Tuesday, 6 January 2009
By Jihad El-Khazen
Among the best photos taken by readers in 2008 and published by The Los Angeles Times, I came across a photo of a Palestinian man with his back to the camera and his hands behind his back holding a snowball. A heavily armed Israeli soldier stood before him while the snow was visible in the area. Perhaps the photo was taken in Jerusalem or Ramallah or any high place in Palestine where snow falls.
I do not know if the Palestinian who had wrapped the famous kaffiyeh around his head threw the snowball at the Israeli soldier, nor do I know if he had put a small stone inside to make it more eloquent.
The snowball reminded me of Muntadhar Al-Zaidi's shoes and George Bush's head. I cannot forget the incident with the ongoing influx of readers' letters, but I need to be brief on the shoes' issue to move on to a more important one. Thus, I reject the opinion of Arab "gentlemen" who considered throwing the shoes at Bush a sign of backwardness or savagery. The Americans and the Europeans are concerned about the issue as much as we are or more. Today I content myself with the American liberal The Nation magazine which said the shoes are a "symbol" of the Bush administration. I also content myself with the anti-war coalition in Britain which called for a demonstration before the American embassy with the slogan "Take your shoes with you. On the other hand, I received from Arab sources two verses in which Muntadhar, the descendant of a great civilization, is asked why he humiliated his shoes.
Seeing the above sufficient, I move on to the most important Arab issue today, the Israeli Nazi-like war waged in the Gaza Strip. I opposed in my articles suicidal policies after I opposed suicidal operations. I received a large number of letters from readers that are worth being referred to or invite comment.
The reader Sadik said: "What you wrote is an exact, deep, and realistic description replying to emotions, as work should be carefully thought out." The reader Basri said: "Long live your pen. Your words are full of logic." The reader Sadik said: "You expressed all my ideas in your article."
I pause here to say that my article on the Gaza Strip included my statement that Israel is a Nazi-like state, the most bitter accusation that can be leveled against a Jew. The United States has colluded with Israel to the extent of complicity. Arab countries are powerless and Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, like Hezbollah, are national liberation movements in the face of Israeli terror. Such words are reiterated in every article I have written on the conflict with Israel.
Many readers defending Hamas disregarded such words and criticized my writing. Though critical letters are many times the letters of endorsement, I have no problem at all with admitting it. I insist that when it comes to the Palestinian resistance, I am the one who levels accusations rather than the one against whom accusations are brought. I have always endorsed the Resistance and opposed Israel. In case it takes a wrong decision or a stance I see at variance with Palestinian interests, I will not hesitate to declare it.
However, readers have their opinion. The reader Salim Muntasir says: "Dying for the sake of one's country is not suicide, but rather a testimony of honesty." The reader Ghassan says: "It is hard for me to understand those who chose the path of Islam and the path of martyrdom." From a long letter by the reader Usama Hassan Al-Saghir I have chosen passages similar to the above. He says the problem with some people, hoping not to be one of them, "is that they have neither the faith nor the feeling that our slain people are in heaven while theirs are in hell, and that God has made it imperative that we defend our land, ourselves, and our honor …"
It is clear from the above that the readers, like many others, are defending Hamas, an Islamic faction, from a religious angle, a right they enjoy. Yet, my question today is whether the sisters who fell victims of Israeli perfidy, or any women, child, or old man who was murdered during the attack was asked to express their opinion, whether they were ready for martyrdom, and whether they would accept death in a battle fought by totally unequal belligerents.
Many letters outnumbering the above defend Hamas from the angle of attacking Arab countries and make accusations against them that can not be published. The only thing I can say to such readers is that throughout my life I have never defended any Arab country. I have always believed they are all undemocratic and lack the rule of law and human rights enforcement … However, this does not mean at all that Hamas is a catastrophe or that it has the right to force neighboring and other countries to modify their policies.
The common denominator to another collection of letters is the assault on the National Authority and on President Mahmoud Abbas personally, with some harsh words that are not suitable for publication.
I literally said: "I do not support Fatah and oppose Hamas, but I rather support Hamas as a resistance faction." I conclude my article by expressing my respect for any respectful opinion even if it completely opposes mine. All I ask for is that the readers do not read in the manner of "Woe betide those who pray …"
