This is probably the most difficult text I have ever decided to write. When I heard what is happening now in Israel and Palestine I knew I cannot wait, I cannot just sit at my home in front of the TV and watch the whole situation doing nothing. I packed my things and although all my friends and family were telling me not to go there now I couldn’t, I simply couldn’t stay in Poland and do nothing.
Some years ago I have seen a movie: ‘Hotel Rwanda’ about genocide that was happening in 1994 in Rwanda. One short conversation between hotel’s manager - Paul Rusesabagina and one foreign reporter named Jack has changed my life:
Paul Rusesabagina: I am glad that you have shot this footage and that the world will see it. It is the only way we have a chance that people might intervene.
Jack: Yeah and if no one intervenes, is it still a good thing to show?
Paul Rusesabagina: How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities?
Jack: I think if people see this footage they'll say, "oh my God that's horrible," and then go on eating their dinners.
[pause]
Jack: What the hell do I know?
I knew I need to go there and talk to people, witness what is happening and understand, at least try to understand and share it.
I will not write here who has started, who is responsible, who is good and who is bad. There is absolutely no easy answer to it. There is not! There were probably hundreds of books, thousands of articles and millions of comments and opinions. So much hate, so much lies, so much forcing own opinions and the way others should think or behave.
This is our land! Look on history. The facts are on our side Israeli or Palestinians could say.
A: Look: Israel is killing now people in Gaza.
B: But hey! Hamas, hiding behind civilians, is shooting rockets towards people in whole Israel.
A: But Israeli fanatics are killing innocent Palestinians in the West Bank.
B: But Palestinians extremists are kidnapping, torturing and killing Israeli teenagers.
A: But Israel....
B: But Palestine…
There is so many ‘but’, the whole conflict has so many different stories, so many different aspects, long history and coming back into the past will not change anything.
Israel will not stop its actions until Hamas is ruling Gaza and promoting ‘Hate Israel’ policy, sending rockets and making acts of terror against Israeli civilians.
Palestinians will not stop their uprising until Israel will be occupying their lands and making prisoners out of them on their land, limiting their rights.
Those are just some issues, a small top of huge iceberg that is not melting but in contradiction is growing every day. In next posts I will try to show you how it looks from each side. And which side are you supporting? – I was asked.
- There is a song ‘Imagine’ of John Lennon and there are words:
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one.
This is a side I am for. Living in peace as people regardless your beliefs, culture, race, language or sex.
Well said Pepe! I only wish that the world's leaders share your sentiments.
ReplyDeleteIn 1917 was the balfour declaration, where the british granted israel headed by zionist palestine as a home for the jews. Note that the palestinian people were not present at this declaration, they didn't give any form of approval to this declaration whether written or verbal.
ReplyDeleteSo what right did britain have to grant someone else's country to the jews? and what right did the jews have to take this grant? Imagine that your local government grants your neighborhood to someone else, and evacuates you from their, how much is that acceptable to you?
How much is it acceptable for you, that I grant your smartphone without you acknowledgement or knowledge even, to someone else, then that person accepts, and then I come and by force without further notice give a big stick to that other person and I supervise taking your smartphone by force being his right, and I am their to make sure that you cannot fight back.
before 1948 the zionist state was not present, means that majority of palestine was inhabited by arabs, after this date huge numbers of arabs were evacuated to neighbour countries like jordan, syria, and lebanon, for the jews to take their place, to their lands, and farms, just like that, tell me what right did britain or the zionist have to do all this. Today land that is inhabited by arabs is much smaller than that inhabited by jews. Those are historical facts!
Good Article. Worth spending time to read it.
ReplyDelete