently that of pro-ethnic cleansing Israeli Cabinet member Avigdor Lieberman—continue. The only way to avoid Israel turning into an apartheid state is a genuine peace accord.

In an interview that will appear in the January issue of Tikkun magazine, Carter points out that he is “not referring to racism as a basis for Israeli policy in the West Bank, but rather the desire of a minority of Israelis to occupy, confiscate and colonize Palestinian land.” To enforce that occupation of Palestinian land, Israel has built in the West Bank separate roads for Jewish settlers and Palestinians, built separate school systems, has totally different allocations of money, water, food and security for each population, wildly privileging the Jewish settlers and discriminating against the Palestinians whose families have lived there for centuries.

What Carter is arguing is that the best interests of Israel and the United States are not served by the current policies. Some still cling to the fantasy that holding on to land in the West Bank will improve Israeli security, but, as the recent war with Hezbollah conclusively showed, increasing sophistication of military technologies makes holding land no serious barrier for those who wish to send rockets and bombs hundreds of miles away.

The only real protection for a small country like Israel is to have good relations with its neighbors, and that is precisely what the occupation systematically undermines. The Geneva Accord provides a good foundation for the lasting peace both sides say they want. And it will eventually provide the foundations for any settlement: the creation of a Palestinian state on almost all of the West Bank and Gaza, with full control of its own borders; full recognition and security agreements for Israel with all of its neighbors; joint coordination on security and anti-terrorism between Israeli and Palestinian police and military forces; reparations for Palestinian refugees; and a peace and reconciliation process that dispels the lies and propaganda that have become “accepted truths” in the diaspora communities of both Jewish and Arab worlds.

Jimmy Carter is speaking the truth as he knows it, and doing a great service to the Jews.

Unfortunately, this peace is impeded by the powerful voices of AIPAC and the mainstream of the organized Jewish community, who manage to terrify even the most liberal elected officials into blind support of whatever policy the current government of Israel advocates. Ironically, this blind support has had the consequence of pushing many morally sensitive Christians and Jews to distance themselves from the Jewish world, which makes blind support for Israeli policies the litmus test of anti-Semitism. Younger Jews cannot safely express criticisms of Israeli policy without being told that they are disloyal or “self-hating,” and elected officials tell me privately that they agree with Tikkun’s more balanced “progressive Middle Path” which is both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine. But we’ve found that even Jews in the mainstream media have ignored or condemned our new organization, The Network of Spiritual Progressives, which is, among other things, trying to be an interfaith alternative to AIPAC.

It’s time to create a new openness to criticism and a new debate. Jimmy Carter has shown courage in trying to open that kind of space with his new book, and he deserves our warm thanks and support.

Hotel Rwanda and Saddam's Mass Graves

2007-02-18T19:25:00.000-08:00

My dear friend from grad school, Sara Farley, works for the World Bank and is also a consultant for the African Development Bank, with whom she's on the continent right now doing assessments. She shared with me her experience at visiting Hotel Rwanda--a chilling account and to me, a vivid reminder of the Kurdish mass graves I saw in Northern Iraq. We had to observe the graves during the period they were uncovered to collect data for Saddam's trial. A horrid scene--two of the estimated twelve mass graves were exposed--one of men and the other of women and children. The men were shot by machine gun and then bulldozed into the grave while the women and children shot at close range right at the back of the head. It's difficult to explain the emotions surveying a scene like that and now Sara has had a similar experience. I've included the poem I wrote about my experience below Sara's account.

Thursday, February 9, 2007

A driver told me on Monday that all roads in Rwanda lead to only three places: up the mountain, around the mountain, or down the mountain. Yesterday my hilly journey took me down the mountain, down to the very lowest possible place.

For two days I have been under the watchful care of the Dean of the Agriculture University within the National University of Rwanda. Through his contacts, I had 25 different interviews. I saw fish firms and met acquculturists, talked to coffee farmers and met the heads of farmer cooperatives, and spoke with the Dean of the only Medical School here. I even attended a celebration for the School of Crop Science (where I had to give an impromptu speech about Rwanda’s future crop scientists “…And may your harvests be bountiful!” I must have sounded like a Pilgrim). I even met luminaries—the Ministers of course, but more importantly, the first ever Ms. National University (think Ms. America but more gracious, enrolled in the crop science Bachelors program, and without the swimsuit), and the Pride of Rwanda—a young girl (she couldn’t have been more than 20) who has developed a perfect sense of taste for coffee. She works as something called a cupper on the big new Quality Coffee Cooperative. She tastes over 150 cups of coffee a day to score them and determine which export markets are likely to buy individual coffee harvests based on the level of quality her talented taste buds assess.

The Dean insisted, however, that my visit to Rwanda wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t go to the genocide memorial outside of Butare. I had wanted the opportunity, so I happily agreed to the trip between field interviews. What I saw there yesterday is something I will never forget, no matter that I already wish it were possible.

High on a mountain outside of a small village called Murambi sits a technical and vocational school much like any of the same such schools that dot the countryside across Rwanda. 24 class rooms still stand clustered near a large dining hall within an easy walk of the village. In April 1994 as the genocide was reaching a fevered pitch, Murambi became the site of one of the worst single events of planned killing. The chaos in the surrounding area meant confusion for most people—where to go, who to trust, how to find safety in the night for children and mothers. Officials told villagers the technical school would be used as a dormitory until peace came. Instead, machetes, clubs studded with nails, axes, and guns met the babies, children, men and women—55,000 in total—at Murambi.

“You must be strong to see this,” the Dean warned. “But you’ve now seen the good in Rwanda this week. To know our country, you must know the bad. You must know this.”

We were met by a stoic Rwandan woman who met our car to lead us to a large pit. She explained this was the site of the septic tank for the school. With the help of the French government, it was unearthed and opened to provide a receptacle for “the needs of the soldiers.” 600 bodies were dumped inside of it the night of the attack on Murambi.

Next we walked toward the classrooms. The Dean warned that unlike the Genocide museum in Kigali, Murambi is much more “unsanitized.” Since the people that were killed were not buried under ground, the bodies did not decompose. To remember the tragedy, they have been left the bodies in the classrooms for people to see. I felt my breath shorten as I walked across the bright green grass in the glaring sun toward the first bank of six rooms.

Bodies? How many? What will they look like? Are they covered? Should I be here?

We walked through the open door of the first classroom. Three rows of six cots 12 inches off the ground lay in the room. On top of each cot 15 maybe 20 bodies lay side by side. Covered in a white powdery preservative, the bodies looked more skeletal with creased dove-white leather skins than corpses. I looked at the first room fighting to maintain some kind of mental divide between dead people and these white-washed prunes that I saw. One room. Two rooms. At the third room I felt the divide I’d tried to erect in my mind crumble as I heard a moan and a loud gasp. The sound came from my own mouth as an almost autonomic reflex when I panned the bodies to find a baby on the cot nearest to the door—the white substance his tiny body was caked in hadn’t permeated all of his hair. The black tight curls looked so healthy, so real, so undeniably human.

“You see there where the machete cut his head?” asked the Dean pointing to another child lying next to the one I was staring at.

In a single second I was in a room of 100 brutally murdered people. Crushed skulls from axe wounds, missing limbs, fingers and mouths frozen in the terrified moments when a mother reaches to shield her child, a father grips his wife’s hand as death comes…

The woman escorting us through the memorial wrapped her arms around me, hearing the sobs I couldn’t contain. I cried in her arms surrounded by her dead friends, her dead father, her dead children. “I am so sorry, I am so sorry, I am sorry…” the only words that I could utter.

We walked through all 24 rooms, each one an above-ground cemetery. With every room, any iota of faith in human beings as “evolved creatures” capable of morality or empathy dribbled away and down my cheeks. After room 24 the woman escorted me to a tiny latrine and shut the door. I didn’t know what to expect. Did she think I needed to use the bathroom? With the door closed, was it her turn to cry? Time to wipe the mascara off my face? Yes, that must be it.

She took a roll of toilet paper from the cement floor and wrapped a long piece of paper into a little bundle. She knelt to the ground in front of me and began to wash my feet that had become speckled in dirt from the walk through the memorial. In silence, I watched her cleaning me—me this person who did nothing to deserve her compassion for my sadness. No words were exchanged between this woman and me. She spoke in Rwandan to the Dean, he would translate for me. But as we walked out of the restroom, she took my hand in hers. Something in that gesture and the foot washing felt to be as profound a connection as any I’ve had with someone I’ve only just met--empathy and understanding in its purest form.

Out of the restroom an old man met us whose head was horribly disfigured. I learned he was one of only FOUR people to live through the massacre at Murambi that killed 55,000. He began to cry when he saw me and took my other hand. The three of us walked together to a long formal grave. Here the bodies that were too disfigured or decapitated were buried under the ground, four crosses atop a cement slab above them.

I learned that when the French soldiers “arrived” at the site of Murambi they were quick to act: they erected a tennis court above the septic tank that served as the largest of the mass graves and plunged a French flag in the ground. There is no active French embassy in Rwanda today as the Rwandan people are still waiting for any acknowledgement or apology for the role of the French in aiding and abetting those who perpetrated the genocide.

As we drove away from Murambi, down the mountain, little children dressed in the bright blue national school uniform ran after our car screaming, “Mazunga! Mazunga!” (i.e., “Whitey! Whitey!”). We were stopped at a police barricade in the road, the children excited for the opportunity to wave and smile. The police interrogated the driver—“Who is she? Why is she here? Is she French?” The driver assured them that I was not French but rather American, here on an African Development Bank mission. The policeman bid us through the check-point and wished me best of luck in my mission.

I wished him best of luck in his.

~Sara Farley
Hotel des Mille Collines Kigali (aka Hotel Rwanda)

Sunday, February 11, 2007

After the Afterthoughts…

The biggest impression I take with me as I fly high above the clouds over Rwanda en route to my next destination, Johannesburg, then on to Maputo, is an enduring hope in Rwanda. The creation of the Gacacas—the 10,000 local courts for the prosecution of Category 2 crimes committed during the genocide (i.e., meant to maim and accidentally killed, was forced to kill by a higher authority, assisted someone else in killing) and Category 3 crimes (facilitated racist crimes in preparation for genocide, such as taking property from Hutus)—the massive reforms in education designed to ensure every child has access to basic education and to ICT, and the sheer beauty and happiness observed in the people of Rwanda each validate my cause for hope. It is amazing to me the joie de vivre that lives in societies with incomes below $300 per person per year. Without shoes or regular meals, access to running water or electricity, people still smile, they hug, they laugh, they dance. Man, do they dance. Development in Rwanda is as much about preserving this happiness as it is about ameliorating disease, obliterating hunger, and promoting education.

I wrote in the Memorial Guest Book at Murambi—“Any society that can endure this [the genocide] and survive, can achieve anything.” After meeting the heads of government, universities, the private sector, research institutions and technical schools along with Rwandan entrepreneurs, farmers, physicists, doctors, fishermen, students, drivers, mothers, fathers and children, my optimism for this country only grows.

And here's my poem written November 2004 after seeing the Kurdish mass graves in Ninewa province, Iraq.

Al Hatra

I’m no artist.
I can’t use witty metaphors or paint poignant images of death.
I can only tell you of the smell that burned my nostrils,
Of the searing heat beating down on the already-beaten…
Baking their mangled remains.
I can tell you of the mother clutching her baby through the blanket,
Of the outlines of clothes and shoes once filled with little bodies and little feet,
Clothing adorned with bright colors, elaborate decoration
Impossible to mistake the traditional Kurdish designs…
so many layers as they took all of their possessions with them
the bags crammed with the necessities—
Food, spare clothing for their children.
It’s said they were told they were going for a picnic,
The shots to the back of the head told a different story.

I can tell you of the sickness in my stomach hours later,
The inability to wash myself clean,
To rid myself of this sight, that smell, the sin
I ran to the pool to dive into clean waters—
To Uday’s pool.
Ha, clean is not the word.
How strange to go from the worst of their destructions
To the best of their pleasures.
The extremes make me dizzy.

But who am I to see this?
I am not their loved ones,
I did not suffer their trials, their injustices, their deaths.
I can only shed a tear for them,
And beg God to help me understand,
That the innocent never suffer.
My sympathy goes to the accuser, the afflicter,
Whose self-inflicted punishment
is surely relentless.
The heat…so much more than
Baking sun.

“Shepherd, wash them clean.”

Middle East Engagement Forum a Success

2007-02-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

On February 8th, a colleague and I hosted the first "Middle East Engagement Forum" here in Washington. We had an incredible group of over 20 individuals from various countries, regions, and religions, who contributed to substantive and constructive conversation on Middle East issues. We had the discussion "WorldCafe" style, (http://theworldcafe.com), which if you are not familiar with it, is a wonderful way of eliciting the most constructive and creative ideas and potential from a large group. In just two and a half hours, we just scratched the surface on these topics and there was a feeling of needing more!

I'm looking forward to many more forums and exploring Middle East issues and foreign policy with a conscientious, smart, and energetic group. Here are the results from the meeting..not surprisingly, dealing with the Israel/Palestinian issue was a winner.

Middle East Engagement Forum
February 8, 2007

Reason for starting the forum and our long-term vision:

To be a world-wide network of committed citizens who are bettering the relationship/policies between the Middle East and US.

World Café Discussions: (top 3 reasons in each category bolded.)

Forum Question #1: Why is the Middle East important to you?
# of Stars

Israeli-Palestinian conflict 3
US presence—because we’re there.
September 11, 2001 1
where the action is
A personal connection, my faith, my neighborhood.
philosophy of Islam that drives extremism; fundamentalism; unhealthy expression of Islam; ME culture backsliding into fundamentalism. 7
oil-energy 1
not important to others—no national movement
Religious conflict (epicenter) 1
Security issues--terrorism
Cultural misperceptions
Global/local identity (west vs. east; tribe vs. tribe; core vs. gap)
Trillion-dollar war 2
First must define the region: Arab or Muslim? Does it include Iran, North Africa?
The way governments treat their people has implications for everyone. 4
Middle East instability/radicalism affects global security.
Secularism under attack.
America and ME governments: rock and a hard place. 1
Contrast/tension between acceptance and rejection of Western liberties/values/lifestyles.
Jihad vs. McWorld—nation-state under attack 2
Question #2:
How can the US improve its relationship/policies in the Middle East?

Do not impose values. 2
Understand tradition is different than religion. 1
Interact/communicate (town hall meetings) 1
Mediate/facilitate Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Balance our support between the two. 9
Engage more /less?
Fight the ideology 1
Become energy independent
Improve US institutions
Learn more about the language and culture. 5
Improve educational institutions
Mitigate US arrogance. 1
Global community- less cultural isolation
Public diplomacy 2
New leadership-clean start
Work for basic human rights, including women’s rights. 5
Don’t support dictatorships 1
Ask what “they” can do for themselves 7
Break cycle of dependency. 1
NGO/independent initiatives. 1

Question #3: What can we personally do?

Take an interest 1
Try to get Arab news on US cable 2
Educate who we meet—talk to others 4
Travel there! 5
Share information; send emails.
Read the Quran. 2
Educate and inform ourselves. (what are the traditions, terms used, language?) 6
Be open-minded—listen.
Pray 3
Have meetings like this 1
Talk to Janessa. Janessa for President. (Very funny, guys.) 2
Lobby Congress.
Internet. 1
Marry an Arab. 3
Talk with Muslims. (Azim) 3
Visit a mosque. 1
Eat more hummus.
Go green-energy conservation 3
Networking/mobilizing. (Use technology to connect to the M.E. & to community here.
Donate time/labor/$ to human rights initiatives. 2
Political activism 1
Prepare yourself/invest in your specialty/ contribute/be an expert 2
Think critically about media coverage. Look for the positive stories and get the stories OUT. 2
Get rich and give. Follow the money—a lot comes down to resources 2

Large Group Debrief:

Things unexpected:

• Met new neighbors; surprised to learn many Arabs supportive of the US.
• Level of personal interest; so many in DC not jaded.
• Learned lots of diversity within the Arab world
• You can become an expert if you want
• Movement that can start
• Not radical; normal to be engaged and care about these issues.
• Hearing about human rights issues, (such as women not being able to get passports without male consent.)
• Learned form of US democracy may not work; not one size fits all. will take time. What is the right model to use to influence?
• Realized how difficult it is to think of how we can help.

Things that resonated/ideas especially important:

• LISTEN so you can understand the other.
• Personal connections/sharing
• More intelligent conversation.
• Awareness!
• US policy well-intentioned, but uninformed.
• Go there/ travel.
• Be open-minded.
• Use better terminology.
• Learn Arabic/Get Arabic channels.
• Learn more about Islam; go to a mosque.

Ways that this forum can help/be a vehicle.

• Should have a practical goal to work towards
• Cultural exchanges: movie night, book club, field trips, Arab dance lessons
• Networking- meet with other similar groups and individuals.
• Speakers: balanced perspectives who engage the group for discussion (no lectures!)
• More discussions
• To do vs. to be

Nothing is impossible

2007-02-04T20:35:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the Superbowl, with its attendant physical feats, catching and holding onto the unwieldy football in the pouring rain. Even so, the Bears and Colts don't hold a candle, however, to the story of overcoming limitations of Dick and Rick Hoyt. Their story expresses what a determination motivated by selfless love can accomplish--the impossible. Their triumph really hits home since my brother David (pictured here) is mentally disabled and can't speak, but has also defied the doctors' predictions. They said he would unlikely live long, would have physical difficulties throughout his short life, and would never be able to swim or ride a bike. Well, they couldn't have been more wrong. David is still going strong, loves swimming and biking above all else, and has never had any physical problems.

So, what does this have to do with the Middle East? I suppose if Dick, a self-described "porker" who didn't know how to swim could do 212 triathlons pushing and pulling his son, perhaps peace in the Middle East is possible after all. Also, if we viewed "the other" as having real value, whether they're from a different country, a different religion, or a different mental make-up, perhaps they would stop being "the others" and become our friends.

[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]
I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an Institution.''

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was Anything to help the boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. ``There's nothing going on in his brain.''

"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want To do that.''

Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried. ``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore For two weeks.''

That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''

And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.

``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried.

Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii . It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud Getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you Think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best Time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the Time.

``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of the Century.''

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass. , always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.

That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

And the video is below....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE

A Poem to Americans by a Palestinian Youth

2007-01-30T19:51:00.000-08:00

"Eye to Eye"
A Poem to Americans by a Palestinian Youth
By:Gihad Ali
____________ _________ _________ _________ _
Look into my eyes
And tell me what you see
You don't see a damn thing
cause you can't possibly relate to me.
You're blinded by our differences.
My life makes no sense to you.
I'm the persecuted Palestinian.
You are the American red, white and blue.
Each day you wake in tranquility.
No fears to cross your eyes.
Each day I wake in gratitude.
Thanking God he let me rise.

You worry about your education
And the bills you have to pay.
I worry about my vulnerable life
And if I'll survive another day.
Your biggest fear is getting ticketed
As you cruise your Cadillac.
My fear is that the tank that just left
Will turn around and come back.

America, do you realize
That the taxes that you pay
Feed the forces that traumatize
My every living day?
The bulldozers and the tanks
The gases and the guns
The bombs that fall outside my door
All due to American funds.

Yet do you know the truth
Of where your money goes?
Do you let your media deceive your mind?
Is this a truth that no one knows?

You blame me for defending myself
Against the ways of Zionists
I'm terrorized in my own land
And I'm the terrorist
You think that you know all about terrorism
But you don't know it the way I do
So let me define the term for you
And teach you what you thought you knew
I've known terrorism for quite some time
Fifty- four years and more
It's the fruitless garden uprooted in my yard
It's the bulldozer in front of my door
Terrorism breathes the air I breathe
It's the checkpoint on my way to school
It's the curfew that jails me in my own home
And the penalties of breaking that curfew rule
Terrorism is the robbery of my land
And the torture of my mother
The imprisonment of my innocent father
The bullet in my baby brother

So America , don't tell me you know about
The things I feel and see
I'm terrorized in my own land
And the blame is put on me.

But I will not rest, I shall never settle
For the injustice my people endure
Palestine is OUR land and there we'll remain
Until the day OUR homeland is secure

And if that time shall never come
Then they will never see a day of peace
I will not be thrown from my own home
Nor will the fight for justice cease

And if I am killed, it will be for Falasteen
It's written in my breath
So in your own patriotic words
Give me liberty or give me death.

More from Dr. _____

2007-01-29T14:04:00.000-08:00

Inquiring minds want to know, so here is more from our guest blogger, Dr. ______ from Atlanta, GA.

Janessa,

I wouldn't want to disappoint my "fans." After all, Bradley was sure I would reply; so here it is. Let me do the easier ones, first. One of your bloggers wondered about Minister Avigdor Lieberman's expressed policies of "inviting" Palestinians who could not accept Israel as an independent Jewish state, who could not pledge allegiance to the Israeli flag, who could not sing the Israeli National Anthem, who could not follow Israel's "Jewish" laws, to relocate to the hoped-for future Palestinian state. Although this is not a tenet of Zionism, having a Jewish state is. And it is Israel's right, as it is that of all other countries, to enact immigration laws and limitations, and to develop economic incentive programs, to work towards maintaining that goal. Furthermore, "transfer" of populations has been an oft-repeated occurrence in the past: Germans out of Czechoslovakia after W.W.II; Muslims out of India, into Pakistan, and vice versa; Pakistanis out of Bangladesh; Tibetans out of China; Eritreans out of Ethiopia; Jews out of Iran, etc. Nevertheless, "transfer" of populations is not the policy of the government of Israel, nor is it supported by the wide majority of the Israeli electorate. Israel is democratic to a fault; this results in the inability of the people to ever elect a majority government. All governments in Israel's history have been coalitions; this, perforce, means including individuals with differing views, but views which have no assurance of being enacted. Such is the case here.

With regard to your question regarding the Beirut Summit, and the offer to recognize Israel, if it met Arab conditions, there were a number of obstacles. First, the whole initiative came out of a discussion with journalist Thomas Friedman. It was only at his behest that Saudi Arabia introduced it at the summit. Secondly, Prime Minister Sharon requested that he be invited to the summit, so that he could meet and discuss the offer, face to face. His request was denied; none of the leaders of the Arab states would recognize, or meet with the Israeli Prime Minister, (in stark contrast with Sadat's journey to Jerusalem, which was the single most important factor that initiated the peace agreement with Egypt that resulted in the return of all land Egypt lost in 1967.) How could they then be trusted to follow up any agreement they might sign? Most troubling, however, was the insistence in the Saudi initiative, of the Palestinian "right of return" to Israel proper. This is, and always will be, a non-starter, for it would mean the end of Israel as a Jewish state. Suicide is non-negotiable.

Now for the most difficult part: What is the best way to achieve a just and lasting peace? It has often been repeated that you make peace with your enemies, not your friends. What is left unsaid, however, is that both sides must want to make peace. The Israelis have excellent reason to believe that they do not, at this time, have a protagonist with whom they can make peace. To change that perspective, the Arabs must give Israel the one thing that is non-negotiable - security. To do that, the Egyptians and Jordanians must live up to their commitments and treaties. This would involve an end to incitement against Israel in the media, and in the schools and universities; an end to the embargo on educational and commercial exchanges; an end to support of anti-Israel movements in the U.N., and around the world. The Palestinians would have to do the same, and more. There are signed agreements, at Oslo, and the U.S. "roadmap". All of them require the Palestinians to recognize the legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish state, and, first and foremost, to end violence and incitement. This the Arabs have steadfastly refused to do, whether it was Arafat, Hanieh, or Abbas; whether it was unwillingness or inablity; Israelis continue to be under the gun, and continue to die.

What to do? For the Palestinians:
Do not insist on maximalist goals. Do not expect immediate results. Use the enormous sums of foreign aid not for bombs and rockets, but to build a national infrastructure, farms, schools, hospitals, bridges. Develop commerce and industry. Make a 100%, transparent effort to prevent terror attacks, and rocket attacks by disarming the extremists, and jailing, indefinitely, those who refuse to comply. Change the school curricula, the summer camp activities and songs. Stop teaching hatred of Jews, glorification of "martyrs", to the people, especially the children. Stop dancing on rooftops when Israel is attacked by others, and stop asking Iran to "nuke" Israel. Make it clear at the U.N. that anti-Israel resolutions are no longer "de rigeur", or even acceptable. That the Iranians, Malaysians, Indonesians, etc. do not speak for the Palestinians. That they no longer intend to flood Israel with returning refugees, but will re-settle them within their own boundaries, with Israeli compensation. And they will have to do this on whatever land the Israelis are willing to let them control, for a period of time, perhaps a generation (25 years), during which there will have to be a gradual building of trust.

For the Israelis:
They will have to allow the Palestinians to set up a self-governing entity. They will have to abandon settlements that have been established within that entity, or require those Israelis who wish to stay within the settlements to be subject to Palestinian law. Israel will have to give economic and socio-political support to the Palestinian entity, and compensation for re-settlement of returning refugees. They will have to trade with, and allow the Palestinians to have access to the outside world (when the Israelis can be assured that the freedom will not be used to import arms, and fighters.) They will have to give the Palestinians free access to their holy sites in Jerusalem (as soon as they can be sure that they will not use the freedom to bomb restaurants, and throw stones down on worshippers at the Western Wall).

If, and when, the Israelis no longer fear for their survival, issues such as the final disposition of Jerusalem, final borders of Israel and the Palestinian state, compensation for Jewish refugees from Arab lands, nuclear-free zones, and others, will be much more amenable for discussion and agreement.

Now about Iran, and Ahmadinejad..............

Speaking of Faith

2007-01-25T11:36:00.000-08:00

A friend forwarded me the below link to a recent program on the NPR show, Speaking of Faith, entitled "No More Taking Sides". I thought it especially pertinent given the divergent views I've been sharing on the blog. I listened to it and it brought tears to my eyes. What this group is doing is going beyond religion, power, and differences to find their common humanity. In these instances of family members who have lost loved ones, it's their shared pain that unites them. But we can all find that bond that connects us as human beings and enables us to work beyond misunderstandings, hatred, and coldness.

Here's the link to the podcast and radio program:

http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/nomore/

Below is a letter that the Israeli woman interviewed on the program sent to the Palestinian family who killed her son.

Letter to the Family of the Palestinian Sniper Who Killed David Damelin
by Robi Damelin

This for me is one of the most difficult letters I will ever have to write. My name is Robi Damelin, I am the mother of David who was killed by your son. I know he did not kill David because he was David, if he had known him he could never have done such a thing.

David was 28 years old, he was a student at Tel-Aviv University doing his Masters in the Philosophy of Education, David was part of the peace movement and did not want to serve in the occupied territories. He had a compassion for all people and understood the suffering of the Palestinians, he treated all around him with dignity. David was part of the movement of the Officers who did not want to serve in the occupied territories but nevertheless for many reasons he went to serve when he was called to the reserves.

What makes our children do what they do, they do not understand the pain they are causing, your son by now having to be in jail for many years and mine who I will never be able to hold and see again or see him married, or have a grandchild from him. I cannot describe to you the pain I feel since his death and the pain of his brother and girlfriend, and of all who knew and loved him.

All my life I have spent working for causes of co-existence, both in South Africa and here. After David was killed I started to look for a way to prevent other families both Israeli and Palestinian from suffering this dreadful loss. I was looking for a way to stop the cycle of violence, nothing for me is more sacred than human life, no revenge or hatred can ever bring my child back. After a year, I closed my office and joined the Parents Circle - Families Forum. We are a group of Israeli and Palestinian families who have all lost an immediate family member in the conflict. We are looking for ways to create a dialogue with a long term vision of reconciliation.

After your son was captured, I spent many sleepless nights thinking about what to do, should I ignore the whole thing, or will I be true to my integrity and to the work that I am doing and try to find a way for closure and reconciliation. This is not easy for anyone and I am just an ordinary person not a saint. I have now come to the conclusion that I would like to try to find a way to reconcile. Maybe this is difficult for you to understand or believe, but I know that in my heart it is the only path that I can choose, for if what I say is what I mean it is the only way.

I understand that your son is considered a hero by many of the Palestinian people, he is considered to be a freedom fighter, fighting for justice and for an independent viable Palestinian state, but I also feel that if he understood that taking the life of another may not be the way and that if he understood the consequences of his act, he could see that a non-violent solution is the only way for both nations to live together in peace.

Our lives as two nations are so intertwined, each of us will have to give up on our dreams for the sake of the future of the children who are our responsibility.

I give this letter to people I love and trust to deliver, they will tell you of the work we are doing, and perhaps create in your hearts some hope for the future. I do not know what your reaction will be, it is a risk for me, but I believe that you will understand, as it comes from the most honest part of me. I hope that you will show the letter to your son, and that maybe in the future we can meet.

Let us put an end to the killing and look for a way through mutual understanding and empathy to live a normal life, free of violence.

Dr. _______'s Reply

2007-01-21T18:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Ms. Gans,

I have read your blog, and I remain unconvinced. The conflict is only over "land" if you accept the Arab point of view, that it is ALL the land; or as they put it, "every inch of Muslim soil" must be clean of Jews, or, at least, not under Jewish sovereignty. You are disingenuous when you print maps starting in 1946, ignoring the map of Mandatory Palestine given to Britain in 1917, and of which 2/3 was given by Britain to Abdullah to form his Arab country he chose to call Trans-Jordan, but which was, and is comprised of a population which is 78% Palestinian. You are disingenuous when you print maps of 1949, and 2000, without clearly stating that the reason for the shrinking "Palestinian" land is because the Arabs launched war after war against the Jewish state, with the aim of "pushing the Jews into the sea" (see : The Palestinian National Covenant, and G.A. Nasser); and they lost the wars; and they lost land. Should repeated aggression in an effort to "get it all" remain without consequences? It is their rejection of a Jewish state in the area, within any borders, that is the cause of the occupation, not the frustrated desire for a Palestinian state. They could have had that in 1948, 1967, 2000, and many times in between. The land that you demand that Israel return was under Arab control before 1967. That did not prevent war then? Why should anyone believe that it would prevent further fighting after they got back whatever? One needs only look at the string of broken promises to find grounds for pessimism. The latest example would be the "ceasefire" that Hamas and Fatah signed with Israel last November for Gaza. Since that "ceasefire" more than 90 rockets have been fird into Israel, (without an Israeli response, I would add.) After the 1948 ceasefire, the Arabs agreed to a U.N. guarantee that Jews would have access to their holy sites, particularly in eastern Jerusalem. The Arabs reneged, and the U.N. turned a blind eye for 19 years. Why would you think this would not happen again if Israel allowed its holy city to be divided again?

What, historically, or legally makes the land in dispute "Palestinian"? There has never existed a country called Palestine. The only time in history that the land under dispute was governed as a state by the people inhabitting it was when it was the biblical Jewish state, under Jewish governance. From the 19th Century, until Israel gained its independence, when the world spoke of "Palestinians", it was referring to the Jews of the province or mandate of Palestine. Morally, ethically, the land should be shared. Those who lived there, farmed there, under foreign sovereignty for the last 2000 years should have some claim. But so do the Jews.

I am surprised that you have never met a Palestinian that was anti-Jewish. How many Palestinians have you met? Because in the copious copies of documented information below, you will read of reams of hateful speech by and to Palestinians, and teachings to radicalize children in western supported UNRWA schools.

Israel is in an existential battle. As goes Israel, so go the remaining Jews of the world. The Arabs know it. The anti-Semites know it. And you know it. Many Jews know it as well, and that is why they publically support the democratically elected government of Israel in its policies. Within Israel, and within Jewish communities in the diaspora, there is much disagreement and discussion. But the government represents the will of the electorate; and thus is deserving of our support. When outside governments choose to criticize only Israeli policies, it is with the aim of deligitimizing the only Jewish state on the face of the earth. That is what makes such unique criticism anti-Semitic.

Introduction:
One of the most meaningful gauges of the integrity of a peace process and its likelihood for success is the degree to which the "peace partners" educate towards peace. It is for this reason that the entire Palestinian Authority (PA) education apparatus, both formal and informal, has been such a dismal disappointment. Instead of seizing the opportunity to educate the future generations to live with Israel in peace, the PA has done everything in its power to teach hatred to young minds.

Making matters worse, the Palestinian Authority has been spreading two clever lies about the schoolbooks that have succeeded in deflecting international pressure for change. This week, at a meeting in Jordan, Nebil Shaath answered Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom's complaint about the schoolbooks saying that the PA has "spent five years" rewriting the books, implying that they are now proper. Then he added, that Israel used the same old Jordanian books for educating the local Arab population "for 30 years", and therefore has no valid complaint to the PA. Many European governments, and many Israelis, have come to the PA's defense, citing these and other arguments.

The truth about the PA schoolbooks is first, that both new and old are far from proper - both include anti-Semitism, de-legitimize Israel's existence and incite to hatred and violence. In the new 6th grade book "Reading the Koran", anti-Semitism is presented openly, as children read about Allah's warning to the Jews that because of their evil Allah will kill them: "...Oh you who are Jews ...long for death if you are truthful... for the death from which you flee, that will surely overtake you ..."In other sections they learn of Jews being expelled from their homes by Allah, and in another Jews are said to be like donkeys: "Those [Jews] who were charged with the Torah, but did not observe it, are like a donkey carrying books..." [Reading the Koran, grade 6. p.20, 23, 78]. This religious based anti-Semitism is the most dangerous, as children are taught that hating Jews is God's choice. And while Islam is not being critiqued, it is very grave that although Islam has positive traditions regarding Jews, the PA educators chose to incorporate only hateful religious traditions.

The new PA schoolbooks that Shaath was so positive about, also teach that Israel has no right to exist, de-legitimizing Israel as a foreign occupier, compared to colonial Britain: "Colonialism: Palestine faced the British occupation after the First World War in 1917, and the Israeli occupation in 1948 ."[National Education, sixth grade, p. 16].
Since all of Israel is said to be an "occupation", all of Israel's cities, regions and natural resources are presented as being part of "Palestine". For example:
"Among the famous rocks of southern Palestine are the rocks of Beersheba and the Negev" and "Palestine's Water Sources - ... The most important is the Sea of Galilee." [Our Beautiful Language, grade 6, Part A, p. 64, National Education, sixth grade, p. 9-10]

The Negev, Beersheba and the Sea of Galilee are in Israel and do not border the disputed territories of Judea and Samaria. Yet PA children are taught these are "Palestine". Continuing this ideology a book is citing dedicated to "...Palestinians, so that they would remember their stolen homeland and work for its salvation..."[Our Beautiful Language, sixth grade, Part A, p. 112] and it is referring, not to the disputed territories, but Israel pre 1967.

Educating not to recognize Israel's existence is cemented through tens of maps in the schoolbooks in which "Palestine" encompass all of Israel. Israel does not exist on any map, within any borders. The PA defense of their schoolbook map, that since there are no final borders the map is not portraying modern "Palestine" but "Mandatory Palestine", is an insult to our intelligence. Are we expected to believe that when Palestinian children see the map called "Palestine" in all their schoolbooks they imagine Britain a half a century ago? And when Beersheba is called Palestine, the children are picturing Biblical history?

Another new book teaches what must be done for "occupied Palestine" and the "stolen homeland": "Islam encourages this [love of homeland] and established the defense of it as an obligatory commandment for every Muslim if even a centimeter of his land is stolen. "I, a Palestinian Muslim, love my country Palestine..." [Islamic Education, sixth grade, Part A, p. 68]

The complete and total message Palestinian children are taught is that Jews, according to Allah, are like donkeys; Israel is a colonial occupier who stole their land; the cities, lakes and deserts of Israel are "occupied Palestine"; and they, the children, have an obligation to liberate it "even if a centimeter is stolen".

All the above messages are found in new schoolbooks written and published by the PA since 2000. The first claim that new PA books are "proper" is flagrantly untrue. However, the majority of the books still in use by the PA schools are books they republish under the symbol of their own Ministry of Education, that were written by Jordan. These books include the following hate promotion:
"One must beware of the Jews, for they are treacherous and disloyal."
[Islamic Education for Ninth Grade p. 79, these and below from CMIP report]
"I learn from this lesson: I believe that the Jews are the enemies of the Prophets and the believers."[Islamic Education, Part Two, for Fourth Grade p. 67]
"Remember: "The final and inevitable result will be the victory of the Muslims over the Jews." [Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade p. 67]
"The clearest examples of racist belief and racial discrimination in the world are Nazism and Zionism. " [The New History of the Arabs and the World, P. 123]

The second great PA lie expressed by Shaath this week, that Israel used these same old books, is particularly resourceful, as the best lies include a grain of truth. Indeed, Israel did use Jordanian books to educate the local Arab population. However, Israel reprinted the books without the hate education. In fact, Jordan registered a complaint to the UN charging that Israel's changing the schoolbooks was a violation of international law, but the UN checked what Israel had done and approved it. The PA has put back into the old Jordanian education all the hate education that Israel had removed.

Moreover, as early as three years ago foreign governments offered money to the PA to reprint these old books without the hateful material. The PA turned down the money and refused to reprint them using a variety of arguments, the first of which was: "Don't get involved in our education - it is our Palestinian heritage." These hateful Jordanian books are republished today unedited by the PA by choice and the PA must stop passing responsibility onto others for the hate content.

Finally it should be stressed that all the books cited here were written during the most optimistic periods of the peace process, before the violence began in September 2000. They are not a reflection of the war, but were a great contributing factor to the war. The ongoing attempts to defend PA schoolbooks are tragic, as the PA is using these arguments to justify their indefensible hate education, and to refuse to improve their books. The PA is planting the seeds of the next war in their youth, and the defenders of PA hate education, including Israelis, are nurturing those seeds of war.

Educating Children to Martyrdom
The concept of educating children to become martyrs occurs regularly in PA sermons. Sheikh Ibrahim Madhi, one of the most popular Imams, is especially vocal on this issue. During one sermon, he repeats the following discussion he had with a child who approached him about becoming a suicide bomber: " A young man said to me: 'I am 14 years old, and I have four years left before I blow myself up'. We, the Muslims on this good and blessed land, are all - each one of us - seekers of Martyrdom. The Koran is very clear on this: The greatest enemies of the Islamic nation are the Jews, may Allah fight them. Blessings for whoever assaulted a soldier. Blessings for whoever has raised his sons on the education of Jihad and Martyrdom; blessings for whoever has saved a bullet in order to stick it in a Jew's head." [13] On another occasion, Madhi stated, " Shame and remorse on whoever refrained from raising his children on Jihad. Blessings to whoever waged Jihad for the sake of Allah; blessings to whoever raided for the sake of Allah; blessings to whoever put a belt of explosives on his body or on his sons' and plunged into the midst of the Jews, crying 'Allahu Akbar, praise to Allah, There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger'. Allah, show us a black day for the Jews, like the day of 'Aad and Thamud. [14] Allah, turn them into pillage for us. Allah, we strive for martyrdom for your sake..." [15]

Even if there was only one Palestinian child left, he or she would sacrifice himself for the sake of Jihad, Madhi stated in another sermon : "Even if they slaughter all of the Palestinian people and the only survivors will be one single Palestinian baby girl and one single Palestinian baby boy, the baby boy will marry the baby girl and they will give birth to the one who will liberate Jerusalem from the defilement of the Jews. While they [the Palestinians] sacrifice the last Palestinian child and the last Palestinian fetus, they [the Arab nations] will satisfy themselves with victories on the soccer courts. It was rightly claimed that a thousand verbal shells cannot compare to one shell made of iron. It was rightly claimed that what was taken by force will be regained only by the use of force. We must prepare ourselves in accordance with the religion of Allah and the Law of Allah. We must educate our children on the love of Jihad for the sake of Allah and the love of fighting for the sake of Allah." [16]

Antisemitism and Calls to Kill Jews
"Annihilating" Jews by Palestinians becoming suicide bombers and "detonating" themselves in their midst, and by saving "a bullet is order to stick it in a Jew's head," are examples of the many calls for killing Jews in Palestinian sermons. Islamic Hadiths are often cited as inspiration for such actions. Sheikh Ibrahim Madhi explained, "Palestine will be, as it was in the past, a graveyard for the invaders - just as it was a graveyard for the Tatars and to the Crusader invaders, [and for the invaders] of the old and new colonialism. A reliable Hadith [tradition] says: 'The Jews will fight you, but you will be set to rule over them.' What could be more beautiful than this tradition? 'The Jews will fight you' - that is, the Jews have begun to fight us. 'You will be set to rule over them' - Who will set the Muslim to rule over the Jew? Allah. Until the Jew hides behind the rock and the tree. But the rock and tree will say: 'Oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, a Jew hides behind me, come and kill him.' Except for the Gharqad tree, which is the tree of the Jews. We believe in this Hadith. We are convinced also that this Hadith heralds the spread of Islam and its rule over all the land. Oh Allah, accept our martyrs in the highest heavens. Oh Allah, show the Jews a black day. Oh Allah, annihilate the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, raise the flag of Jihad across the land. Oh Allah, forgive our sins." [19]

Similarly, Dr. Ahmad Abu Halabiya stated, "O brother believers, the criminals, the terrorists - are the Jews. They are the ones who must be butchered and killed, as Allah the Almighty said: 'Fight them: Allah will torture them at your hands, and will humiliate them and will help you to overcome them. The Jews are like a [gas] pedal - as long as you step on it with your foot, it doesn't move, but if you lift your foot from it, it hurts you and punishes you. This is the case of the Jews." [20]

Within sermons, Jews are commonly referred to as the descendants of pigs and apes, and as calf-worshippers. As Sheikh Ibrahim Madhi stated, "All spears should be directed at the Jews, at the enemies of Allah, the nation that was cursed in Allah's book. Allah has described them as apes and pigs, the calf-worshipers, idol-worshipers. Whoever can fight them with his weapons, should go out [to the battle]; whoever can fight them with a machinegun, should go out; whoever can fight them with a sword or a knife, should go out; whoever can fight them with his hands, should go out; This is our destiny. The Jews have exposed their fangs. Nothing will deter them, except the color of their filthy people's blood; nothing will deter them except for us voluntarily detonating ourselves in their midst. They have nuclear power, but we have the power of the belief in Allah. We blow them up in Hadera, we blow them up in Tel Aviv and in Netanya." [21] On another occasion, Sheikh Madhi added: "Oh beloved of Allah. One of the Jews' evil deeds is what has come to be called 'the Holocaust,' that is, the slaughter of the Jews by Nazism. However, revisionist [historians] have proven that this crime, carried out against some of the Jews, was planned by the Jews' leaders, and was part of their policy. These are the Jews against whom we fight, oh beloved of Allah. On the other hand, [what is our belief] about the Jews? Allah has described them as donkeys." [22]

The Palestinian Authority School Books

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The portrayal of Jews and Israel

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Full Report in Word .Doc Format for Printing
1. Abusive terminology
Overview

A telling measure of a government's genuine interest in peace is the intensity with which it acts to replace hateful stereotypes with positive attitudes. Thus, it is disturbing that the following abusive terminology for Israelis, Jews and Israeli characteristics is being used in Palestinian Authority schoolbooks:

Jews and Israelis are:
Cunning
Deceitful
Treacherous
Disloyal
Wild animals
Jewish aggressors
Robbers
Locust
Thief
Enemy
Thieving conquerors
Thieving enemy
Enemy of prophets and believers

Israel and Israeli characteristics include:

A provocation to the Arab world
A racist Jewish administration
Zionist enemy
Oppressors
Occupied Palestine
Israeli danger
Zionist entity
Zionist greed
Zionist occupation

The map that replaces all of Israel with:

Palestine

Israeli regions cities and towns are:

"Israeli settlements in Galilee in northern Palestine"

Israel's Negev is:

"Southern Palestine"

2. The Evil Enemy
a. Overview
Palestinian Authority school children are actively taught that the Jews and Israel are the enemy in a broad range of contexts. The school texts portray the Jew as the enemy of believers, the enemy of Islam, the enemy of the Arabs, as well as generally evil and dangerous. Jews are killers and robbers and have stolen Arab land. Modern events are misrepresented to portray Israel and Jews as the evil force in their world. Zionism is equated to Nazism. Together they are depicted as the prototype examples of racism. These themes also appear regularly on PA television.

b. The Evil Enemy

a.. "Complete the following blanks spaces with the appropriate word:
The Zionist enemy - - [attacked] - - civilians with its aircraft.
[Our Arabic Language, Part II for Third Grade #523, p..9]

a.. "Why do the Jews hate Muslim unity and want to cause division among them? Give an example of the evil attempts of the Jews, from events happening today."
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #745, p. 19]

a.. "The Jews ... have killed and evicted Muslim and Christian inhabitants of Palestine, whose inhabitants are still suffering oppression and persecution under racist Jewish administration."
[Islamic Education for Ninth Grade #589, p. 182]

a.. "Who is the thief who has torn our homeland?"
[Our Arabic Language for Sixth Grade Part I, #553, p. 15]

a.. "Write in your exercise book: An event showing the fanaticism of the Jews in Palestine against Muslims or Christians."
[Islamic Education for Ninth Grade #589, p. 182]

a.. "One must beware of the Jews, for they are treacherous and disloyal."
[Islamic Education for Ninth Grade #589, p. 79]

A section on Zionism is entitled:

a.. "Zionist Greed."
['Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part II, for Tenth Grade #613, p. 49].

Even racism is defined through the Jews, while Nazism and Zionism are equated:

a.. "Racism: Mankind has suffered from this evil both in ancient as well as in modern times, for, indeed, Satan has, in the eyes of many people, made their evil actions appear beautiful... Such a people are the Jews..."
[Islamic Education for Eighth Grade #576, p. 95]

a.. "The clearest examples of racist belief and racial discrimination in the world are Nazism and Zionism."
[Modern Arab History for Twelfth Grade, Part I #648, p. 123]

a.. "Understanding the racist and aggressive character of the Zionist Movement. Summary of the similarity between Nazism, Fascism and Zionism."
[Modern Arab History for Twelfth Grade, Part I #648, p. 92]

c. Islamic Sources used to Create Stereotype

At times, the offensive portrayal is based on Islamic sources. The children are taught to apply the traditional narratives to hateful teachings regarding Jews and Israelis today. Five examples:

a.. "I learn from this lesson: I believe that the Jews are the enemies of the Prophets and the believers."
[Islamic Education, Part II, for Fourth Grade #531, p.67]

a.. "From the Uhud expedition... a number of lessons can be learned...: Treachery and disloyalty are character traits of the Jews and therefore one should beware of them."
[Islamic Education for Ninth Grade #589, p. 87]

a.. "The Jews adopted a position of hostility and deception towards the new religion. They called Muhammad a liar and denied him, they fought against his religion in all ways and by all means, a war that even today has not yet ended , and they conspired with the hypocrites and the idolaters against him and they are still behaving in the same way..."
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #745, p. 125]

a.. "In many cases these Jews acted according to their known cunning and deceit, and they incited wars [between Arab tribes]..."
[Islamic Education for Ninth Grade #589, p. 78]

a.. "Lessons to be learned: One must beware of civil war, which the Jews try to incite, and of their scheming against the Muslims."
[Ibid. #589, p. 94]

d. Misrepresentation of modern events

Modern events are misrepresented to portray Israel as active in an ongoing attack against Islam and the Arabs. Two examples: In 1969 an Australian [non-Jew] set the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on fire. Yet, the children are taught that Israel is responsible.

a.. "This arson is a further chapter in the Zionist plot, whose aim is to take control of this Islamic holy place, the Dome of the Rock and the whole area of the Jerusalem sanctuary and to destroy all that is holy to Islam."
[Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #578, p. 97]

The Zionist movement has never called for the expulsion of Israel's Arab citizens. Yet the books teach that Zionism calls for this "expulsion":

a.. "Zionism is a political, aggressive and colonialist movement, which calls for the Judaisation of Palestine by the expulsion of its Arab inhabitants ...
[Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part Two, for Tenth Grade #613, p. 49]

3. Denial of Legitimacy
a. Overview
The Palestinian Authority school books have erased Jews from all contexts in Israel that are not negative and have even fabricated viciously racist statements, attributing them to Jewish sources.

PA books describe Muslim and Christian religious, historical, and archeological sites but omit any reference to Jewish sites. Tourists who visit are Christian and Muslim but there is no mention of the Jewish tourists. The Western Wall of the Temple is called "al-Buraq Wall" but there is no mention of its Jewish history.

A history book describes World War II, Hitler and Nazi racism while ignoring the Jews and the Holocaust.

World History on Modern Times for Eighth Grade #586, pp. 34-45]

b. Fabrication of racist "Talmudic quote"

"It is mentioned in the Talmud: "We [the Jews] are God's people on earth...[God] forced upon the human animal and upon all the nations and the races that they serve us, and He spread us through the world to ride on them and hold their reigns. We must marry our beautiful daughters to kings, ministers and lords and enter our sons into the various religions, thus, we will have the final word in managing the countries. We should cheat them and foment quarrels among them, so that they fight each other... Non Jews are pigs whom God created in the shape of man in order that they be fit for the service of the Jews, and God created the world for them [the Jews]."

[Modern Arab History for Twelfth Grade, Part I #648, p. 120]

c. Denial of Jewish nationhood

As part of the overall de-legitimization, the books deny the continuity of the Jewish nation and its place in Israel, by severing modern Jewry and modern Israel from their history in the land. The children are taught that the Jews are not a nation, but rather, a religious group:

"The Jewish Question:
Zionist thinkers suggested a number of solutions to the problem of the non- integration of the Jews in the societies in which they were living in Eastern Europe... The Jews deluded themselves that their religious faith was sufficient to turn them into one nation. Their thinkers sought to find a national homeland for the Jews, similar to other nations."

[Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part II, for Tenth Grade #613, p. 49]

d. Denial of ancient Jewish history

Thousands of years of Jewish history and traditions and 2,000 years of yearning to return to the land of Israel, are likewise brushed away with:

a.. "The Zionists turn[ed] their attention towards Palestine as the national homeland of the Jews, while relying on false historical and religious claims."
[Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part II, for Tenth Grade #613, p. 50]

e. Denial of modern Jewish history

The establishment of the state of Israel is portrayed not as the authentic Jewish national movement but as a colonialist anti-Arab plot to split the Arab world. Though similar to imperialism, the chart below shows that it is far worse:

a.. "The colonial powers regarded the Zionist Movement as the means for the attainment of their greedy colonial aspirations and saw Palestine as the base for the setting up of a Jewish state, thus tearing the Arab Homeland asunder and imposing their rule on it in order to exploit its natural resources. The European colonial powers spread the idea of Zionism among the Jews...."
[Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part II, for Tenth Grade #613, p. 48]

a.. "The difference between Zionism and Imperialism:"
Zionism Imperialism
Zionism is not linked to land or country Colonies are an extension of the motherland
A tool for establishing a non-existent State A tool and means for serving a state which exists in effect
Believes in the elimination of the original inhabitants Imperialistic behavior has not gone as far as the elimination of original inhabitants.
Settlement based on the foundation of false religious and historical rights Based on foundations of economic interests

[Modern Arab History for Twelfth Grade, Part I #648, p. 123]

Furthermore, Israel's legitimacy is denied from the first international recognition until today:

a.. "the Balfour Declaration [to establish a Jewish state- ed] is regarded as illegal..."
[Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part II, for Tenth Grade #613, p. .51]

Israel is still called:

a.. "Occupied Palestine."
[Ibid. #613, p. 95]

f. Denial of religious history

When the schoolbooks discuss sites of religious, historical, archeological and tourist interest, Muslim as well as Christian sites are included, but Jewish sites are ignored. Even the Jews' connection to the remnant of their holiest site, the Western Wall of the Temple, is denied:

a.. "The Jews claim that this is one of the places belonging to them and call it "The Western Wall", but this is not so."
[Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #578, p. 103]

a.. "Jerusalem: I have many Islamic holy places and antiquities. This is al-Aqsa Mosque and this is the Dome of the Rock...To the west of the holy mosque you can see a vast stone wall called 'al-Buraq Wall', [Western Wall of the Temple -ed] to which the angel Gabriel, peace be upon him, tied the beast of the Prophet Muhammad on the night of his journey [to heaven -ed]..."
"As for my Christian holy places - the most famous of them are 'The Church of al-Qiama' [Holy Sepulchre-ed], next to the mosque of 'Umar ibn al Khatab, and the church of 'al-Juthmana' opposite al-Isbat Gate, outside the wall."
[Palestinian National Education for Third Grade #529, p. 14]

"Questions: ...
Write down the names of the Islamic holy places in Jerusalem.
Write down the names of the Christian holy places in Jerusalem."

[ibid. #529 Page 15]

a.. "The importance of Palestine arises from the fact that Allah has chosen it to be the centre of religions. It is the place where the Nazarene, 'Jesus the son of Mary, peace be upon him, was born and it is the place to which Muhammad, prayer and peace be upon him, was made to journey... Thousands of Christians come to Palestine in order to perform their religious duties ..."
[Palestinian National Education for Fourth Grade #539, p.5]

a.. "Tourists from all over the world come to Palestine to visit its holy religious places... Muslims come to visit the first Qibla [direction of prayer] .... Christians come to visit Bethlehem, the birthplace of the Lord Messiah and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem..."
[Ibid. #539, p. 23]

g. Creation of Palestinian history

After erasing and ignoring Jewish history in Israel, it is replaced by the creation of an ancient Palestinian history":

a.. "Dear pupil, do you know who the Palestinians are? The Palestinian people are descended from the Canaanites."
[Palestinian National Education for Fifth Grade #550, p. 19]

To create a connection to Jerusalem before it was Israel's capital, the school books teach that the inhabitants of Jerusalem before the Jews were Arabs:

a.. "Jerusalem is an ancient Arab city, built by the Jebusite Arabs before Islam... "
[Islamic Education for Eighth Grade #576, p. 50]

a.. "Jerusalem: I am an ancient city, thousands of years old. I occupy a mountain plateau in the center of Palestine... My most ancient name, Jebus, is derived from the ancient Arabs, the Jebusites."
[Palestinian National Education for Third Grade #529, p. 12]

a.. Our Master Abraham
"Abraham was a Muslim monotheist and was not from among the idolaters".
[Islamic Education for Fifth Grade #540, p143]

4. Israel must be fought through Jihad (Holy War)
a. Call to fight Israel
The calls to fight and eliminate Israel through Jihad (Holy War) and Martyrdom for Allah, appear frequently in the PA school books. In addition there is a separate recurring theme: the children are taught to fight and conquer Israel's capital, Jerusalem.

a.. "Know, my son, that Palestine is your country... that its pure soil is drenched with the blood of Martyrs... Why must we fight the Jews and drive them out of our land?"
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p. 64-66]

a.. "...there will be a Jihad and our country shall be freed. This is our story with the thieving conquerors. You must know, my boy, that Palestine is your grave responsibility ..."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p. 69-70]

In the poem "Palestine" the children are taught to wage Jihad (Holy War) against Israel:

a.. "My brothers! The oppressors [Israel -ed.] have overstepped the boundary. Therefore Jihad and sacrifice are a duty.... are we to let them steal its Arab nature... Draw your sword... let us gather for war with red blood and blazing fire...Death shall call and the sword shall be crazed from much slaughter... Oh Palestine, the youth will redeem your land..."
[Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #578, p. 120-122]

The books then ask questions to emphasize the message that Israel, the enemy, is to be fought and defeated:

a.. "2. Who are the "oppressors" to whom the poet is referring in the first verse?
3. What is the road to victory over the enemy that the poet mentions?
4.The poet urges the Arabs to undertake Jihad. Indicate the verse in which he does so."
[Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #578, p. 120-122]

a.. "If you look towards the city Jerusalem, you will see the Dome of the Rock with its beautiful golden color, and you will feel you have the responsibility to free the captive Mosque and the mourning Dome from the thieving conquerors."
[Our Arabic Language, Part I, for 4th grade #532, p. 28]

The need to fight Israel, all of which is said to be on "occupied Arab land" becomes a religious imperative, with teachings like the following:

a.. "... if the enemy has conquered part of its land and those fighting for it are unable to repel the enemy, then Jihad becomes the individual religious duty of every Muslim man and woman, until the attack is successfully repulsed and the land liberated from conquest and to defend Muslim honor..."
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #564, p.108]

a.. "What, in your view, is the way to liberate Jerusalem, bearing in mind its liberation by the Muslims in the time of Saladin
[Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #578, p.102]

a.. "Bayonets and Torches
'...In you left hand you carried the Koran,
And in your right an Arab sword...
Without blood not even one centimeter will be liberated
Therefore, go forward crying: 'Allah is great.'"
[Ibid. #578, p. 131-133]

a.. "The poem represents a reality lived by Palestinians. Explain this."
[Ibid. #578 p. 135]

a.. "Poems to Learn by Heart":
'Oh Jerusalem'
If the thief tears our homeland
And our people driven from the land
What is left but to call to Allah ...
Who will take hold the sword, without fear of death...
Or will hold the flag at the head of great victorious army
Lead by Al-Faruk..."[ 'Umar ibn al Khatab' who conquered Jerusalem in 638.]

[Our Arabic Language, Part I for Sixth Grade #553, p. 14]

Questions on Comprehension:
Who is the thief who has torn our homeland?
What, in the poet's opinion, is the way to liberate Jerusalem?
Can Al-Faruk lead an army? Why did the poet mention him?

[Ibid. #553, p. 15]

a.. "Muslims must protect all mosques ... and must wage a Jihad both of life and property to liberate al-Aqsa Mosque from the Zionist conquest"
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #745, p.184]

a.. "Subject for Composition: How are we going to liberate our stolen land? Make use of the following ideas: Arab unity, genuine faith in Allah, most modern weapons and ammunition, using oil and other precious natural resources as weapons in the battle for liberation."
[Our Arabic Language for Seventh Grade, Part I #566, p. 15]

a.. "What must we do to liberate Jerusalem?"
[Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #592, p. 63]

a.. "What can we do to rescue Jerusalem and to liberate it from the thieving enemy?"
[Ibid. #592, p. 99]

a.. "Make use of the following expressions, making logical sentences:
Wise opinion the Zionist danger he called for a Jihad disaster remaining cool-headed."
[Our Arabic Language, Part I for Sixth Grade #553, p.29]

a.. "A Poem of Palestine
To Palestine greetings from Arab hearts...
Who has stubbornly and successfully resisted the chains of the enemies.
For me - the promise of Martyrdom and Palestine is my song
From Jerusalem I shall build my ladder towards eternity."
[Our Arabic Language for Second Grade, Part II #513, p.51]

a.. "The Muslim connects the holiness of al-Aqsa Mosque, and its precincts, with the holiness of the 'Sacred Mosque' and Mecca. Therefore, any aggression against one is an aggression against the other and to defend them is to defend Islam itself. Disregard of the duty in respect of them is a crime for which Allah will punish every believer in God and His Prophet."
[Islamic Education for Eighth Grade #576, p. 50]

a.. "Fill in the appropriate word from among the following: they, he, she: ______ is the commander of the Muslim forces in the capture of Jerusalem."
[Our Arabic Language for Second Grade, Part II #513 p. 42]

b. Impending victory of Islam and the Arabs over Israel and the west

The children are assured through their books that the victory of Islam and the Arabs over the Jews, Israel, the West and all religions are preordained eventualities:

a.. "Know, my son, that Palestine is your country... that its pure soil is drenched with the blood of martyrs ... Just as this sacred soil returned to its owners [in the past], so will it return again thorough your courage and determination..."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, pp. 65-66]

a.. "Our brothers in Arab and Muslim countries felt the danger threatening us and joined with us in a noble Jihad... until the [Arab] Nation recruits its forces and there will be a Jihad and our country shall be freed, by Allah's will."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p.69]

a.. "Remember: The final and inevitable result will be the victory of the Muslims over the Jews."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p. 67]

a.. "This religion will defeat all other religions and it will be disseminated, by Allah's will, through the Muslim Jihad fighters."
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #564, p. 125]

a.. "In the present period, which exceeds all previous periods in the material and scientific advances taking place, social, psychological and medical scientists in the West are perplexed by the worrying increase in the number of people suffering from nervous disorders... and the statistics from America in this matter are a clear indication of this...
There is no escape from [the need for] a new civilization, which will arise in the wake of this material progress, and which will continue it and lift man to the highest spiritual life alongside his material advancement. Will there be such a civilisation? Is there a nation capable of fulfilling such a role? The Western world is not capable of fulfilling this role...There is only one nation capable of discharging this task and that is our nation [Islam]. No one but we can carry aloft the flag of tomorrow's civilisation... We do not claim that the collapse of Western civilization, and the transfer of the center of civilization to us [Islam] will happen in the next decade or two or even in fifty years, for the rise and fall of civilizations follow natural processes, and even when the foundations of a fortress become cracked it still appears for a long time to be at the peak of its strength. Nevertheless [Western civilization] has begun to collapse and to become a pile of debris."

Since the beginning of our reawakening... We awoke to a painful reality and oppressive imperialism and we drove it out of some of our lands and we are to drive it from the rest..."

[Some Outstanding Examples of Our Civilization for Eleventh Grade p 3, 12, 16]

5. Maps: Israel does not exist. Its place is marked - "Palestine."

The Palestinian Authority school books use a map of the Middle East in which Israel does not exist and is replaced in its entirety by a state called "Palestine".

The "New Atlas of the Arab Homeland and of the World for all the Grades" #P- GG-049-98, privately published in Nablus in the Palestinian Autonomy, is approved by the PA for use in the Palestinian Schools.

a.. Under the words "Our Country Palestine", the map shows all of Israel as Palestine
[Palestinian Social National Education for Second Grade #519, p. 21]

a.. Map entitled: "Map of Palestine before and after the war of 1967"
The Purple is defined: "The Arab lands conquered before 1967"

This expression refers to territory of the State of Israel, 1948 to 1967.

The Green is defined: "The Arab lands conquered in 1967"

This expression refers to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

[Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part II, for Tenth Grade #613, p. 66]

The chart in the atlas lists all the countries in the world and their capitals. It includes Palestine whose capital is Jerusalem. Israel is not included.

[Atlas of the Arab Homeland and of the World #P-GG-049-98, p99]

a.. Map entitled: Palestine, Political Map. The three areas are marked West Bank (green), Gaza Strip (green) and Occupied Palestine (yellow).
[Atlas of the Arab Homeland and of the World #P-GG-049-98, p.11]

a.. This map, which accompanies the lesson entitled "Palestine Our Homeland", encompasses all of the State of Israel and specifies numerous Israeli cities: Safed, Acre, Haifa, Tiberias, Nazareth, Bait Shean, Jaffa, Jerusalem and Beer-Sheba.
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p.64]

a.. Palestine is situated at the very heart of the Arab Homeland, in the western part of the Continent of Asia, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea."
[Palestinian National Education for Fifth Grade #550, p. 7]

a.. The following drawing shows a woman waving the Palestinian Authority flag while in the background is a map of "Palestine" in place of all of Israel.
[Palestinian National Education for First Grade #509, p. 11]

a.. Nineteen times in this book, maps mark Israel as "Palestine". [Pages 12 , 20, 23, 36, 48, 50, 53, 55, 61, 66, 72, 73, 75, 80, 81, 88, 90, 115, 124]
[Geography of the Arab Homeland for Sixth Grade #557]

a.. Maps of the Middle East in which Israel does not exist and its area is marked "Palestine" appear on the following pages: 81, 84, 88, 89,103, 107, 109, 110, 120, 122 and 124.
[Social and National Education for Fifth Grade, #549, p. 107]

6. Israeli cities are labeled Palestinian cities Israel is "occupied Palestine."
a. Overview

The entire State of Israel, its cities including its capital Jerusalem, are often treated as "Palestine", "Palestinian" or "occupied Palestine". Events that happened in Israel are often said to have occurred in "Palestine". Israeli industry, such as "the citrus fruit industry" and "oil refineries... in Haifa and Ashdod", are presented as Palestinian industry.

b. Israeli Cities are called Palestinian cities

The following Israeli cities and regions are defined as Palestinian in one or more texts:

Safed, Tiberias, Haifa, Jaffa [a part of Tel Aviv], Ashdod, Nazareth, Beer Sheba, Bet Shean, Lod, Acre, the Negev, Shaar Hagai, Jezreel Valley, the Galilee and Southern Israel. Israel's border with Lebanon is "the border of occupied Palestine."

The following are examples:

a.. "After the River Jordan flows out of the Lake of Tiberias [Galilee] ... it passes on the west the plain of Beit Shean, which leads to the 'Bani 'Amer Valley', which has the best soil in the whole of Palestine..."
[Geography of the Arab Lands for Twelfth Grade #650, p. 49]

The said valley is the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel.

a.. "Explain the following: ...
The plain of 'Bani 'Amer Valley' is the most fertile of Palestine."
[Ibid. #650, p. 55]

The said valley is the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel.

a.. "Know, my son, that Palestine is your country ... its pure soil is drenched with the blood of martyrs because it is a land of glorious battles and wars: in Jerusalem ... in Acre, in Haifa, ... in Shaar Hagay ... and in the Negev."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p.65-66]

All are Israeli cities and regions.

a.. "The Arab Homeland attracts tourism from all over the world. Some of the tourists come to visit the holy places, such as: Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth in Palestine..."
[Geography of the Arab Homeland for Sixth Grade #557, p. 79]

a.. "Map of resorts: Palestine : Haifa " [Israeli city -ed.].
[Geography of the Arab Homeland for Sixth Grade #557, p. 83]

a.. "Question: Jaffa is a Palestinian town captured by the Jews. Name three other Palestinian towns which were captured by the Jews."
[Our Arabic Language for Seventh Grade Part I #566 p.13]

Jaffa is an Israeli city- part of municipal Tel Aviv.

a.. "...There is nothing to remind us, Jaffa still exists ...and our blood is still spattered on its ancient walls while the robbers and the locusts feed off its bare fields...the road is twisting and full of obstacles and long; the faint of heart will not endure long on it. Jaffa, we shall return to you tomorrow..."
[Composition and Summarizing for Eighth Grade #581, p.20]

Jaffa is an Israeli city- part of municipal Tel Aviv.

a.. "Beautiful Jaffa
...And I said: I am enchanted by Jaffa:
How good are the companions of Jaffa
Palestine, O good mother - your daughters are all beautiful and goodly
From afar the wind has borne me to Jaffa...
And I saw Lod spread out in the midst of its wells..."
[Reader And Literary Texts for Ninth Grade Part II #592 p. 33]

Jaffa and Lod are Israeli cities.

c. Israel is "Occupied Palestine".

a.. "Following the growth in the Palestinian presence in Lebanon at the beginning of the 1970's, and its armed uprising against the Israeli occupation of Palestine, Israel acted - in collaboration with the Lebanese Phalange Party - to remove the Palestinians from Lebanon. ... Israel declared that its aim was to remove the danger of attacks of the resistance on Israeli settlements in Galilee in northern Palestine"
[Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part II, for Tenth Grade #613, p. 70]

The Galilee is Northern Israel.

a.. "There is an additional problem arising from the fact that Israel is transferring water from the River Jordan to the south of Palestine."
[Ibid. #613 p. 91]

"These forces, with Israel's help, took control of a number of Lebanese villages close to the border of occupied Palestine."

[Ibid. #613 p. 95]

The expression "These forces" refers to the South Lebanese Army.

a.. "There are migrations which take place because of the desire of the migrants to improve their economic standard of living, such as the migration to the Gulf area, and there are migrations that take place because of duress, such as that which took place from occupied Palestine."
[General Geography for Seventh Grade #569, p 60]

d. Israeli industry is presented as Palestinian industry.

The children are often taught that Israeli industry is Palestinian, as in these examples:

a.. Chart 38: Produce of Fruit Trees in the Arab Homeland: Palestine has the most citrus trees, more than Morocco and Algeria.
[Geography of the Arab Lands for Twelfth Grade #650, p. 142]

a.. Table No. 10: Oil Refineries in the Arab Homeland: "Palestine: 2 oil refineries, refining 132 thousand barrels, in Haifa and Ashdod."
[Ibid. #650 p. 186]

7. Israel's capital, Jerusalem, is called: the capital of the "State of Palestine".
The Palestinian Authority school books teach their children that an independent "State of Palestine" already exists, independence day is celebrated yearly, and Israel's capital Jerusalem, is said to be the capital of "Palestine". Some examples:

a.. "The Capital of Palestine:
Jihad asked the teacher: What is our capital?
The teacher: Jerusalem is our capital.
Jihad: Does it have other names?
The teacher: Yes. The blessed soil...
Questions: What is our capital?
Write [a composition on]: Jerusalem Our Capital."

[Palestinian National Education for First Grade #509, p. 63]

a.. "Exercise: Distinguish between verb and noun clauses: 'The land is our land and Jerusalem is ours.'"
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p.74]

a.. "Determine what is the subject, and what is the predicate, in the following sentences:
'Jerusalem is Arab.'"
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p.167]

a.. "The Proclamation of the Palestinian State: At the nineteenth gathering of the Palestinian National Council in Algiers it declared [the adoption] of a document proclaiming Palestinian independence. The following are extracts from this document: The Palestinian National Council declares in the name of Allah and the Palestinian nation the establishment of the state of Palestine on our Palestinian land whose capital is Jerusalem..."
[Palestinian National Education for Fifth Grade #550, p. 39]

a.. "The Greedy Designs of the Jews in Jerusalem"
"The Jews have clear greedy designs on Jerusalem. They believe that their state is not complete without Jerusalem as its capital, which is what they claim. The proof of this is that their Minister of Defense declared on the third day of the war of 1967, together with the Prime Minister, when both of them were standing by "al-Buraq", which they call the Western Wall: 'We have returned to you, Jerusalem, and we shall never part from you again. You are not just the capital of "Israel", but the capital of the entire Jewish People.'...

Thus do the Jews conspire, before the eyes and ears of the Arabs and the Muslims. What can we do to rescue Jerusalem and to liberate it from the thieving enemy...?

[Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #578, p. 96, 99]

8. Corrupt and Corrupting
"The previous verses have taught that the Israelites strayed from the straight path brought to them by their messenger, Moses, peace be upon him. In consequence they became corrupt and corrupting and were thus given painful punishment..."
[Islamic Education for Eighth Grade #576, p. 79]

"The Situation of the Non-believers

On the Day of Judgment the non-believers shall stand before Allah bowed down, hanging their heads, because of their unbelief and evil deeds, begging Allah to send them back to live in this world once more, so that they might believe in Him and do good deeds, now that they have seen with their own eyes the fearful Day of Judgment and the torments which Allah has prepared for them..."

[Islamic Education for Sixth Grade #551, p. 21- 22]

"Allah sent Moses to his people and sent down to them the Book of the Torah ...

However, later the Israelites rebelled against their Lord and distorted His book. They argued and corrupted the land, and Allah, therefore, threatened them with the torments of the Day of Judgment."

[Ibid. #551, p. .31- 32]

"The verses explain the attitude of the oppressors towards Islam, the religion of Allah, namely that they try to destroy it... and their actions are likened to one who wishes to extinguish the sun by blowing lightly from his weak mouth. Could he succeed in doing such a thing? He could not. This is the situation of the non-believers, for they cannot destroy Islam, no matter how hard they try... This religion will defeat all other religions and it will be disseminated, by Allah's will, through the Muslim Jihad fighters."

[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #745, p. 125]

".. The Treaty of 'Umar... to the Christians in Jerusalem, is a wonderful example of the tolerance of the Muslims in administering the countries, in which they live side by side with those of other religions... These rights have not been contravened, except under the Crusader, colonialist and Zionist conquests. The Jews have destroyed mosques and churches and defiled the holiness of graves. They have killed the Muslim and Christian inhabitants of Palestine, whose inhabitants are still suffering oppression and persecution under racist Jewish administration.
Activity:
Write in your exercise book: ...
6. An event showing the fanaticism of the Jews in Palestine against Muslims or Christians."

[Islamic Education for Ninth Grade #589, p. 181-182]

The Covenant of 'Umar

This refers to the Khalif 'Umar ibn al-Khattab who made a covenant with the inhabitants of Jerusalem under which he promised them their lives, their property and their churches and granted them religious freedom, on condition that they should pay a poll tax to the Muslims and prevent the Jews from living in the city.

[Social And National Education for Fifth Grade #549, p. 63]

III. Education to Jihad - Holy War and Martyrdom
1. Education to Jihad - Holy War
Palestinian Authority (PA) school books praise and encourage the waging of Jihad - Holy War.

a.. "Jihad for Allah is one of the greatest commandments and duties of Islam, the purpose of which is to establish Allah's rule on Earth... Jihad is not an issue of need, necessary only at certain times, rather, it is an ever-present necessity which a Muslim society must never relinquish. Its abandonment brings weakness and humiliation and invites aggression."
[Islamic Education for Twelfth Grade #641, p. 284, 139]

Islam distinguishes between several types of Jihad: Jihad where one puts ones life at risk, Jihad with one's possessions, Jihad by both oral and written word and Jihad by means of mobilizing fighters. Jihad with one's life is the highest level of Jihad:

a.. "Jihad with of one's life: This is by fighting enemies... This is the highest level of Jihad because the Jihad fighter sacrifices himself in accordance with Allah's way for the sake of his religion and to defend his nation...
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #564, p. 107]

The reward for Jihad:

a.. "The reward for shooting an arrow for Allah covers not only the archer, but also he, who made the arrow, as well as he who handed it to the archer..."
[Islamic Education for Twelfth Grade #641, p. 319]

a.. "The Muslim believes in Allah and His Messenger and fights a Jihad for Allah with property and his life in order to please Allah and to earn a place in paradise on the day of resurrection... "
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #564, p. 129]

The punishment for shirking Jihad:

a.. "These verses prove the superiority that is in Jihad for Allah's sake... and warned against evading a Jihad for Allah. ...and a warning to the Muslims not to defy His word nor refrain from Jihad..."
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #564, p. 124]

a.. "Islam has forbidden flight from the battle and regards this as a grave sin.
[Islamic Education for Eighth Grade #576 p. 176]

Jihad is promoted not only in books on Islamic studies, but in grammar, literature and civic studies as well:

a.. "Determine what is the subject, and what is the predicate, in the following sentences:
-The Jihad is a religious duty of every Muslim man and woman."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p. 167]

"Images from the Jihad of the Prophet and his Companions
Son: What did God's Messenger do to ensure the safety of the population?
Father: The Prophet applied himself diligently to making society in al-Medina a safe one, living in peace and he, therefore, made an agreement with the Jews ... But the Jews - as is their way - do not want people to live in peace... and conspired against the Muslims. The Muslims, however, were clever and therefore the Jews were unsuccessful in their evil schemes. The Muslims, under the leadership of the Prophet, punished them with death and banishment."

[Islamic Education for Fourth Grade #736, p. 44-45]

2. Education to Martyrdom

PA text books glorify Martyrdom as an ideal to be sought. The fortunate are those who are killed - attaining "Martyrdom".

a.. "Martyrdom is when a Muslim is killed for the sake of Allah... A person who dies thus is called a "Martyr" [Shahid]... Martyrdom for Allah is the hope of all those who believe in Allah and have trust in His promises... The Martyr rejoices in the paradise that Allah has prepared for him...
[Islamic Education for Seventh Grade #564, p. 112]

a.. "The Muslim sacrifices himself for his faith and fights a Jihad for Allah. He does not know cowardice because he understands that the time of his death is already ordained and that his dying as a Martyr on the field of battle is preferable to dying in bed... "
[Islamic Education for Eighth Grade #576, p. 176]

a.. "...Martyred Jihad fighters are the most honored people, after the Prophets..."
[Reader And Literary Texts for Tenth Grade #607, p. 103]

a.. "... competing with each other to attain Martyrdom in the battle..."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p. 193]

a.. "Martyrdom is life."
[Reader And Literary Texts for Tenth Grade #607, p. 171]

Numerous poems encourage the children to see themselves as future Jihad fighters seeking Martyrdom. Many school book poems have the word "Martyr" in their title, including the following poem which appears in at least two grammar books and which is often broadcast on PA television, read by different children. The children are instructed to learn it by heart.

a.. "Song of the Martyr
1 - I shall take my soul in my hand and hurl it into the abyss of death [in war]...
5 - Upon your life, I see my death and am marching speedily towards it
6 - Upon your life, this is the death of men and he, who seeks an honorable death - this is that death."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, P. 60]

[Guide for Improving Arabic Language for Twelfth Grade #719, p. 84]

The students are instructed to learn the following poems by heart:

a.. 'My Homeland'
...The youth will not tire,
They desire to be free or to perish
We draw our water from death
And we will not be as slaves to the enemy...
Our symbol is the 'sword' and the 'pen', but not 'words'...
[Palestinian National Education for First Grade #509, p. 67- 68]

a.. "O Muslims, Muslims, Muslims, where there are truth and justice there shall we be found. Death pleases us and we refuse to be humbled. How sweet is death for Allah...."
[Islamic Education for Sixth Grade #551, p. 151]

This poem: "We Are The Youth" expresses the same sentiment:

a.. "We are the youth and tomorrow is ours...
We shall march on despite death
Onward, onward
We shall build, we shall not rely on others
We shall perish, but, we shall not be humbled..."
[Palestinian National Education for Third Grade #529, p.70]

a.. "The Martyrs of the Intifada
...They stoned with them [the stones], the wild animals of the way...
They died standing, burning with excitement...
Death attacked with raised pickaxe
Facing death, they stood erect..."
[Reader And Literary Texts for Tenth Grade #607, p. 167]

Grammar exercises likewise glorify Martyrdom:

a.. "Write five lines on the virtues of the Martyrs and their superior status."
[Our Arabic Language for Fifth Grade #542, p. 201]

The Jihad-Martyr concept is encouraged and glorified though many personal stories. The following are excerpts from a sixth grade school book entirely devoted to the glorification of war and Jihad.

a.. "The first words the young boy heard were the words "Jihad", "attack" and "conquest"...These words were constantly on his lips...'[The boy] Uqba grew up with the love of Jihad flowing through his veins and filling every fiber of his being....... For him no joy equaled that of taking part in Jihad...Nothing gave him pleasure but the sight of swords and spears shining in the hands of the fighting horsemen. Nothing was pleasing to his ear but the sound of the horses charging into battle and nothing gave him joy but the sight of the enemy lying dead on the battlefield, or defeated and fleeing for their lives...Uqba showed heroism and courage ... attacking them from his horse and hacking the enemy soldiers to pieces, coming down on them blow after blow, crushing their skulls...
[Uqba, the Conqueror of Africa for Sixth Grade #700 p. 6-7, 43, 83, 96]

IV List of Textbooks quoted

003 - The Contemporary history of the Arabs and the World
509- Palestinian National Education for First Grade
513- Our Arabic Language for Second Grade Part II
519- Palestinian National Education for Second Grade
523- Our Arabic Language, Part II, for Third Grade
529- Palestinian National Education for Third Grade
531- Islamic Education, Part II, for Fourth Grade
736- Islamic Education, for Fourth Grade
532- Our Arabic Language, Part I, for Fourth Grade
539- Palestinian National Education for Fourth Grade
540- Islamic Education for Fifth Grade
542- Our Arabic Language, for Fifth Grade
549- Social and National Education for Fifth Grade
550- Palestinian National Education for Fifth Grade
551- Islamic Education for Sixth Grade
553- Our Arabic Language, Part I, for Sixth Grade
557- Geography of the Arab Homeland, for Sixth Grade
700- Ubqa, the Conqueror of Africa for Sixth grade
564- Islamic Education for Seventh Grade
569- General Geography for Seventh Grade
566- Our Arabic Language, Part I, for Seventh Grade
745- Islamic Education, for Seventh Grade
576- Islamic Education for Eighth Grade
578- Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade
581- Composition and Summarizing for Eighth Grade
586- World History of Modern Times for Eighth Grade
589- Islamic Education for Ninth Grade
592- Reader and Literary Texts Part II for Ninth Grade
607- Reader and Literary Texts for Tenth Grade
613- Modern Arab History and Contemporary Problems, Part II, Tenth Grade Some Outstanding Examples of Our Civilization, for Eleventh Grade
641- Islamic Education for the Twelfth Grade
648- Modern Arab History, Part I, for Twelfth Grade
650- Geography of the Arab Lands, for Twelfth Grade
719- Guide for Improving the Arabic Language, for Twelfth Grade
P-GG-049-98 Atlas of the Arab Homeland and the World, for all Grades.

V. The Palestinian Authority Educational System
1. Background
During the years when Israel was responsible for the administration of the West Bank and Gaza Strip [1967-1994], the school curriculum, as well as graduation certificates, were Jordanian and Egyptian. Israel removed words and sentences from these Jordanian and Egyptian textbooks that were anti- Semitic, called for Israel's destruction or for violence against Israel.

Following a complaint lodged by Jordan and Egypt in 1968 that Israel was changing curricula in contravention of the Geneva Convention, a UN investigative committee ruled in Israel's favor, i.e. that erasing terms offensive to Jews and Israel from the schoolbooks, was lawful. It recommended the introduction of a "clearing" mechanism by UNESCO, which was operated from 1969 to 1995. During this period, the Director- General of UNESCO annually published a list of Jordanian and Egyptian textbooks that he considered suitable for introduction to Palestinian schools in Israeli administered territories. This "clearing" system was suspended in October 1995 by the General Conference of UNESCO at the request of the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League.

2. Current System

In 1994 Israel and the Palestinian Authority [PA] signed the "Early Empowerment Agreement" transferring "powers and responsibilities in the sphere of education" from Israel to the PA. One of the first measures taken by the Palestinian Authority was to request authorization from Jordan and Egypt to use their textbooks and publish them under the name of the PA, until such time as they could issue their own books. Six textbooks, one for each primary school grade, were officially issued by the Palestinian Authority in 1994. All the other textbooks used in the Palestinian schools are of Jordanian or Egyptian origin.

3. The New Curriculum

Several agreements concerning education were concluded within the framework of international aid set up in December 1993 by the "Forum of donors" to assist the newly established Palestinian Authority to implement the Oslo accords. The cooperation agreement of 1994 between the Palestinian Authority and UNESCO preceded the establishment of a "Palestinian Curriculum Development Center" headed by Dr. Ibrahim Abu Lughod (the Vice-President of the University of Bir Zeit". The Center would function with the technical aid of UNESCO and the financial aid of Italy (Italian Ministry of International Cooperation, Italy Trust Fund)

The aim of this Center was to develop a unified curriculum, emphasizing the Palestinian national identity and their specific socio-economic needs. It was to take into consideration the values of democracy, human rights and peace, advocated by UNESCO and in the spirit of the Oslo Accords.

The Cairo Agreement of 1994 between Israel and the Palestinian Authority anticipated that the two parties would "ensure that their educational systems contribute to the peace between Israel and the Palestinian people".

In 1996, the "Palestinian Curriculum Development Center" published a complete plan for the "Development of the first Palestinian Curriculum for General Education" The plan declared that the new Palestinian curriculum would be introduced as of September 1999 for "preparatory" instruction (grades one to four), from September 2000, for instruction of "empowerment" (grades five to nine) and from September 2001 for "take off" (grades ten to twelve).

In 1997 Dr. Abu Lughod left the Center, which subsequently became part of the PA Minitry of Education.

In September 2000 about twenty new school textbooks were introduced, for first and for sixth grades. 4. Tables:

Table #1 - Number of Schools and Students - - 1990

West Bank Gaza Strip Total
Number of Schools 1206 305 1511
Number of Students 353,364 175,856 529,220

Table #2 - School Supervision and Responsibility - - 1990

Schools under: West Bank Gaza Strip Total
Israeli Civil
Administration 75% 50% 62%
UNWRA 12% 45% 31%
Private 12% 5% 7%

Table #3 - Number of Schools - - 1997

West Bank Gaza Strip Total
PA 946 167 1,123
UNWRA 100 161 261
Private Schools 147 11 158
Private Kindergartens 505 200 705
Total 1,698 539 2,237

Table #4 -Numbers of Teachers in Educational Frameworks 1996-1997

West Bank Gaza Strip Total
PA 12,255 4,232 16,498
UNWRA 1,410 3,535 4,945
Private Schools 2,236 174 2,410
Private Kindergartens 1,496 881 2,377
Total 17,408 8,822 26,230

Table #5 - Numbers of Students in Educational Frameworks 1996- 1997

West Bank Gaza Strip Total
Kindergarten 44,020 25,144 69,164
Elementary 397,572 258,781 656,353
High Schools 33,993 22,474 56,467
Total 474,585 306,339 781,984

Sources: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Education, Educational Statistical Yearbook 1996 - 1997.

VI. International Aid for the PA Education System
The Palestine Authority budget for 1998 is approximately $ 700 million. 40% goes for education, much of which is for salaries.
Many of the activities of the PA are supported by international aid provided by the "Donors Forum" consisting of 39 States (1) and 8 international organizations. (2)

The total aid pledged by these donors for the five-year period 1994- 1999, was $5.7 billion (3) , which was administered and supervised by the World Bank and other UN special agencies (WHO, UNESCO, UNRWA, ILO).During this period $2.7 billion were disbursed..

21 countries and 4 international organizations committed themselves specifically to educational projects for a total of $450 million of which $297 million have been spent on the construction, maintenance and restoration of schools, salaries, teacher training, grants, the Palestinian Curriculum Development Center, printing of textbooks.

A breakdown of this aid to education(4) shows that a large number of international organizations are involved. Many states channeled assistance through various governmental and non governmental organizations, such as, APHEDA, World Vision, FCD, GTZ, UNWRA, ILO, HEDCO, UNESCO, the World Bank, UNDP, CODESPA, FPSC, IEPALA, USAID, International Promotion Cultural Fund, American-Mideast Institutional Development for Educational & Training Services.

Italy, for example, has contributed to different educational projects through the following channels:

a.. PA ministry of education [capacity building in policy-formulation & management; policy analysis & formulation; Palestinian curriculum development; West Bank replacement of unstable schools & supplementary reading]

a.. PA ministry of higher education [Italy's university scholarships; training of science & mathematics teachers]

a.. UNESCO [strengthening &improving primary & basic education]

a.. World Bank [support to the Palestinian education system]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA.

(2) Arab Fund, European Union, EU Investment Bank, International Finance Corporation, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Arab Emirates, World Bank, World Food Program.

(3) Government of Japan and the World Bank, Effectiveness in the West Bank and Gaza, June 2000, p.18.

(4) Government of Japan and the World Bank, Effectiveness in the West Bank and Gaza, June 2000, p.18.

a.. PA ministry of higher education [Italy's university scholarships; training of science & mathematics teachers]

a.. UNESCO [strengthening &improving primary & basic education]

a.. World Bank [support to the Palestinian education system]

- To Top -

Divergent views on Israel/Palestine

2007-01-13T15:25:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share this interesting back and forth with someone with differing views on the Israel/Palestinian issue.

Dear Ms. Gans,

I read your article in The Christian Science Monitor, and then logged on to your web site. I found it interesting that nowhere, anywhere, (articles, blogs, etc.) do you use the word "Jewish." Israeli, Palestinian, Christian, Muslim, Western, even Baha'i. The closest you come is to mention our "Judeo-Christian" heritage. This is interesting, since the core of the conflict about which you wrote is the adamant and abject refusal of the Muslim, (and part of the Christian) world to accept the existence of a Jewish state in the Middle East. Thus you ignore events leading up to the 1967 War, as if history only begins on June 11, 1967. But prior to that date, there was no "occupation", no indignities, humiliation, inconveniences, or "deprivation of basic freedoms." Yet there was still daily terror and violence; recurrent wars, and Jews dying. Even after being attacked in 1967, the Israelis made enormous efforts to achieve a modus vivendi, give the land back, live in peace. The Arabs, and Palestinians would have none of it. After that, the increasingly severe defensive measures that the Israelis have been forced to take are almost uniquely a result of the terror to which "the regular people wanting a normal life" you spoke of, resorted. And in the end, being "DENIED ENTRY" is a heck of a lot better than being disemboweled, or having your skull crushed in by a rock, a fate meted out to Jews, simply for being Jews.

Dear Dr. _____,

Thanks very much for your email and thoughts. I urge you to read former President Carter's book for another perspective on pre and post-1967 events.

In response to my not mentioning Jews in my blogs. How perceptive of you to pick up on that. I purposely try to refrain from talking about Jews because I want to make it clear that when I refer to Israeli actions against Palestinians, it is a governmental authority's action. It has nothing to do with a religion. Put in another way, I am not condemning Jews for what Israeli authorities/military are doing in the West Bank. As a devout Christian, I respect the Jewish religion that is so closely intertwined in my own faith. As a deep student of the Bible, I am constantly reading about Jews' special and necessary place in religion.

I look forward to hearing your comments in the future.

V/r,

Dear Ms. Gans,

Thank you for taking the time, and interest to respond to my note. While I respect your views, I think you are being somewhat disingenuous when you claim that you leave "Jews" out of your discussion, because it has nothing to do with religion.

First of all, as I noted, you do mention a number of other "religions", without worry that you may be condemning them. Secondly, to say the the Arab-Israeli conflict has "nothing to do with religion" is simply whistling in the dark past the graveyard. Unnerving as it may be, it is ONLY about, and ALL about religion. That is why it is so intractable. Ahmadinejad, Hamas, and Hizbullah want to kill "al yahud," all the Jews, not the Israeli government (including its Arab members.) It would also be much less "newsworthy" if the opposing religions were Copts, Baha'i, or Hindu. The fact that it is Jews who are, once again, fighting for survival, is what makes it so uncomfortable for some.

I am familiar with President Carter's book, and his views. As you know, there is a huge swath of knowledgeable opinion that vehemently disagrees with his distortion of the facts, and his presentation of personal opinion as hard history, ignoring the memoirs of those who were actually present at events that he was not. But that is another topic altogether.

You have not addressed my questions.
1) What led to "the occupation"?
2) Why were the opportunities fo a Palestinian Arab state not accepted in 1948, 1967, 2000 (not to mention several other occasions in between?)
3) Why, when the Israelis pulled out of Gaza did the Palestinians not take over the greenhouses, develop farms, schools and industry, but rather intensified rocket attacks against Israel proper, voted in a terorist group sworn to the destruction of Israel and extermination of its Jewish poipulation, and now despite crying poverty due to lack of foreign funds, are planning to expand their terrorist armed forces? Where are they getting their money, and why are they spending it on violence?
4) Why are "Chrisitian" organizations funding Palestinian schools teaching violence and open hatred of a religion to kidergarten children?
5) What, in your view, could and should the Israeli government do to ensure the survival of an independent Jewish state in the Middle East?

Finally, it has long been my view, (and that of others,) that anti-Zionism, or anti-Israelism, are a thin veneer behind which anti-Semites hide. That is not to say that criticism of the actions of the Israeli government, under the same conditions, and in the same way as any other government is criticized, is automatically anti-Semitism. But when it is ONLY the Israelis that are under the gun (U.N. Human Rights Commission), or Israeli actions, to the exclusion of Chinese, Russian, British, French actions in similar situations are criticized, that it becomes prejudicial. Indeed, the millenia-old virus of anti-Semitism is alive, and resurging, only 70 years after Auschwitz. While the taboo of calling for "Jews to the ovens" still stands on a wobbly stool in "civilized" countries of the west, it has long ago become acceptable again in nations under Islam. And those who work towards, or support the elimination of the Jewish state, do so because they know that the destruction of Israel as a country, and the loss of the beating heart of Judaism, Jerusalem, would, in high likelihood, deal a deathblow to the surviving remnant of the Jewish people. As you study your Bible deeply, please keep all of that in mind.

Respectfully,

Dear Dr. ____,

Again, thank you for your comments and perspective.

I would like to clarify your point of my not mentioning Jewish, I actually do use the term in 7 of my blogs, where it's relevant to identify the person's religion. Also, I do respectfully disagree about your point that this is all about religion. I counter that it is mostly about LAND. To your questions, what sparked the occupation? What sparked Palestinians' rejection (and Israeli's rejection ofen veiled in the form of acceptance after "certain conditions are met" ) of many peace agreements? What is still sparking violence from Gaza against Israeli towns?
The answer is all the same:

LAND LAND LAND

If you look at the attached map, one can see why Palestinians and other Arabs decried the loss of land and the refugee disaster into their countries. One can also understand a continuing attempt to resist the occupation of the little land they have left. (I do not condone violence, but all peaceful resistance methods.) This is not about being against Jews. In fact, I never met a Palestinian who got fired up about "al yehud"; they acknowledged they shared traditions and ethnic background with them and were all "people of the book". What they got passionate about was their loss of land and loss of dignity with the continuing occupation. And unfortunately, I fear this is fast changing, with a younger generation becoming more radicalized and prejudiced against Jews through lack of contact due to their separation and isolation behind the wall, expansion of existing settlements in the West Bank, and increasing economic desperation. And I see the same thing happening in Israeli society--an unwillingness to enter into negotiations for peace and a hardening towards what to do with "the Arabs".

4. As for Christians funding Palestinian schools that preach violence, I'd like to hear your examples of this. Also, it's important to address the Israeli school system as well. I knew a woman in Tel Aviv (Jewish American) who had worked to establish among the first combined Jew/Arab school in Israel. She said there are very few, with most schools being completely segregated between Jews and Arabs. Also, the programs in the school focus on Zionism and history from a distinct Jewish perspective.

5. To secure an independent Jewish state, Israel should enter into the peace process with full force with not only Palestinians, but Syria and Lebanon, and be prepared to give back land it took in 1967. The Beirut summit of 2002 presents a blueprint for peace and widespread Arab recognition of Israel.

The Beirut Summit (also known as the Arab Summit Conference) was a March 2002 summit meeting, held in Beirut, Lebanon, between leaders of Arab nations to present plans to defuse the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It became especially noteworthy for the adoption, by the Arab states attending, of a proposal offering a comprehensive peace between the Arab nations and Israel, called the Arab Peace Initiative.
The proposal, from Saudi Arabia (itself something of a novelty, as the Saudis usually prefer to be less forward on the world diplomatic stage) stated that should Israel:

--withdraw from all territories occupied since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war,
--provide a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem, and
--recognize the establishment of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
--then the Arab countries would in turn recognize Israel, enter into peace agreements with it, and establish normal relations with it.

Finally, you mentioned yours and others belief that the condemning Israel's rights violations are anti-Semitic since similar accusations are not being leveled at other nations. The other nations you mentioned, however, are not illegally occupying land and opressing a foreign population. Also, they are not at the focal point of a region and an issue that is central to the West's security and is the most relevant issue of today: the Middle East. Actions that took place by those countries (even if similar) are not fanning the flames of extremism and terrorism that threaten Israel's survival and contribute to insecurity throughout the entire west.

Also, see the below excerpt from an article in this week's Economist, entitled "Second Thoughts about the Promised Land". http://www.economist.com

"The big Jewish diaspora institutions have not caught up. Their relationship with Israel is still based mainly around supporting it in times of crisis and definending it from critics. This is true of the big umbrella groups for Jewish communities, but espeically so of the pro-Israel lobby groups in America formed to influence American foreign policy in Israel's favour. Often these lobbies have ended up representing not Israel but its right-wing political establishment, with American defenders of Israel accusing critics of being "anti-Semitic" for saying things that are commonplace in Israel's own internal debate."

Discussion page under construction

2007-01-13T15:20:00.000-08:00

Hi there,

While the link to the Euphrates Institute discussion page is down (we are looking for better software that prevents spammers), I encourage you all to contribute to similar topics on the following page:

http://en.discuss.takingitglobal.org/

The organization, Taking It Global, is an on-line youth network and they have a wide array of forums and in several languages, including Arabic.

Thanks and enjoy!

George Bush Tries to Sell New Strategy

2007-01-10T18:39:00.000-08:00

I talked to an Iraqi friend of mine today named Ahmed about what the word on the street in Baghdad was about a troop increase. He said that although Iraqis love to blame all their problems on the US, they are DESPERATE for security and anything that will help the security situation will be welcomed. Ahmed was not sure, however, that 20,000 troops would be enough, but that it would still be a good start, especially if they worked closely with the Iraqi National Army and National Guard troops as force multipliers.

My friend Ahmed is one of the true Iraqi optimists left in Iraq, although things have gotten so bad even he is now considering leaving. His main wish for security is that it gives people like him and those who are trying to help Iraq breathing room in which to do their job of rebuilding and remaking the country. Another friend of mine who runs a human rights and conflict resolution organization in Iraq echoed this statement. He has had to move his family from their large, beautiful home into his office because it is better protected. He's also had to stop all of his trainings and seminars on conflict resolution because there is no way safe enough to meet and it is very difficult for people to move around to attend things with the curfew and lack of security. No one leaves their homes unless it's absolutely necessary. This gentleman told me he was interviewed last month by CNN who wanted to hear about this disturbing trend of targetting professors, doctors, lawyers, activists, (anyone trying to help) and the "brain drain" that is occurring as they flee the country in large numbers.

Back to troops, I'm not sure 20,000 troops is really a large enough number to make a difference, especially when you consider that it would still be way below the proportional numbers of troops in Bosnia needed to keep the peace. Is it just putting more of our troops in harm's way rather than making a viable difference in Iraq?

One good thing is that a change in our policy signals a change in our focus to the Iraqis, at a time when our support and commitment was in question. Leaders, militias, and AQ need to see we mean business. In an ideal world, more US troops mean militias settle down, and leaders have to be on their best behavior. Unfortunately, in practice, (from what I saw for 2 years) is that we just refrain from confronting militias and we do not push leaders on the hard issues. We just nod and believe what they tell us, "yes, we're committed to national reconciliation; yes, we're committed to democracy and human rights." And then they turn around and tell their own people, the press the opposite and then act that way, while we turn a blind eye, comfortable in our knowledge that they TOLD us what we wanted to hear.

Bush's promises to the country tonight during his address about all the Iraqi leadership is going to do and preparing to do differs in no way from what they have said they would do FOR YEARS and have proceeded to do the opposite. This is not a leadership we can work with or who wants a country that is united, democratic, rule of law and human rights- respecting. They want money and power. We need to wake up to that fact and either call a spade a spade or work with other people.'

P.S. My appearance in this photo with Bush is in no way an endorsement of his ideas, his mispronunciations, or his strategy. :-) The photo is from his trip to Baghdad Thanksgiving 2003, during which I got to meet his Chief of Staff Andrew Card, then National Security Advisor Rice, and many others...

the things that make me shake my head

2007-01-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

This was a list I wrote while in the West Bank but hadn't ever posted.

Things that Make Me Shake My Head

• The sign hanging on the Israeli-built wall surrounding Bethlehem from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, saying “Peace be upon you”.

• The sign at the entrance of Birzeit University saying it is forbidden to carry firearms on campus.

• Toy guns in Palestine, including M-4 machine guns that all look absolutely real and that all boys have and play with incessantly.

• The fact that I haven’t met an Israeli yet who finds it ironic they are enclosing Palestinians in a ghetto akin to the one Jews were forced to live in in Europe.

• That Palestinians don’t walk on sidewalks and prefer the middle of the street. I understand why—there is all sorts of stuff spilling out from stores on to the sidewalk, but still, it feels darn strange to be inches away from careening cars.

• That everything is over the top—food is wallowing in oil; sweets make your teeth ache, coffee so bitter and thick you have to chew it, more cigarette smoke than fresh air, music blasted at deafening decibels…

• Jerusalem. It looks like Halloween every day there…one street with orthodox Jews wearing oversized, round, fur hats with long sideburns, or these wool capes…one street a maze of Arab women fully covered (ninja ladies as an Israeli Arab friend called them)…and another filled with Christian pilgrims, wailing, sobbing, and carrying a cross up to where Jesus was crucified. Yes, really…

• The taxi I usually take to Ramallah. Invariably stuffed animals on the dashboard, fringe on the ceiling, and hearts and Muslim paraphernalia hanging throughout.

• Speed bumps. They are everywhere and they are lethal. Taxi drivers have to memorize where they are since there are no reflecting lights on them and no advance warning. For two weeks, I was being rocketed to the ceiling of the taxi as we careened over one of them at breakneck speed. “Sorry,” would say the driver, “that’s a new one.”

• Playing ultimate frisbee in Tel Aviv in Hebrew. Talk about adding an element of difficulty to a sport.

Today's USIP Conference on Iraq

2007-01-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

I attended a conference hosted by the US Institute of Peace today entitled Iraq: Assessing Military and Security Issues. The only one on the panel with any real experience in the Middle East was Joseph Englehardt, who serves on the Board of Governors of the Middle East Institute. He was also, in my opinion, the one with the most interesting and relevant comments. For one, he spoke about the need to understand both the Iraq situation and the view of our foreign policy within the wider Arab perspective. As examples, he brought up our go-it-alone, know-it-all, one-dimensional approach after 9/11, atrocities like Abu Gharaib and Guantanomo, and our inflexible and unreasonable bias towards Israel. This approach just makes it extremely difficult for our moderate Arab friends to side with and support us and bolsters our enemies' popularity. Cliff May, President of the right-wing Foundation for the Defense of Democracy, brought up that, well, during Saddam's time, there were worse atrocities going on inside Abu Gharaib. Yes, that's true, Cliff, but he was a dictator and we supposedly stand for things like human rights, moral values, and freedom.

There was a lot of talk of changing our "strategy" and changing our "policies", and if we did have a clear goal and better policies, then we could win. I couldn't disagree more. We've had clear goals in the past; we've had a mission. In fact, we have had the will, money, and entire focus of the US government on Iraq as the number one foreign policy priority. Yet, we were not able to implement our goals, our vision for the future of Iraq, successfully. We, the world's superpower, were not able to even get the lights turned on in Baghdad, maintain security, or keep universities open. The reason lies partly with the lethargy and disorganization of our bureaucracy, our contracting practices that defraud the US taxpayer and do much worse to the Iraqi citizen, and short-sighted, near-term policies.

I will spare you the rest of the details but suffice it to say that we are royally screwed in Iraq. Englehardt and I chatted after the conference and came to the following dismal conclusion...

We can't leave Iraq because of the dire consequences our retreat would incur (terrorist safehaven sitting on half the world's proven oil reserves, for one reason). Yet, we are dealing with a government leadership that is totally opposed to and incapable of making Iraq the kind of country that we say we want and for which we are willing to stay until we get.

Happy 2007

2007-01-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year all! May it be a joyous, peaceful, and fulfilling 2007. "All things are become new". I love the sense of freshness, newness, and great possibility that comes with the new year.

I rang in the new year with my parents and a group of wonderful people at a friend's home in Georgetown, having just returned from vacation in California and Idaho. Last night, we borrowed a Cuban tradition, in which you eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight (12 probably denoting the 12 strokes) and make a wish for each one. Several of us had wished for a resolution this year of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and thought of the ripple effects that would have for the region, us, and the world!

I'm so grateful for all the feedback I received from the op-ed and I look forward to answering those who wrote and also posting some responses on this blog. Stay tuned...

Warmest and best wishes for the new year,

Janessa

My Op-ed in today's Christian Science Monitor

2006-12-21T10:49:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

My op-ed entitled "So this is occupation" was published in today's Christian Science Monitor newspaper. Check it out:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1221/p09s01-coop.html

It's a much shorter version than the blog I wrote on November 12 about the harrowing and trying experience of being denied entry back into the West Bank and then being essentially deported back to the US. For a former US official and as an American, that was hard to stomach.

I think it's a nice complement to the last of the 3-part series the Monitor ran on Israeli-Palestinian issues. Bravo to them for bringing attention to this important issue.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1221/p12s01-wome.html

Here is the text of the op-ed:

So this is what occupation feels like

As an American, I took freedom of movement for granted. Not after Israel denied it to me.
By Janessa Gans

WASHINGTON
'So this is occupation,' I mused, staring down at the large DENIED ENTRY stamp on my passport.

The Israeli authorities were denying me entry into the West Bank. They gave no reason, but I had little doubt that Israel's Interior Ministry had learned of my enrollment at Birzeit University in the West Bank, where I had been studying Arabic since August. The university had warned me that Israel would not issue visas to international students for study in the West Bank, and students admitting that their destination was the West Bank would be denied entry.

The border crossing was a true "Aha" moment. It was the first time I felt the frustration of not having control over my life. As an American, I take freedom of movement for granted. Yet one of my country's closest allies was refusing me entry, not into its own land, but into a place where I was welcome. I heard many such stories during my time in the West Bank. My neighbor recounted his attempt to see his parents - a journey that required him to pass through an Israeli checkpoint.

"Where are you headed?" the guards demanded. "To [my family's village]," he answered.

"Where is that?"

"Near [a larger town]," he replied.

"And where is that?"

"In the north."

"And where is THAT?"

"In Palestine," he said.

"What did you say?" the guards bellowed. "This is Israel, not Palestine.... You're not getting through until you say, "In Israel." My neighbor never saw his family.

Israeli authorities maintain that checkpoints are essential security tools to keep would-be Palestinian suicide bombers from killing Israeli citizens. Yet this incident occurred at one of the many checkpoints located within and throughout the West Bank itself, not on the border with Israel. So, in telling these stories, Palestinians echoed a common refrain. "Are we terrorists? No! We're regular people wanting a normal life, wanting to see our families."

As a US official who liaisoned with Iraqi politicians in Baghdad for nearly two years after the US invasion, I had had my fill of complaints about the occupation. Many of us believed that our main problem was one of semantics. In May 2003, the US presence in Iraq officially became an "occupation," negating what we had earlier deemed "liberation." That stigma dogged us even after Iraqis gained sovereignty in June 2004, and I found myself dismissing the Iraqi leaders' references to occupation as demagoguery.

I also noted that Arab/Iraqi news programs regularly panned from American troops and tanks in Iraq to similar scenes of Israeli soldiers in the Palestinian territories. There were other similarities: The checkpoints and barrier wall between Israel and the West Bank match the checkpoints and wall surrounding the highly fortified Green Zone in Baghdad.

At the Israeli checkpoint, I experienced what occupation meant from the Arab perspective. It is not just semantics.

• To Arabs, "occupation" means that a foreign power is depriving Palestinians of basic freedoms.

• Through its unwavering support for Israel and its illegal (per UN resolutions) occupation, America is complicit in depriving Palestinians of freedoms its Declaration of Independence holds as "unalienable."

• In Iraq, the US use of the term "occupation" feeds Iraqi fears that the US presence is not about supporting human rights and democracy. Militants assert that the US intends to occupy and take over Arab lands.

For the Arab world, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Iraq war are two sides of the same coin - and it's American credibility that's getting flipped.

President Carter has outlined a solution and the role America can play in it. In his new book, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid," Mr. Carter writes, "There will be no permanent or substantive peace as long as Israel is violating key UN resolutions, official American policy, and the international "road map" for peace by occupying Arab lands and oppressing the Palestinians." He adds, "American leaders must be in the forefront of this long-delayed just agreement that both sides can honor."

In playing such a vanguard role, America would not only do justice to the Palestinian people, it would take a stand for its core values - and take a giant leap in restoring its credibility within the Arab world.

Comments on Iraq Study Group report

2006-12-20T09:44:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading the Iraq Study Group report, a little over 100 pages including appendices.

http://www.usip.org/isg/iraq_study_group_report/
report/1206/index.html

What a fabulous document--well-written, comprehensive, and wise. I liked it almost as much as George Packer's Assassin's Gate (a must read for anyone looking to get the real story on Iraq). I was at first perplexed by the lengthy account and detail in the first part of the report about the current situation in Iraq. "Don't Americans know this stuff already?" I thought to myself. Then, I realized that most Americans certainly do not know the real state of the situation over there, because so much of the news is politicized. If you watch FOX news, you would get the warm, fuzzy feeling that we're winning the war, apart from a few setbacks. Other news sources, on the other hand, portray only doom and gloom and focus just on numbers of troops and Iraqis killed. How appropriate, then, of the ISG to come out with a bi-partisan look at the situation, one that Americans can trust as a de-politicized assessment, or at least one in which political biases have cancelled each other out.

The following points of the report really resonated with my experience in Iraq and thoughts on the predicament.

1.) "There is no guarantee for success in Iraq." Page 1, line 1 of the assessment says it all. In fact, I'd take it a step farther and propound that we're almost guaranteed NOT to be successful in Iraq if we pursue the same muddled policy. (The report mentions why the current policy is muddled, such as military ineffectiveness and lack of reconstruction coordination.)

2.) Current military operations are to no end. The report reads, "US forces can 'clear' any neighborhood but there are neither enough US troops present nor enough support from Iraqi security forces to "hold" neighborhoods so cleared." We saw this so many times in Al Anbar province (Western Iraq). The Army and/or Marines would do a large sweeping operation and so-called "clear" areas of insurgents, but the insurgents always knew the operation was coming, would hide out or hole up for a few days, and then resurface once our military units were gone.

3.) Iraq must be regarded in the context of the broader Middle East conflict, and therefore, congruent efforts must be made on the Arab-Israeli issue. Time and time again, this was mentioned in conversations with Iraqi politicians and in my experience throughout the Middle East. (See a recent article on this topic in the Christian Science Monitor:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1201/p01s01-wome.html)

4.) Oil revenues and resources must be under the purview of the federal government rather than Iraq's various regions. (YES, YES, YES!) The outcry this recommendation caused among Iraq's powerful Kurdish and Shia blocs just shows how little they are committed to an Iraq that benefits all its citizens. This is the one measure, that if carried out in the way most powerful political players desire (i.e. Kurds and Shia), GUARANTEES the continuation of conflict and violence in Iraq for the foreseeable future. Sunnis, left in a region with no oil and no viable economy, will just be forever waging war on the other two regions in order to get some of the pie. Even more disastrously, the area, left on its own, without resources, and already home to a growing number of Sunni extremists, becomes fertile ground as a permanent terrorist safehaven.

5.) US diplomatic efforts in Iraq do not reflect the fact it is the US's highest foreign policy priority and critical to the future credibility and security of our nation. 33 out of 1,000 Embassy employees speak Arabic, states the report. That figure must include translators. There were only three Arabic speakers when I worked in the Embassy, plus the translators and some Arab-American contractors who worked in the Iraq Reconstruction and Management office. As one of those who did not speak a word of Arabic at the time, I know how hampering the language divide is. It required herculean efforts not to be in the dark about what was really going on inside government ministries, official statements and news, and biased who we would talk to (i.e. those who spoke English). Which brings me to the next point:

6.) ISG's key recommendation on US troops is to transition them out of Iraq by stepping up efforts to support, train, and equip Iraqi army and police. To accomplish this, the report calls for increased American troops as military advisors embedded in all the Iraqi units in the Army and police. I highly doubt that the US military has that number of translators who could work side by side with the military officers in these various units.

7.) The report puts forward a similar idea on training the Iraqi police. They call for more training of police units by civilians, who should be located side by side with Iraqis, even at police stations. Given the security environment, finding such individuals willing to take on those roles will be very difficult, if not impossible. If they do, it will come at great cost to the taxpayer to front the bill for the security teams to protect those US trainers. (For example, when I was planning to go to Baghdad last month, my security would have cost $85,000/month and that was only inside the green zone.)

More comments to come...

Finally-a good news story!

2006-12-13T19:54:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I re-read these blogs and think they're all so depressing. I wonder how anyone can read such things without grabbing the box of tissues.

So, I'm very excited that I finally have a good news story to share. I decided what to do about the Palestinian gentleman. I saw him again and told him that if things did not improve in the very short-term, that I would buy him a bus ticket to Florida (where he had been before Washington and where he said he had been able to find work.) Tonight he was again at church and said that his whole outlook had changed in the past week. He felt a great sense of peace and joy despite still sleeping on the streets and had felt the presence of God with him. He no longer felt alone and had tremendous hope that his circumstances were already improving. I again offered to get him to Florida if he wanted and he hesitantly, but graciously accepted the offer. A friend and I went in on the ticket and some extra money to get him on his feet, some clothes and a backpack. His eyes were teeming with warmth and gratitude as he profusely thanked us for being his "brother". He also had already found a church of our denomination in Florida in the phone book and was looking forward to attending there and having a new "family" in Florida.

I drove home in an elated state. We all long to make a difference in other's lives and just to see the change in this man's disposition and the idea that I had helped in some way made me truly happy. It lends credence to a quote by Mary Baker Eddy, "Happiness is unselfish. It cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it."

A new look at the homeless

2006-12-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

A Palestinian Christian man came to our church service on Wednesday night in Georgetown. His name is Yusuf (Joseph in English) and he's from Bethlehem. He has been in the US for six months, has illegally stayed beyond his 3-month tourist visa. He is here trying to find work to support his family back home in Bethlehem, where he says the economic conditions are intolerable. I took him to lunch today and he proceeded to tell me more about his situation, only after a lot of prying on my part. He was more interested in hearing my thoughts on my experience in the West Bank, the Palestinian people and life, and politics there. Finally, I learned that he had not been able to find a job since he moved to Washington from Florida and had been sleeping on street corners. I gasped. "In the cold? Why can't you go to a shelter?" Yusuf said that shelters in DC document everyone who stays there and he is afraid of being sent back to the West Bank. I couldn't imagine that life there was worse than sleeping on the streets in Washington in the winter. At least he would have a roof over his head. But he said that his family was counting on him making some money and sending it home to them since none of them had been able to find work in Bethlehem for a long time.

He said the hardest part about his situation is that he was beginning to get dizzy spells and had even started talking to himself. "I feel invisble. No one talks to me; no one even looks at me." He said how difficult it was to be alone, especially since his culture is so social and it's very rare to spend any time alone.

I'm wrestling with what to do. This is the first homeless person I've ever gotten to know. I couldn't sleep at all last night thinking of him out there in the cold sleeping on a street corner. I've got to do something.

I was tellling a friend of his predicament last night and she mentioned that his same situation seems to be the same belief about Palestinians everywhere--homeless (stateless), poor, oppressed, wandering. I realized how true that was and immediately directed my prayers to see this man and this people that are God's children, just as we all are, the way God was seeing them--in the kingdom of heaven, never homeless or poor or oppressed. I have a ways to go to see it from this perspective but I'm working on it.

Not Just the News

2006-12-08T14:25:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm settling back into life here in the States. It was such an initial shock to be back home when I thought I would be gone for a year in the West Bank--only to return to Washington with no idea what my next step was. I had rented out my apartment; my things were in storage; I didn't know whether I should try to study Arabic somewhere else or stay in DC. It has felt a little like that period just after college when there are so many options on the table and you have no idea what to do with your life. Of course, there are always so many things to do and the problem for me was too many options and not a clear sense of the order in which to do them. So many times in our lives, we just need to know the very next step, not five steps down the road. And yet, I was not even sure of the next step.

Just last week, however, the clouds have started to lift. I've found a great job working on Iraq projects and issues for a consulting company. Since we have not found funding for our projects yet in The Euphrates Institute, it became apparent that I would have to find another job to sustain myself while TEI takes shape. I really love the team at the consulting company and I am so thrilled to be working with Iraqis again. And it is meaningful--dealing with women's and human rights issues in Iraq.

Despite being so far from the region now, I try to keep up all I can on the news and goings-on back there, both in Iraq and Israel/Palestine. I've talked with my former classmates back there and found out four more students from our program got denied on their attempts to re-enter into the West Bank. My Japanese roommate miraculously procured another three-month visa after coming in through Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. But she described her harrowing experience and told me she was lucky to be there. She endured five hours of questioning at the airport, during which they read her diary and looked at all the numbers on her phone. She lied to them (per our instructions) about living in the West Bank and they finally asked her, "why are you lying?" She said she was worried they wouldn't let her in. They told her that they probably would not and wanted to question her further.

Finally, after five hours, she told me she was feeling so ill and had a huge headache and asked them if she could see a doctor. It was at this point that they finally let her through. She reasoned she must have looked so pathetic and in need of medical attention.

I also talked to my neighbor, the same one I've written about in my blog several times. The last time, a week ago, I noticed something different about his voice and asked him what was wrong. He replied that he just returned home from being in the hospital for a few days and was still in pain and it hurt to talk.

"What happened," I exclaimed. "The hospital?"
"Yes, I was beaten by Israeli soldiers," he replied calmly.
"What?! Where, in Birzeit?" This was shocking news. I had only seen one convoy of Israeli soldiers pass by during my time there.
"Yes, right in Birzeit by the falafel shop we used to go to," he replied. He continued, his tone despondent. "I made the stupid mistake of going to get cigarettes for me and my roommates at 2 am (they always are up until 3) at that supermarket that's open late near the falafel place."

He said a couple humvees drove by and stopped next to him. "Where are you going? What are you doing out so late? the soldiers questioned angrily. My neighbor tried to explain.
"No, honestly, I'm just going to this store right there to get cigarettes and then I'm going back home."

"That's a lie. You must be causing trouble, " they said accusatorily. My neighbor said the five soldiers then jumped him and beat him--punching him, kicking him, until he laid on the ground, nearly unconscious. They then lifted him up and told him to hurry up and run home or else they would finish him off for good. So, he limped off as fast as he could home.

I was in tears by the end of the story, in shock that that could happen to him. He remained so calm and reminded me that it happens there all the time and that he was just kicking himself for going out at night, although he added that it didn't really matter because it could happen at any time of the day and even at his own house. (Israeli soldiers had several times searched the building and arrested people in the past.)

I asked him what his parents said about it and he said he hadn't told anyone except his best friend what had really happened because he didn't want his parents to find out and be very worried and sad about him.

To top it off, while I was on the phone with him and he was telling me this story, I heard his other phone ring. He answered it and I could hear him exclaiming, "Oh my God!" in the background. He got back on the phone and said he needed to go and would talk to me later. I asked why and he said that that was his good friend's Mother who had just called to tell him that his friend had just died--shot by Israelis at a checkpoint. Apparently, people were trying to get through but Israelis were closing the checkpoint and fired into the crowd and he was shot and killed. I knew his friend--a very nice guy that he works with in Ramallah.

"Hurry back, Janessa and come see me. I may be dead in a month too. Things are getting so bad."

This sounds unreal, doesn't it, like it's too awful to be true. Sadly, because I know the source, I know the verity of the tragedy, of the experiences. By the time I got off the phone with him, I was crying so hard. I had also talked that morning to a friend in Iraq--a student at Baghdad University who was describing to me the unbearable stench of the morgue on his way to school and the latest of his friends whose family members had been kidnapped. The civil war was in full force and terrifying. Then, I hear about what happens to my dear friend in Birzeit.

These are not just headlines on a newspaper to me--8 killed here; 2 killed there. These were real people that I knew and cared about--people who had gone out of their way to help me and that I had spent so many evenings with, eating, laughing, talking. It was overwhelming and I wasn't even the one experiencing it. I couldn't imagine how they felt right in the middle of it all--terribly real and terribly close.

I wonder if people would make decisions differently if we all had a human face to put on a situation--if things going on in the world, or our country or communities for that matter weren't just faceless "others" "out there", not people we count as different and therefore not worth our attention or care. if they were actual people like us that were deserving of the same rights and freedom. I don't know what I'm advocating here--I sound like a complete interventionist--saying we should go help the entire world, be the world's policeman. I'm not. I am just advocating that we act and see things in line with the American values that we hold so dear and for which our forefathers fought so courageously.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inalienable_rights

Are we as Americans supporting these inalienable rights for Palestinians, for Iraqis in our current policies? Are we willing to take a stand for it?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T20:50:00.000-08:00

I've read that the US is the only country in the world that celebrates a national day of Thanksgiving, apart from Canada, who later copied the US. I also belong to the only church I know of that has a Thanksgiving day service, in which members of the congregration can stand and testify to what they're grateful for. Thanksgiving has always been my Father's favorite holiday and since about college, it became mine too. It's a holiday that still retains a certain purity--somehow untainted by commercialism (if sullied a bit by football), and embodying such a high motive, that of gratitude.

One of my favorite parts of our church service has always been the reading of the Thanksgiving Day Presidential Proclamation. My brother over Thanksgiving dinner read the following Presidential Proclamation by Reagan in 1985, opining that the recent proclamations are "watered down". He had a point. I was shocked at the difference. Whether or not you agree with the religious message inherent in Reagan's, it is still just fascinating to see the change in our national discourse as reflected in the proclamations over the years. Read on below...

In any case, I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings and hope you have too many blessings to count in addition to blessings untold in the coming year. We do indeed have so much to be grateful for...

Thanksgiving Day Proclamation 1985

Date: November 15, 1985
By: Ronald Reagan

Although the time and date of the first American thanksgiving observance may be uncertain, there is no question but that this treasured custom derives from our Judeo-Christian heritage. "Unto Three, O God, do we give thanks," the Psalmist sang, praising God not only for the "wondrous works" of His creation, but for loving guidance and deliverance from dangers.

A band of settlers arriving in Maine in 1607 held a service of thanks for their safe journey, and twelve years later settlers in Virginia set aside a day of thanksgiving for their survival. In 1621 Governor William Bradford created the most famous of all such observances at Plymouth Colony when a bounteous harvest prompted him to proclaim a special day "to render thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings." The Spaniards in California and the Dutch in New Amsterdam also held services to give public thanks to God.

In 1777, during our War of Independence, the Continental Congress set aside a day for thanksgiving and praise for our victory at the battle of Saratoga. It was the first time all the colonies took part in such an event on the same day. The following year, upon news that France was coming to our aid, George Washington at Valley Forge prescribed a special day of thanksgiving. Later, as our first President, he responded to a Congressional petition by declaring Thursday, November 26, 1789, the first Thanksgiving Day of the United States of America.

Although there were many state and national thanksgiving days proclaimed in the ensuing years, it was the tireless crusade of one woman, Sarah Josepha Hale, that finally led to the establishment of this beautiful feast as an annual nationwide observance. Her editorials so touched the heart of Abraham Lincoln that in 1863 - even in the midst of the civil War - he enjoined his countrymen to be mindful of their many blessings, cautioning them not to forget "the source from which they come," that they are "the gracious gifts of the Most High God…" who ought to be thanked "with one heart and one voice by the whole American People."

It is in that spirit that I now invite all Americans to take part again in this beautiful tradition with its roots deep in our history and deeper still in our hearts. We manifest our gratitude to God for the many blessings he has showered upon our land and upon its people.

In this season of Thanksgiving we are grateful for our abundant harvests and the productivity of our industries; for the discoveries of our laboratories; for the researches of our scientists and scholars; for the achievements of our artists, musicians, writers, clergy, teachers, physicians, businessmen, engineers, public servants, farmers, mechanics, artisans, and workers of every sort whose honest toil of mind and body in a free land rewards them and their families and enriches our entire Nation.

Let us thank God for our families, friends, and neighbors, and for the joy of this very festival we celebrate in His name. Let every house of worship in the land and every home and every heart be filled with the spirit of gratitude and praise and love on this Thanksgiving Day.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, in the spirit and tradition of the Pilgrims, the Continental Congress, and past Presidents, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 1985, as a day of national Thanksgiving. I call upon every citizen of this great Nation to gather together in homes and places of worship and offer prayers of praise and gratitude for the many blessings almighty God has bestowed upon our beloved country.

In Witness Where Of, I have here unto set my hand this fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.

Thanksgiving Day, 2006
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Thanksgiving 2006

As Americans gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks for the many ways that our Nation and our people have been blessed.

The Thanksgiving tradition dates back to the earliest days of our society, celebrated in decisive moments in our history and in quiet times around family tables. Nearly four centuries have passed since early settlers gave thanks for their safe arrival and pilgrims enjoyed a harvest feast to thank God for allowing them to survive a harsh winter in the New World. General George Washington observed Thanksgiving during the Revolutionary War, and in his first proclamation after becoming President, he declared November 26, 1789, a national day of "thanksgiving and prayer." During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln revived the tradition of proclaiming a day of thanksgiving, reminding a divided Nation of its founding ideals.

At this time of great promise for America, we are grateful for the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and defended by our Armed Forces throughout the generations. Today, many of these courageous men and women are securing our peace in places far from home, and we pay tribute to them and to their families for their service, sacrifice, and strength. We also honor the families of the fallen and lift them up in our prayers.

Our citizens are privileged to live in the world's freest country, where the hope of the American dream is within the reach of every person. Americans share a desire to answer the universal call to serve something greater than ourselves, and we see this spirit every day in the millions of volunteers throughout our country who bring hope and healing to those in need. On this Thanksgiving Day, and throughout the year, let us show our gratitude for the blessings of freedom, family, and faith, and may God continue to bless America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 23, 2006, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all Americans to gather together in their homes and places of worship with family, friends, and loved ones to reinforce the ties that bind us and give thanks for the freedoms and many blessings we enjoy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Born in the USA

2006-11-20T19:55:00.000-08:00

Well, although it was the first (and hopefully the last) time I have ever returned home against my will, it still feels good to be here. I returned to Washington, DC last week amidst the fall palette of orange, red, and yellow colors topped off with 70 degree Indian summer weather. It softened the slight humiliation of coming back 10 months earlier than I had anticipated. It's a little like getting divorced right after your wedding. Well, I imagine it's kind of like that.

On the plane ride home, I watched the movie "Peaceful Warrior" three times. It's a great movie based on the book by Dan Millman entitled "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior". Perhapd three times in a row is excessive but it got me through what was a low point for me. I felt like I had been ripped out of an environment in which I was thriving, happy, learning and loving every moment. The main premise of the movie was similar. This Olympic-quality gymnast gets in a motorcycle accident right before the trials and shatters his leg and is told he may never walk again, let alone compete. Rather than asking, "why did this happen?" he decides to let go of all ego and starts training again, little by little, and eventually reaches to a level higher than he was before. And in just 10 months.

Anyway, the main premise really hit home for me. At this point, I can mope around and question why this happened to me or I can continue to do what I love even if it's harder now. Am thinking of the best way to do that...I think turkey and stuffing will get the creative juices flowing. :-)

Deported--well, practically

2006-11-12T04:27:00.000-08:00

I’m still somewhat in a daze. One minute I was daydreaming of sleeping in my bed in the West Bank after a week of vacation in Jordan, and the next I was staring at a denied entry stamp on my passport. A few days later, I was gazing out the window of an airplane headed back to the States wondering if I would ever be allowed back in Israel (or the West Bank) again.

What did I do to deserve this treatment?

I was a foreigner living in the West Bank, and (heaven forbid!), studying Arabic there.

Yes, I'm having difficulty hiding the sarcasm or muting the sense of outrage I have at basically being deported from the country that we bankroll. There's only one minor upside...it makes for good story-telling, i.e. how many people do you know who have been deported from a country...??

So, here's the story...

I showed up at noon at the checkpoint into Israel on Tuesday, October 31st. My friends who work at the US Embassy in Jordan and I were joking about how since it was Halloween and all, I should dress up as a suicide bomber, and then just say, "Ha ha, it's just my Halloween costume! Happy Halloween!" Considering what happened later, it's a good thing we thought better of it.

I was so excited to go back home after a long Eid holiday and a fabulous trip to Jordan. And to be honest, I wasn’t too worried about getting back in. After all, I still had a month left on my visa and I had a great alibi—that
I was helping with a conflict resolution organization based outside of Tel Aviv and run by a Jewish American. This was true and the director of the organization was extremely well-connected and ready to talk to them about me if needed. I figured that they would hear that and have no problems--after all, the org. was in Israel and the director was Jewish.

So, I got up to the counter and the two female soldiers ask me if it’s my first time traveling to Israel. I said No. They asked when and for how long had I been before. I said just the past two months I’d been there as a tourist and also helping out with this organization. I hoped to get a job with them and stay longer in Israel. They asked all sorts of questions about where I’d been staying, to which I answered in hostels and with various friends. They asked if I planned to go anywhere besides Israel. I said I wanted to stay where it was safe. (Not a lie since I consider the West Bank very safe.) They asked all about the organization and for the details. Then I was told to have a seat and they disappeared behind closed doors with my passport.

They returned after an hour or so and asked me more questions about what I intended to do with this organization and how long I planned to stay in Israel, and how I had been paying for my stay. I said I used to work for the US government and that I had saved up money. They disappeared again and after another hour of waiting and trying to keep a calm thought I was finally summoned in to the back room and was told that the Ministry of Interior had denied my request to enter Israel and I would have to go back to Jordan.

I looked at them in pure shock. “Excuse me? How could this be? What is the reason?”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “You’ll have to take it up with the Ministry of Interior. We’re just the border police. We don't know the reason.”

"What?!!", I yelled, my voice shaking. "You have to give me a reason. This is outrageous!"

Still a completely impassive response. Then I pulled out the big guns... "Do you know I used to work for the US government? This is an insult—as a former diplomat and as an American who basically bankrolls your country, this is totally uncalled for! I'm going to call everyone I know and you're going to be in big trouble," I screamed, trying to hold back the tears.

"Go ahead and do that," said the lady behind the desk, entirely uncompassionate and unfeeling. “Sorry, you must leave right now.” I choked out “This is unbelievable” and slammed the door behind me. I tried to hold back the tears as I was escorted to get my bag in front of a line of people waiting to get in to Israel and who all stared at me curiously, obviously wondering why on earth I had gotten denied.

Outside as I was waiting for the bus to take me back to Jordan, I called the director of the organization where I had volunteered and told her what had happened. Her first words were, "Don't cry, we'll get you out of this." Just hearing that comforting statement made the lump rise in my throat and made me want to cry all the more but I forced the tears back.
She immediately started making phone calls to Israeli officials she knew. She also happened to be sitting with officials of the foreign ministry at that moment. I saw a glimmer of hope.

A couple hours went by and still no progress. The Director said that the Foreign Ministry was working hard with her to persuade the Ministry of Interior (MOI) to let me in but they were not budging. She was confident it would be resolved but maybe not until the next day since the checkpoint would soon be closed. I might have to go back to Amman and try the next day. I sighed, still in shock that this was happening. I waited another hour on the bus, during which a group of 8 Spaniards boarded. I wondered what their story was but was too tired and pissed off to make conversation.

Finally back on the Jordanian side of the border, the officials there recognized me and wondered what had happened. “Why did they deny you?” “No idea,” I replied, saying that they hadn’t given me any reason. I added that I would be back the next day to try again, at which they looked surprisingly and sadly at me. "That never works; once they deny you, you won't get in again."

"Well, I’m going to try anyway," I responded.

“As you like, but know you’re always welcome here in Jordan,” they said kindly.

That was somehow comforting to know that at least one country wanted me. I also mentioned to them that I was especially shocked since I used to work for the US government. They mentioned there was a US official outside right then from the US consulate in Jerusalem and that maybe he would help me. I rushed outside in the hopes that maybe I knew him. He was in the typical US Embassy armored suburban and looked pretty reluctant to roll down his window to this random woman knocking at his door. He eventually opened up and I proceeded to tell him the story, dropping names of people I knew in the consulate. He calmly replied there was nothing he could do. I thanked him and walked back in to the building back to the counter to fill out the paperwork once again. The driver of the US diplomat asked how I was getting back to Amman and I replied that I had no idea. He offered to give me a ride if I could wait a while. I said of course and thanked him profusely. I then walked outside as the first tears of the day overwhelmed me. I felt so deserted by the two countries that the world associated me with, the US and by extension, Israel. And here were Arabs, those people who are supposed to hate us, taking me in and going out of their way for me. Why was my world so upside down?

I was so exhausted by the time we got in the armored suburban I fell asleep right away. The day of tears of frustration and fear had gotten to me. I showed up in Amman 45 minutes later back to my friend's house and we started calling Embassy officials in Jerusalem to tell them the story and get advice on what to do. One official said this had been and continues to be a big problem with Americans getting denied entry and they have been tracking cases and bringing the issue up in general with the Israeli MoI and officials. They said they would raise my issue as well the next day with the MOI.

The org. director also had insights. Through her contacts, she had learned that they had been suspicious of me at the border because I had said I was both a tourist but also working. However, she said the main problem was that I was studying in the West Bank and somehow they had known this. They wondered what exactly I was doing in the West Bank and why I was there. They secretly suspected I worked for the International Solidarity Movement, the militant, left-wing organization that sponsors protests against the wall and blocking bulldozers tearing down Palestinian homes and the like. (I later heard from a friend that they suspect any foreigner who lives in the West Bank of working for them. But I still couldn't believe they made a stretch from former US official to crazed bulldozer-blocker. "Anyway, not to worry," she continued. "Tomorrow we will take care of it."

It felt like groundhog day as I once again the next day took the same half hour cab ride to the bus station, waited for passenges to fill it up, drove the hour and a half to the border, paid another exit visa from Jordan, and waited the hour for the bus to take us to the Israeli side. My stomach was in knots the entire time as I tried to remain calm and tell myself that today was a new day and that I could expect wonderful things.

As I got in line at the window, I noticed with glee that the girl behind the counter was different. She was much nicer too and asked the same usual questions but with a smile on her face. She then thumbed threw my passport, frowned at the denied entry stamp and told me to have a seat while she went to talk to her colleagues in the back room. My heart sank. "Oh no, here we go again."

A gentleman from behind those ominous-looking secret doors came out to talk to me after a while. I said, "Look, I have a plane ticket going home November 15th. All my things are in Israel. Please just let me in to get my things and if it doesn't work out to work full-time at the organization, I'll fly home."

To my surprise he was very friendly but he shook his head sadly. "I'll talk to the MOI again, but I don't think they will let you in." I called the director again and gave her an update. She said she and her contacts in the Foreign Ministry had been trying all morning to persuade the MoI and they were all outraged at how obstinate MoI was being. The FM had even suggested to the director that she go on television with the story to show MoI how serious this was and upset they were. Thankfully, she told them that this kind of press was not what I was after and wouldn't necessarily help my case.

I told her I would get in touch when I got the final word. After another hour or so, another gentleman came out of the doors with two passports--mine and that of a Palestinian-American. Both "Entry Denied". He repeated the same spiel I had heard the other night and ushered us directly to the bus going back to Jordan. All the while, tears were streaming down my cheeks as I thought of my predicament and the injustice of it all. Mid-sememster into the program at Birzeit; all my things there; all my rent paid; my plane ticket out of there...but most of all, my life was there--my neighbors, my roommate, my community, Arabic, my life!

I sat down on the pavement, called my roommate in Palestine, and cried.

After a few hours of waiting for the bus to go back to Jordan, I finally got a hold of the director again and told her the situation. She sighed and said, "Okay, I've had the phone number of the number 2 in the MoI but have hesitated to use it. I didn't want to make it even worse by troubling the head honchos about you. But, at this point, it couldn't get any worse! Let's do it."

Five minutes later, the director called back. Her instructions were straight out of a thriller movie. "Janessa, listen carefully. I want you to get your bag and get off the bus right now and walk into the checkpoint. They're expecting you. Go right now before they close!" She explained she could only get me a week, but that was better than nothing.

I told the bus driver I had to get off the bus and while he protested, I ignored him, grabbed my bag, and ran to the guard in front of the checkpoint. I said, "I have to go inside. They're letting me in to Israel." The guard frowned at me and looked exasperated. By this point, he'd been dealing with my hell-raising for two days straight and he thought this was just the latest antic. "Listen," I said, "Just take the phone and listen." He finally agreed and I handed him the phone so the director could tell him what was going on. After a few seconds, he straightened up and started nodding vigorously. He hung up, handed me the phone, and immediately radioed something in Hebrew to someone. Five seconds later, an official from inside came out and escorted me to the back room inside the building. This time, they were courteous and nice. Ten minutes later, I had an Israeli visa stamped in my passport and I was walking through the gates to the Israeli side. The security people looked in astonishment at me walking through with a huge smile on my face.

"They let you in?? Congratulations!," said one guard.

"Thanks," I replied. "I guess miracles do happen!"

On the other side, I got on a bus to Jericho, hoping to find a cheaper taxi from there. I met a Palestinian-American on the bus who had also been put through the ringer in trying to get in to Israel. He was 21 and was coming to check out Birzeit University. (Of course he didn't tell the border guards that.) He was from Texas and hated the Middle East, he said, but his Dad was forcing him to finish college in the Middle East so he could learn Arabic. He had just gotten out of three weeks in a Jordanian prison for being caught with marijuana and was bitter. I chatted with him a bit about Birzeit but mainly daydreamed about surprising my roommate and neighbors, whom I had just told I was denied entry once again. They had no idea the decision had been so suddenly reversed.

Two hours later, I was finally at home, knocking on my front door, and hugging my roommate who started crying and screaming when she saw me. I had to explain to everyone not to get too excited since I only had a week and then had to leave. It was so bittersweet. I went to school the next day and explained what had happened to the program officials. They sadly shook their head and said there was nothing they could do. "This is why we told all of you students never to say a word about the West Bank and Birzeit. They do not want any foreigners here witnessing their occupation and the situation here." Well, I was really beginning to believe that was true. They don't give out visas to students wanting to study in the West Bank and even journalists we'd met had had to lie and say they had no intention of coming to the West Bank. Most NGO professionals also had to stay in country on tourist visas since work permits are nearly impossible to get if you're working in the West Bank. So, everyone lives in this perennial fear of every three months having to leave the country and praying you can get back in. Since I was the first of my class to leave and get denied, now all my fellow students were agonizing about what their fate would be. They concluded that if I, an American and former official, was turned away, then they were basically goners.

My plan was first to go to Jordan and wait for a work visa from there, but the director of the organization said the MoI was mandating that I go back to the States and apply from there. If I did not, she would be in trouble and I would never be allowed back in the country again. They were waiting for me at the airport, she said, and my name was on a checklist showing if I left from there or not. "So, does this mean I'm effectively being deported? Am I on some blacklist? Am I in deep trouble?" "Not yet," she said. "You won't be if you go home."

The next few days were filled with bouts of tears, last-minute purchases of Palestinian knick-knacks, a visit to Arafat's tomb (the only tourist destination in Ramallah), and a rousing going away party. I told everyone I hoped to be back in a month but secretly I had a nagging feeling I may never be back to study there again. This is what made it so hard to leave--I had this suspicion this wonderful experience was over for good. What had I learned? Was it enough? What would I miss out on? Just over two months just didn't seem enough...there was so much more I felt I needed to experience and learn. Oh well, I would have to trust that there was a bigger plan of which I was not aware.

A looooooong Day

2006-10-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

Life in the big city again!

The lights, tall buildings, malls, (Mecca Mall is a popular mall here in Amman), McDonalds of course, and even Starbucks. I'm feeling civilized; it's great to be back in Amman. The last time I was here was on my way home from Baghdad in July 2005, but it doesn't feel like much time has passed at all.

Getting here from the West Bank was an experience in itself. I left my house in Birzeit at 7:45 am on the 24th with no clue how I would actually get to Amman. I knew that since I didn't have a Jordanian visa I couldn't go through the border crossing that was closest to the West Bank (King Hussein bridge) and instead had to go to one of the "real" border crossings between Israel and Jordan. But I didn't know how I would do that.

I started with the bus (servees) to Ramallah. In Ramallah, I started walking to the bus station in Ramallah to go to Jerusalem, thinking that it would be easier to find a bus to the North from there and stopped to ask a taxi driver what he thought. The taxi driver said there are no direct buses from Jerusalem to the border crossing and that the best way was to go by private taxi. (hmm, not surprising...this option would certainly be better for him!) Despite his ulterior motives, I happened to agree with him that taking the bus into Jerusalem (which was actually going the wrong direction from where I needed to go), hoping that there was some kind of bus, and if not, paying the much more expensive Israeli taxi fare was more than I wanted to deal with that morning. So, I agreed to pay him the 200 shekels to drive me North and we set off. It ended up being much longer than I thought, maybe an hour and a half of driving, winding down towards Jericho and the Dead Sea and then through picturesque valleys with mountains rising on all sides...desert mountains with very little foliage, but mountains nevertheless. I pretended like I was napping most of the time to fend off the driver's flirtations (despite his having a wife and three kids), and enjoyed the long, windy drive North. After a while, we stopped at an Israeli checkpoint and my driver said, "Okay, they'll take care of you from here. I can't go any farther," took out my backpack, and showed me the door. "Excuse me? Who will take care of me? Where are we?" It turns out we were about 30 miles from the Shaykh Hussein border crossing, but because the rest of the way happened to be in Israel, not the West Bank, he had to turn back at the checkpoint. So, I got out, walked through the checkpoint, and asked the Israeli guards what I should do. "Well, you can wait for a taxi to take you to the nearest town, Beet Sha'anan, but just so you know, there probably won't be any." "Ah," I replied. "So what should I do?" They just shrugged. So, I took my stuff over to the side of the road and sat down to think. It was 9:30 am and there were no cars at all coming and I still had so much of my journey left to go!

After about ten minutes, a pick-up truck drove through and as the guards were searching it, one of them ran over to me, double-checked my passport, and said, "Do you want to go with this guy? He's driving to the next town." I didn't hesitate, mainly glad to get somewhere besides the checkpoint and just slightly bemused at the idea of my first experience hitch-hiking being in the hinterlands of Israel. I climbed in next to a guy who looked like the Israeli equivalent to a farmer on the backroads of Idaho, with his pick-up truck, country-western style music in Hebrew blaring, and tanned arms and face. He spoke only a few English words so we rode along listening to the Hebrew country music and enjoyed the scenery. At the next town, he dropped me off at a somewhat-central looking square and I thanked him profusely. I went into a falafel stand and asked them if they had any idea about how to get to the Shaykh Hussein border crossing, at this point only 5 miles away. You would have thought I was asking how to get to Mars. Finally, the woman agreed to call me a taxi and I could ask him. Twenty minutes later, the taxi drive pulled up and agreed to take me for 30 shekels, about 7 dollars. I tried haggling with him, but I think he knew the options were clearly limited, so he didn't budge. 5 minutes later, I was at the border and walked towards a tall, airport-looking building that was the Israeli immigration side. I elbowed my way to the counter after about 30 minutes (no such thing as a line of course) and paid the $25 dollar exit tax.

Then, I left the building and got onto a special bus that you have to pay another dollar to take you to the Jordanian side of the immigration. Little did I know what i was in for!! the Jordanian building was so packed with people you could barely walk in it. I shoved my way over towards the mob assembled in front of the visa counters and my heart sank. There was a huge mass of men (only two women that I could see) pushing and screaming and shoving to get the attention of the people at the two visa counters. It was INSANE. The only other time I've seen a crowd like that was in Gambia, West Africa trying to get into a Youssou N'Dour concert, and at which I was nearly stampeded to death. I had hands down my pants, up my shirt, my money stolen, was on the ground at one point with people stepping on me, and then to top it off, was clubbed on the head by a policeman who was beating back the crowd and didn't see the lone, poor, American woman in the midst of it.

As that memory came flooding back to me, I entered the foray with some trepidation. After a good twenty minutes with absolutely no progress or movement forward, (in fact, I think I was pushed backwards), I went over to a policeman who was trying to get some control over the mob and asked if he had any suggestions for what I could do to get a visa. No, he had not. Hmmm,so I tried again and this time made it slightly closer to the front and then realized that the 30 or so people in front of me each had stacks of about 10 passports. I realized it was a hopeless cause and looked in desperation at a guy who was very close to the front and who was already holding a stack of 10. I sized him up quickly, trying to decide if he looked the type to make off with my passport if I gave it to him. I decided he looked okay. "Can I give mine to you too?" I asked. "No problem," he answered. I gratefully elbowed my way out of line and sat on the outskirts to wait...and wait...and wait.

It took at least another hour for him to get to the front and for them to process the 22 visas that he had accumulated by the time he got up there. By the time he got out, he was drenched in sweat and downed an entire bottle of water in one gulp that his wife handed him. I started chatting with his wife and playing with their child while we were waiting in yet another line to get an entry stamp now that we had the visas. It turns out they were Israei Arabs living near Haifa and were going to Jordan on vacation for the Eid holiday. The wife wore a headscarf, but was dressed up in jewelry and high heels. She was about to turn 23 and had been married for three years already. (Seriously, I'm starting to get an old maid complex!) While waiting in line, they asked me how I was getting to Amman. I replied that I had no idea; I figured I would catch a bus or get a servees. They insisted that I ride with them since they were driving and had an extra spot in their car.

So, the adventure continued...waiting in yet another line to get the car through another processing line, in which they charge you an exorbitant $100 and make you switch the plates from Israeli to Jordanian. Finally, we started off for the 2 hour drive down to Amman. A very friendly couple, we chatted about life in Israel for them and they wanted to hear all about life in the West Bank, since they had only been there a few times. (They said it was too dangerous for them to go. Huh?) The wife cleared up for me the situation about the school segregration. (Recall my confusion in an earlier blog.) Yes, indeed, they are all separated between Jews and Arabs, but Arabs are taught Hebrew in school along with Arabic. However, Jews are not taught Arabic. Hence, the reason why all Israeli Arabs speak Hebrew.

All the time chatting, I was of course riding in the back seat with their 2 and a half year old who did not have a car seat and was climbing all over me and beating me over the head once in a while. Maybe he was excited because they had given him nothing but coke and candy to eat in the two hours I had been with them. They also regularly played a song he liked at crushing decibels and he would dance to it. I literally had to plug my ears it was so loud; I can't imagine what the volume was doing to the little guy's ears! The worst part is they would open the sunroof and he would climb up on the middle console and stick his head out the top and dance. They would laugh and say, "Isn't this great? This is illegal to do in Israel, but here there's no problem!" "Riiight," I thought, no problem when the Dad is driving 80 mph in his Mercedes on windy roads passing trucks and cars on hairpin turns. So, so much for car and child safety.

Then, there was a not so delightful temper tantrum, during which I was kicked many more times. I'll spare you the details. The experience proved to be interesting in a later conversation with my American friend in Amman whose background is in childhood development. She was lamenting how little Arab parents know about disciplining kids properly--the children (especially middle to upper class) are generally quite spoiled and that the main way parents in Jordan know to discipline their kids is through hitting.

Finally, we made it to Amman and they wanted to head straight to McDonalds. I never eat McDonalds in a foreign country, but I figured since I was with an Arab family, it was more forgivable. We were probably quite a sight sitting there together eating our Big Macs, but I've certainly been in stranger situations.

I finally made it to my friends' house at around 6:30 pm (nearly 11 hours after leaving), friends of mine from Principia College who are posted in Amman for three years at the Embassy. I reveled in a yummy dinner including sweet potatoes (yum!), a comfortable bed, real American cereal, a washer AND drier, and a shower with water pressure. Life is good in civilization!

Happy Eid!

2006-10-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Phew, what a day, the first day of the Eid holiday. The moon was apparently seen last night so Ramadan is officially over! It's been very exciting and festive around here--much like Christmas. For days the streets of Ramallah have become like a fair with shops in the streets selling gifts and jam-packed with people doing last minute shopping for their families. Kids especially all get new clothes and toys just like Christmas back home. Since last night, the kids in my neighborhood have been setting off fireworks, surprisingly good ones with colors and sparkles.

Today, the boys have been wreaking havoc in the neighborhood with their toy guns they bought with their Eid money. I've never seen anything like it anywhere else. Boys here are obssessed with guns and they all look eerily real--AKs, M-4s, handguns. I noticed on the wrapping of one of them..."Use not advised for children under the age of 18. Never shoot at humans or animals." I burst out laughing--they ONLY shoot them at people and animals and the average age of kids playing with them is 7. The gun obssession must have something to do with the occupation culture. An hour ago, there was a knock at the door. Per usual, I yelled out, "Tafaddal!" (Welcome, come in!) No answer. I yelled again, but no answer, so I finally went and opened the door. I jumped at the sight of a red laser beam on my forehead and the blue light of the scope light of the machine gun and a kid in camouflage. "I'm the Israeli army! I got you!", the kid yelled and laughed, who I recognized as my neighbor across the street. Jeez, talk about a near heart attack! See my picture with the culprit...

The girls are much more sedated than the boys and have been all dressed up in their Eid finest. We just got back from being invited over to our neighbors and I was woefully undressed as they were done up in sparkles and high heels and the works. Now my belly is full from all the sweets and tea and fruit.

We have a week vacation from school and I am headed to Amman to visit some friends who work at the US Embassy there as well as some Iraqi friends of mine who will be there for their Eid vacation.

Eid Mubarak to you all and be in touch soon!

Birzeit On Top of the World

2006-10-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

My roommate and I have found that after the big huge Iftar meal (the breaking of the fast) at 5pm, we need to walk it off a bit or else we are in pain all evening. So, we've started exploring different routes around town. Birzeit has been deserted the past couple of days since the Eid holiday started. (For the University, it started Friday.) Everyone has gone off to their respective villages to be with their families. It is very quiet--very nice, actually.

Anyway, tonight we went for a long walk with another friend of ours from Denmark and saw an Israeli checkpoint in the distance. We decided we would go test whether they would let us walk through it. It was pitch dark and there was a line of cars waiting. Suddently a huge spotlight shone on us and we stopped in our tracks. I thought of how in Iraq, to move at the checkpoint at the wrong time, meant warning shots fired eerily close to the vehicle. I said we should stay put. Thankfully, after a moment, a soldier beckoned us forward. I realized we must have been quite a sight--a Japanese, an American, and a Dane walking around the country hillsides of the West Bank in the dark.

"What are you doing here?" they asked.
"We're going for a walk," we answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Is it okay if we pass?"
"You're doing what? Where are you from? Where do you live?" "How long have you been here?"

After we answered all their questions, they looked at each other incredulously and talked to each other in Hebrew. After a while, they muttered, "Fine, go ahead." We smiled at each other and walked off into the night, giggling and laughing at what they must have thought of us and how happy we were to have gotten through. We walked for another 20 minutes to the next Palestinian town, all the way with the spotlight on us. We couldn't figure out if that was a helpful gesture to light our path in the black night or if they wanted to keep on eye on these subversive foreigners.

On our way back, we had hoped to talk to the soldiers and find out where they were from, what they thought about things, but they were busy with a line of cars so we just walked through and went on our merry way. Seeing those young guys made me think of a guy I met playing ultimate frisbee in Tel Aviv who had also been stationed in Birzeit during his 3-year obligatory military service. He had told me of how 3 guys in the company next to theirs were killed in the hills outside Birzeit by a sniper, who they couldn't catch for a long time since the hills made the shots echo and they couldn't tell where it was coming from. I told him how I had been told the exact same story by a Palestinian living in Birzeit. The ultimate guy said, "Yeah, and I bet he told you the story with a smile on his face." "Yeah", I replied, "actually he did."

The view at night from Birzeit and these walks is so beautiful. Birzeit is set on a hilltop and one can see so far--the lights of Tel Aviv to the West, framed by rising hilltops with twinkling lights upon them. One can always tell the difference between the lights of settlements and Palestinian villages--the settlements are more lit up and the lights are arranged in an orderly, block-like pattern. The villages are more spread out with hap-hazard lights. I love to walk around here--the sights of the olive trees lining each hill, the old rock fences, walking by modern-day shepherds with their goats, kids riding donkeys and horses around. I feel always that I am back in a distant time. I love to imagine Jesus and the prophets making their way across this same land, sitting on these various "mounts of olives". Just one of the perks of studying Arabic here in the holy land...

No need for Arab Justice after all...

2006-10-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't written the follow-up to my story about the guy who harrassed me on the street and inquiring minds want to know! Well, there's not much to report. I haven't been followed at all since that one time, but then again, I've hurried home before dark. My neighbor asked me about it a couple days ago and I told him nothing had happened since the one time. He nodded knowingly, saying that he "had taken care of it". When I asked him what that meant, he said he had talked to most of the neighbors about the incident and made sure everyone was watching out for any unseemly behavior, conducting a "neighborhood watch" of sorts, I suppose.

By the way, I have to share my neighbor's story, another interesting perspective. He (Nahel) is 28, owns and works in the supermarket across the street, and has three university degrees in Business, Philosophy, and Religion, from Birzeit University. He lives in the apartment directly above us with his brother, best friend, and three other guys who attend Birzeit. That's 6 people in the same amount of space we have for half the number! Anyway, in this society he is considered very old not to be married, but has never had a girlfriend or has found someone he's interested in. (I always joke that at 30, I'm considered a grandma! They never disagree with me... :-(

Nahel has had a plethora of experiences: he used to model for fashion shows (yes, I've seen the pictures!), he was in the Palestinian special forces, and also used to work in Tel Aviv when Palestinians were still allowed to go there. He's very good-looking, but smoking, lack of exercise, sleep, and stress, are taking their toll--as evidenced by circles and a paunch. As the oldest child in his family, he has five younger brothers and two sisters. The entire family depends on him for their income. The Father is sick and can't work and none of the other siblings is able to find work. This means they are in dire straits, as Nahel's tiny market is not making money. Ideally located next to a school, it usually generates a lot of business, but school has not been in session since before the summer because of the strike, so business is down to a minimum. Nahel has another job working as a computer programmer for the government in Ramallah, but has not been paid there in 9 months.

Anyway, last night we were joking about putting his roommate in solitary confinement because he was being a jerk and Nahel proceeded to tell some stories of his experiences in jail. He's been in five times, all for random things. (He's also been shot by IDF in the shoulder.) For example, once he was going through a checkpoint, and they asked him, "Where are you from?" And he said the name of his village. They asked, "where's that?" He said it was near the name of this other town. They said, "Where's that?" And he answered, "In Palestine." The guards were incensed at this response and said, "Take it back! This is not Palestine; this is Israel. Say, we are in Israel!" Nahel refused so they carted him off to jail.

One of those five times, they placed him in solitary confinement for 12 days and made him sit on a tiny chair that sloped forward, which forced you to lean over the whole time. His hands were tied behind his back. He could not fall asleep or he would fall over. He was fed by hand twice a day and allowed to go to the bathroom also twice a day, and other than that, he had to stay in the same position for 12 days. They regularly beat him in prison and questioned him heavily as to who his friends were, what he did, what he thought about Israel, Jews, etc.

I found it so shocking that this easy-going, friendly, intelligent, normal guy had been through these experiences, shot, imprisoned, tortured. You would never guess watching him and his friends joke around, watch TV, hang out. His thoughts about Israeli policy and the occupation only come out when he is sharing his experiences. He actually has many Jewish friends and bemoans the fact he can no longer go to Israel. He has said that it doesn't really matter what the Israeli troops think of him or what they do to him because he lives with the deep knowledge that he is in the right, that he is the one who was wronged, and that he has done nothing wrong.

I can't really grasp what I would think of justice if I were Palestinian and how I would reconcile the apparent complete lack of it. I mean, you are aware of this standard of human rights and know what justice is and believe in God and that God is good. And yet, you have none of that. They try to say they are unique in the world in that sense, the only people living under occupation for this period of time, but yet there are people all over the world deprived of human rights, freedom, and justice. It's not a unique problem; it's just a problem that is for some reason ignored, not understood, or viewed as "necessary" by the US and the West. That's what makes it unique to me, that we are supporting its existence, whereas elsewhere we condemn it.

Arabic class or political commentary?

2006-10-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I'm taking three classes at Birzeit University...

Modern Standard Arabic
Palestinian Dialect
The Palestine Question.

The Palestine Question is taught in English, contains mainly foreign students but a few Palestinians, and is a historical and contemporary review of the events of the region, from the Ottoman Empire leading up to the creation of the state of Israel, and the current problems. The teacher, Sa'ad Nimr, is one of the top political advisors to Fatah political party and also spent eight years in Israeli jails as a political prisoner. Very fascinating and brilliant guy--Ph.D. from some prominent University, don't remember where. He asks provocative questions like "why aren't Arab countries democratic? Why did Jews in Israel develop economically much quicker than Arabs?" He's very secular, progressive, and abhors the trend towards Islamization in Palestine and the Arab world.

My teacher for the Arabic classes is a real piece of work. In the dialect class, he is much more relaxed and loves to make a fool of himself and make everyone laugh by emphasizing how to pronounce words to a ridiculous extent. Then, he makes everyone repeat him over and over. For a week straight, for example, he made us say, "Eey wah, wadhih!" (Yes, it's clear!) at least 15 times per class. I started dreaming about this phrase! And we couldn't just repeat it, we had to shout it and he would shout it and pound the table. In fact, the teacher, (Sami) shouts everything, which can be quite painful when he happens to be standing behind you.

The dialect class has about 10 people, an interesting range of folks. We have two Frenchies, one Swede, three Koreans, three Americans, one Dane, and a German.

The Frenchies (I can call them that; I used to live there!) are a guy and a girl: one works in Jerusalem, speaks fluent Hebrew and is learning Arabic just for fun. The other is dedicated to the Palestinian cause--boycotts all Israeli products and does not want to spend any money in Israel. He volunteers for an organization called http://stopthewall.org. Check out the maps on their website--the presentation they gave at our school is chilling.

The Swede is a journalist for a small trade union newspaper; the Koreans work for a social welfare organization in Jerusalem; the Dane also helps stopthewall and is here to learn Arabic. The German has family here (not sure how that works; he couldn't be more Aryan looking!) and is learning Arabic.

The Americans: a former Harvard basketball player (recent graduate) who's heading up a program to teach Israeli and Palestinian kids basketball so they can play together on integrated teams. www.playingforpeace.org. They also teach girls, both Palestinian and Israeli, which I think is so cool. He's a celebrity in the West Bank, not only because he plays on a local team, but is so nice, and also happens to be 6'11! The other American is only 20 or so, and although she is full Palestinian, speaks not a word of Arabic, and has the most American accent I've ever heard. She bemoans that her family here keeps trying to set her up with a husband and think she has come here only for that purpose.

Anyway, back to the teacher Sami. He shares his opinions very liberally in class--and very seriously. Our vocabulary is regularly enriched with such phrases as, say... "Bush is against democracy. Israel and the US are two sides of the same coin. This is life under occupation. The United States is against human rights. Today's phrase was a real keeper. "The powerful, --America and Israel, eat the weak like fish." He demonstrated this sentence by opening up wide his arms to convey a big fish gulping down a small one. I honestly wish I could videotape a class and post it. It's quite a sight.

Not surprisingly, Sami also likes North Korea because they are a small country but are standing up to the US. After one of his tirades, he has several times turned to me to say he is sorry, he is only against the US government and the policies, not the people. I think he conveniently forgets that I used to work for the USG!

Sami also shares his stories of his life here. He is originally from Gaza but has not been allowed to go there for six years, even though all of his family is there. He told us how three years ago, his Mother died, and he was not able to go see her before she died or attend the funeral. Last week he also tried to go to Jerusalem to go to the al Aqsa mosque to pray during Ramadan. He was very excited because he has been trying for years and was told that now individuals over 40 can go and he is 45. At the checkpoint, however, they said that the new law is that only Palestinians over 45 can visit Jerusalem, so he was turned back. "Why? Am I a terrorist? The women and children who were also turned back--are they terrorists?? This is the occupation!!" he railed.

Sami also teaches my Modern Standard Arabic class, in which he is much more subdued, way more serious, and rarely jokes. Maybe it's to reflect the more serious content, formal Arabic as opposed to the dialect... In that class, we are focusing heavily on Arabic grammar, which makes English look like baby talk. We're talking, different pronunciations and markings for the same word, depending whether it is nominative, accusative, or possessive. Also, separate endings for dual, masculine human, masculine non-human, feminine human, feminine non-human, and again, where it falls in the sentence, whether nom. acc. or gelative. Sigh, you have to really think hard before you open your mouth if you speak in the MSA way. The only consolation is that native speakers find this stuff impossible as well, (although that makes it difficult to get help with my homework!)

The hardest part about Arabic so far is that in reality, I'm learning two different languages at the same time, the dialect and MSA. There are almost always different words for the same thing, whether it's a verb or a noun or an adjective. That makes retention difficult because one has to learn so many, many words. Also, the verbs are a killer because the conjugations are largely irregular and there is no magic book, such as 501 verbs, like there is in French and Spanish that has the tables of all important verbs. So, I always mess up the pronunciation and verbs are the main part of speaking! Insha'allah it will get better...

Our last day of classes was today. We now have a break for the Eid holiday, which is the end of Ramadan. Here, families get together and also spend a lot of time picking olives. I am hoping to get in on the action somehow...will keep you posted!