Wednesday, 7 January 2009
By Mohammad Salah
US President George Bush promised the Palestinians that a free, independent and internationally-recognized state would be declared by the end of 2008. The year has ended and Israel continues to flatten the people and land of Gaza in order to lay the foundations of the state the Palestinians have been promised; the majority of Palestinians are turning into the debris upon which this ideal state will be built. The Israelis have been tardy in carrying out the ground work that precedes the building of this state. Bush is leaving office in less than three weeks, and it seems that this period will be decisive in drawing up the ideal state that Arabs have hoped and waited so much for, and for whose sake Bush has "dizzied" the world when it comes to the violations of laws, traditions and feelings. Israel seems to be working boldly and insistently on completing the features of the ideal city before Bush leaves office, so that he does not leave without keeping his promise, even if he is a bit tardy. Known as the "Strip," Gaza is this ideal city, which suffers from a high population density that the Israelis are now trying to reduce so that streets can be widened for the remaining residents, who will reap the blessings of living in this ideal city. They will not require international assistance. All of the world's countries will invest in this city - in farms, factories and commercial centers - as unemployment disappears, justice prevails and prosperity spreads. The residents of this ideal city will not experience economic crises; they will see homes, apartments, villas and resorts established after the land and everything on it is brought down upon their heads. All of the aspects of the past and present that do not suit living in the ideal city will disappear. In Gaza, the families of victims are unable to organize funerals for their martyrs; the architects of the ideal city believe that scenes of funerals will disturb the mood of the people and cause traffic jams in the streets. Therefore, there is no room for noisy funerals, and there can be no such commotion in the ideal city. As for the customs of the people of Gaza, when it comes to holding funerals and celebrating martyrs, this will change, just like their city. The land and those living on it are being razed over their heads; the stones will disappear in the future, as there can be no ideal city with any stone when there is no need for any intifada, or any uprising. As for the children, they are being killed now so that they can be spared from the viruses of determination and struggle that have been planted in the wombs of their mothers. There can be no struggle in the ideal city, and there is no need for any determination.
The acts of destruction prior to building of the new city continue, while a bit of "muttering" takes place; at times there is Arab silence, while at others there is Arab noise. There is silence because the Arabs believe it to be more profound than books; there is noise, but it is always distant from the architects of destruction and building contractors who require a climate that is suitable for getting the job done before it is too late. The residents of the ideal city will get some rest when other Arabs get bored, after the Palestinian factions, groups, slogans and demonstrations and processions end. Arab televisions and newspapers will look for other, non-ideal Arab cities in which they can support this or that side; writers and analysts will endeavor to "find themselves," leaving behind Gaza, which will no longer be a Strip of contradictions. The Arabs will find other closed crossing-points and demand that they be opened. Gaza will require only one crossing-point, through which the ideal citizens will pass, and there will be no need for cameras, microphones or televisions, or even newspaper and journalists: only ideal events will take place in this ideal city. There will be no Fatah, or Hamas, or popular fronts, or liberation fronts. The Arabs will find their shortcomings in other Arab cities, strips and banks, in which they can fight over their present while having no impact on their future. They will encounter those who destroy these places over their heads in order to build other, ideal cities. The will of the Arabs will be absent, as they meet, make demands and go to the Security Council, or some other council, to strive for security with the architects of destruction and contractors who build ideal cities.
George Bush, the ideal man, will exit the White House on 20 January along with other ideal members of his administration. They have all worked for the "ideal state" in the Gaza Strip, or the West Bank, called Palestine, whose creation has been adopted by Israel. Meanwhile, the Arabs are busy with the interior decoration works, although it is certain that no Palestinian will accept living in this city. Despite their mistakes, the Palestinians will not accept this city, which is being built by… those ideal gentlemen.
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Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Al-Hayat
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