Palestine does exist

ReOrient festival provides a much more nuanced image of the “Middle East”


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Palestine does exist
by Choob Dosar-gohi
28-Jan-2008
 

“We need history for life and action, not as a convenient way to avoid life and action, or to excuse a selfish life and cowardly or base deeds.”
-- Nietzsche, The Use and Abuse of History.

A couple of mornings ago, when I read the news and saw a clip from Aljazeera about the fall of the wall in Rafah, I asked myself, what other choice does one have but to explode the wall in order to be able to buy bread and fuel for survival? What else can one do when the “international community” chooses to stay silent about one of the most hideous crimes in history? What else can one do when the hypocritical harbingers of democracy turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the violences of the inhumane State of Israel?

What else can one do when the messengers of “change” who raise millions of dollars for their presidential campaign (No, not just McCain, but the much loved Obama) write letters to the UN Security Council, urging it not to pass any resolution to lift the wall without understanding “Israel’s right to respond”? I guess a democratic election does not count unless it is approved by “us” who spend millions on our election campaigns and penalize others with hunger and death for not choosing a “democratic” government!

But it is not just the US politicians who are complicit with the State of Israel’s violence against the Palestinians. Sadly, those of us who read and contribute to Iranian.com and are often so opinionated on every matter and feel so compelled to write about everything that happens in the world, have been complicit with this violence by being silent about the recent Palestinian situation.

To escape this deadly silence, I decided to write about the events around me which have to do with Palestine, stating and not stating Palestine anywhere, and being in a “Palestine state of mind.” Some times the fall of walls by those under siege is what it takes to break out of the writers’ block suffered by those of us sitting in our comfortable homes far from the reality of war, agonizing silently.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw ReOrient, a festival of short plays about the Middle East in San Francisco. I was disappointed not only by the low turn out of Iranians in this event, but to see that there is barely any report or critique of it on Iranian.com. I may be mistaken, but I have a feeling that this lack may have to do with the fact that the plays are not about Iran.

Am I wrong to think that most of the Iranian immigrants only support event that have to do with the commemoration of a “homeland” left behind? That most Iranian-Americans do not give a damn about coalition building with other immigrant communities, especially with Arabs? That while our claims of “universal human rights” abound, we choose to stay silent when it comes to Palestine, as if Palestine is not “our” issue?

ReOrient is not just about Iran. In fact, two of the five plays are about Palestine, one being a monologue performed as a standup comedy. There is a line which highly resonates and is repeated in this monologue, written by Yussef El Guindi, directed by Arlene Hood, and brilliantly performed by the very talented Sara Razavi. She (the Palestinian) says, “Among the drama of nations, if nations were types of dramas, Palestine would be a monologue… A lone voice… you hear it in the distance; you hear its wails; you wish it well… you wish it would stop… you wish it would go away … when you know it won’t shut up or go away, you begin to tune it out… you tune out this monologue.”

Unfortunately, I think many of us have tuned Palestine out and frankly the Arab-hating sentiments that have filled our national imaginations do not let us see the pain and hear the voices of Palestinians who are being killed violently by the Israeli tanks or die softly behind the Israeli walls. We refuse to notice as we go on with our comfortable lives, pretending that Palestine does not exist.

Another ReOrient play, based on Simin Behbahani’s poem, “I Sell Souls” is not necessarily about Palestine, but certainly speaks to the silence surrounding it. Before writing a few words about this play, allow me to issue a preemptive disclaimer for those who may leave loving comments: I swear to you, I am not an Arab, an Arab-parast or any derivative thereof. Nor am I an IRI spy or a ReOrient agent! If anything, I am not sure if Golden Thread would approve of my appropriation of their plays here, as I may be jeopardizing their “centralist” position and pissing off the few rich Iranians who may some day support Iranian theater for the sake of its prestige. So, don’t blame ReOrient or the Golden Thread for my pro-Palestinian position. Believe me, if it were up to me, I would call it “DeOrient” to do away with the “Orient” all together and I would question the geopolitical discourses that -- as Edward Said argues -- have imagined the Orient to construct a civilized European self. But that is another discussion.

Despite my placement of the drill on the poppy seed (matteh roo khashkhaash gozaashtan) about the name of this festival, I strongly believe that ReOrient is a must-see, especially when there aren’t many plays about the Middle East that challenge stereotypical images of this vast geographical designation.

It is true that the funding for artistic, journalistic, academic, and non-academic knowledge production about the “Middle East” and Islam has seen a surge since September 11. But it is also true that many of these productions repeat the stereotypical representations of the “Middle East” and are complicit with the discourses that reproduce it as un-free, violent, and in need of liberation.

ReOrient challenges these stereotypes and provides a much more nuanced image of the “Middle East” than many plays which seem to find their way to the stage at this historical moment (hence, the need to support it as I doubt that it would be fundable by mainstream funding sources).

While one or two plays in the festival are unnecessarily long, the ones that are written, directed, and performed well certainly make it worth seeing. (In case you are wondering: other plays in the ReOrient deal with the 2006 bombing of Lebanon, the post 9/11 surveillance in the United States, and the Arab/Jew dichotomy in Israel.)

Back to “I Sell Souls”… Torange Yeghiazarian’s abstract play which is based on Simin Behbahani’s poem, “I Sell Souls” is not only aesthetically beautiful (the music, poetry, performance and images are at times breath-taking), but it leaves the audience thinking and wondering about the relationship between one’s body, one’s soul, and the luxuries of life. What is the price that one pays to indulge oneself in worldly pleasures while shutting one’s eyes and lips in order to refuse to see and speak of injustices and violences in this world? How does one console oneself when one sells one’s soul?

A question that comes to mind after seeing this unique play is the gendering of the characters (body, soul, and soul dealer) and its relationship to selling out. Why is the feminine body (Lynne Soffer) less resistant to the temptation to indulge in pleasures offered by a man in a suite who signifies material pleasures and luxury (Garth Petal) than the masculine soul (Julian Lopez-Morillas)?

What would it mean if the roles were reversed? Is there a dichotomy between the body and the soul and if so what artistic choices result in the gendering of the characters? What is the connection between the soul and soil in the background image, and at what moment does the dance of the light and water shift to the earthly walk on the soil? This play surely leaves the audience with plenty to think about.

In a scene, as the body rests upon the soul and the soul-buyer rests with satisfaction on the body which seemingly shelters her soul, we hear: Silence… Silence… Silence… This silence feels eerily familiar when it comes to Palestine these days. One wonders if the silence towards the siege in Palestine has something to do with the selling of souls.

Or perhaps one can wonder, as the Monologist tells us, if the stateless Palestine has become a state of mind that everyone has experienced at some point: when one talks and no one listens. That is when one could say, “I feel like I am in a Palestine state of mind.” But this state of mind could also connote something more positive: when under siege, one breaks all barriers and continues to survive against all odds. And hopefully, that is when one could say, “I feel like I am Palestine.”

To end on an uplifting note, here is a video from DAM, a Palestinian rap group.


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Palestine does not exist!

by Saint John (not verified) on

There is no nor should there ever be a 'Palestinian State'. The Philistine Nation has been extinct for thousands of years. The people that live in Southern Judea and want to call themselves Palestinians are interlopers and cast offs from other countries. None of them are native to the region and have absolutely no historical claim to Judea. The only they are there is to fight the Jews. If there was a Jewish colony in Antarctica, Antarctica would soon be flooded with Muslims!


Zion

Psychotic ranting, childish logic

by Zion on

So I see I have finally got a "response" here. Never giving up the nonsense Q?

My dear, you don't need to get so worked up about this. You evidently have trouble understanding clear logic and the English language. Fine. I repeat for you again.

Finkelstein is a holocaust revisionist in effect, not a denier, but a pathetic lying propagandist loudmouth whose works "imply" holocaust revisionism of the most hypocritical way. How many times should I repeat this for you?

He is a pathetic psycho. Obviously mentally harmed and deranged.  I feel pity for him. He is also a victim of Holocaust, a mental victim.

Now about your points.

Heh.

So Holocaust industry is about making money out of Holocaust. Do you hear yourself speaking? Don't you see how nonsensical and insulting your comments are. making money?! I thought Jews were supposed to have money and were using them to brainwash people. So which one is it?

How can one make money of "commodifying" the Holocaust?  By making people pay entry tickets to Yad Va Shem museums?! How? This is your arguments?

 Or are really stupid enough to believe the US pays Israel money because of the way Jews are using the memory of Holocaust to cash money out of the US pocket? The US did nothing when the Holocaust was actually happening, or when Israel was fighting for he life, in years immediately after the Holocaust. You think remorse for memory of lost ones is what states do act in the international arena or choose their allies and foes in the modern world? You're nuts. 

Industry is used for "fabricating" stuff, either physically, literally or in this case metaphorically. I have already explained this clearly enough.  

Even arguing such rubbish with you is painful for me. You should feel ashamed of uttering such insulting nonsense.  I will not dignify your rating in this line with anymore  response if you continue on this line. I guess  that makes you happy? 

 The height of irony though is in you asking me to respect the great scholars that the likes of Chomsky and his pet monkey Finkelstein. You know THEIR attitude? You know your Finkelstein was thrown out of academia because he was in the habit of alleging untrue stuff all the time and of attributing unproved lies to repsected scholars he disagreed with? 

 Here is a video of him supporting and showing respect to terrorist bloodsucker animals in Hizbullah, continuously comparing Israel to the Nazis as his only pathetic excuse for the crap he utters. Is there any doubt in any reasonable human's mind that this guy is a deranged mentally handicapped freak? A pitiful mental case in need of treatment?

//www.memritv.org/clip/en/1676.htm 

And one last thing Q, you are the enemy. an insignificant propaganda and lobbying foot soldier of the enemy. Your Finkelly said it here. We know our enemies when we see them and we are clear and honest about it. We never forget. There is a respect in this that you jerks don't even have the capability of understanding, immersed as you are in your constant lies and whining, twisting and warping. A second nature I presume. 

Amusing but pathetic. 


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Identity Theft

by The Real Nader Vanaki (not verified) on

Kouroush Sassanian is once again posting under my name with his terrible English writing. I don't have time to read such a lengthy article about something that does not interest me.


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To the Author

by Mani321 (not verified) on

Here's a couple of points that you may find of interest:

- Arabs HATE Iranians, they see us as infidels and call us "Ajam"s a degrading cusword
- Iran has already paid more than ANY ARAB country to defend the rights of Palestinians, both in economic terms and in political terms.
- If the tables were turned, and Iran was going down the toilet, no Arab would look twice at us, let alone try to help. If anything, they would flush the toilet so we would disapear faster.

Iran has a Gizillion "Iranian" issues and the plight of the Iran-hating Arabs should not be one of them....I say fuck the Arabs, we got enough on our plate.


Q

Your words are already twisted, Zion

by Q on

Look who is talking about insults. Don't make me laugh with your BS social psychology about "enemies" not having "sophisticated propaganda". I am not your enemy. "Those who understand" understand that you are once again weaseling out of straight and direct answers using new excuses.

Your response is a sad attempt at covering your ass after having made stupid and unjustifiable statements, making deceptive and double-tongued insinuations about people being "Holocaust revisionists". You obviously have no idea what the hell you are talking about beyond what you have read in your Zionist websites. Have you even read the Holocaust Industry, or any Finkelstein? The "Industry" means making money by making a product out of something, thus belitteling and commodifying it.

You are now trying to backtrack. You say "you did not call all of them" Holocaust revisionists. OK, perhaps it was my mistake. Why don't you set me straight and answer this simple question: Which one of those people were you calling a revisionist? When you gave the definition of revisionists who - you said - actually believe the historical reality of Holocaust, who were you talking about? Was it Finkelstein? Was it Jimmy Carter or Michael Lerner? Who was it?

Did you have any of them in mind or was your comment just a diversion? Was it supposed to be guilt by insinuation, you know like saying
"IRAQ" right after "OSAMA" enough times, making people think the two issues are related? Was that it? Why don't you come clean? Who is the revisionist?

You use a lot of name-calling against respected academics of various religions in order to dismiss what they actually argue.

I basically believe that Apartheid is a crime against humanity. Israel has gone to war against civilians and children. It has perpetuated racial injustice and discrimination systematically torturnig and imprisoning 1000s of Palestinians against the rules of international law.

This makes Israel an apartheid state. People familiar with the subject who are in a real position to judge this agree. It is what I think, too. Now, what kind of person does that make me? Please enlighten me.


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Think

by Nader Vanaki (not verified) on

Only if Hilter has prevailed in Europe! Clearly, there was no mass murder of Jews in Europe. This is all a fabrication. This is true about Armenians screaming about some mass murder by muslims. This never happened, either. It is true Christians and Jews are natural enemies of Islam.


Zion

Thanks Freddy

by Zion on

and thanks to others for their support. Freddy, you took the words right out of my mouth. Indeed the biggest apartheid regime is the Islamic Republic of Iran. Sexual and Religious, even ethnic apartheid is constitutionalized there to the letter of their "law". 

The reason I post comments here, despite obvious fools like Q, and he rest of heir gang understanding nothing, learning nothing and only continuing with their loud nonsense and insults, is two fold.   

One is, such nonsense need to be continually debunked, no matter how silly they are. Otherwise they leave their effects on people's minds. Most don't accept them, but they are influenced by their continuous streaming without proper answer nevertheless. Just like a bald guy wearing a ridiculous wig. You know its wig, but f you see him with it long enough, then seeing him once as bald still shocks you. That is why you read posts by reasonable people from Iran , still beginning with a disclaimer that they know about Israeli atrocities, or the sanctity of Islam or what other. 

 

The second reason is more personal.  It is good to practice handling hordes of little pathetic fascists in our days. Because ultimately that is the challenge we face today. The enemy is not that sophisticated, it is not mentally, intellectually, scientifically or  technologically advanced, not even politically and propaganda-wise. The problem is different. We are facing hordes, more than a billion of not that smart, pathetic fascists. It's a replicator problem basically.  In many instances it needs brute force, physically AND intellectually. Keeping an practicing with such crowd is good for keeping one aware of this all the time. 

I target my reasoning to intelligent masses of Iranians who are usually silent. I target my idiot handling exercises to the islamio-lefo-fascist minions who usually make a lot of disgusting loud noise.

Both aspects are beneficial, bothe are necessary.  


Zion

Twisting my words

by Zion on

Q, you keep twisting my words all the time. I explained the situation very clearly. The number issue was in response to your earlier twisting attempts.I did not call all if them Holocaust deniers and I was very careful in separating direct Holocaust denial, with indirect ones as well as even more indirect allusions to it.  I won't  repeat what I said about "Holocaust Industry" as any one intelligent enough could read and understand what I said. But I ask you, do you understand English? Can you read in English? Do you understand what I wrote there at all? Do you know what the term " industry" means? If you relay the fact about an issue even for political purposes, this would not be called "Holocaust industry". Industry refers to making thing up. Lying, blowing things out of proportion. That is the implications and allusion in this term and this vicious attack on Jews by radical pro-palestinians, among them certain Jewish idiots as well.

Anyways, those who understand, understand. You can keep whining, twisting my words and clear intentions and lying behind your  teeth. It only shows your bankruptcy in arguments and in logic. 

 

 


programmer craig

to: America_Colony_of_Zionist

by programmer craig on

America being the colony of Israel

You know, if I was smart I would have stopped reading right there...

I am not surprise at your comment.

Meaning, you think the Jews sign my paychecks? I doubt there are more than a dozen Jeish families within 10 miles of where I'm sitting right now.

I dare you to talk anywhere in your country against Israel, your ass is
grass. hehe.

Really? Wow, so scary!? I never realzied that. So, the Jews are pretty much like the basij?

Slaves of Israel come to this site to protect their
masters. Did you know that you can burn an American flag but can't burn
an Israeli flag in your country?

No, I didn't know that. I've never burnbed a flag. I don't think I even know anyone who has ever burned a flag. That's not a crowd I hang out with. How is it you know what happens to people who burn Israeli flags in the US?

hehe, colony, lol. AIPAC has shoved it
up your ass, no one needs to do anything else to you and your kind. Go
to work and pay your taxes for the Zionists to build themselves
libraries and all the other shit that US can't afford to have. Check
out the youtube to get my drift. Or go smash a beer can on your
forehead and just forget about it!

I didn't realize Jews frigtened Iranians so much. That makes me kind of happy, actually. Thanks for letting me know. Maybe teh US won't have to go to war with your country, after all.

Without US Israel is gone, now my question to Zionists is, what have you done for me lately?

The "without US" may be a bit of a problem for you. But good luck with that. Don't say nobody warned you.


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If anyone seriously wanted

by Anonymous3 (not verified) on

If anyone seriously wanted to do away with the Zionist enitity, one would call for the overthrow of the Persian regime first.

Was it not for Iran's double dealing, sectarianism-mongering role in Iraq and all over the ME, the Arab peoples would have already united long ago.

But then we all know Islamic Republic's pro-Palistinian cause are frauds.


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Islamic Republic is a Racist

by Anonymous111 (not verified) on

Islamic Republic is a Racist State...So what? We are all racist to a certain extent. Your argument display low intellectual wattage and it's quite boring.


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Israel is a racist state

by Israel is a racist state (not verified) on

Zion, please remember that although you like to mention that Palestine was this or that, a non-Jewish NATIVE INDIGENOUS population existed and they were the majority before, WAY BEFORE, the European Zionist and later Sephardim Zionist colonization.

And remember these quotes by Israeli leaders (which are not just quotes, BUT POLICY):

"We must use terror, assassination, intimidation, land confiscation, and the cutting of all social services to rid the Galilee of its Arab population."
David Ben Gurion, Founder of Israel

"We must do everything to ensure they [the Palestinian refugees] never do return" David Ben-Gurion, in his diary, 18 July 1948, quoted in Michael Bar Zohar's Ben-Gurion: the Armed Prophet, Prentice-Hall, 1967

"If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel. It is normal; we have taken their country. It is true God promised it to us, but how could that interest them? Our God is not theirs. There has been Anti - Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They see but one thing: we have come and we have stolen their country. Why would they accept that?"
David Ben Gurion, Founder of Israel

"Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even know the names of these Arab villages, and I do not blame you because geography books no longer exist. Not only do the books not exist, the Arab villages are not there either. Nahlal arose in the place of Mahlul; Kibbutz Gvat in the place of Jibta; Kibbutz Sarid in the place of Huneifis; and Kefar Yehushua in the place of Tal al-Shuman. There is not a single place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population." Moshe Dayan, address to the Technion, Haifa, reported in Haaretz, 1969


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Bravo Freddy...

by Anonymousz (not verified) on

How can anyone argue with such a eloquently expressed argument as you posted. I hope this is the end of discussion on this subject.


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In Defense of Zion

by fredy (not verified) on

Xerxes, Q and the rest of the Zion GangBang Group:

Terminology such as "holocaust" "Aparthide" makes you guys sound real ignorant with respect to what the Palestinians are experiencing.

Has Israel brutally treated the Palestinians? Absolutely yes.

However, have you ever asked why? Be fair.

Palestinians, in their attempt for self determination, have resorted to brutal tactics as well. Suicide bombing, hijackings, indiscriminate murder of civilians (women and children included).

If you recall, during the first Intifada in the 90's, Israel was always on the losing side in the west bank and Gaza. The tactic of using stones against armed Israeli soldiers (who were killing Palestinian stone throwers with rubber bullets) worked. It was an acceptable level of resistance to the occupation. The Israelis were intellectually defenseless to such resistance.

The Scenario today is a little different. The Israelis, whether with good or bad intentions, gave up control of the territory to the Palestinian Authority. The Israelis also armed the Palestinian Authority. The intent is/was to establish a Palestinian State. Yes we all know that settlement building continued. However, what did the Palestinians do with all the international aid (including Israeli) in the past 15 years. What did they accomplish. When they failed to get their way (we can blame the Israelis for that), they started a second intifada. This second intifada was much more brutal than the first. You no longer have the stone throwing Palestinians against the Armed Israeli soldiers. Now you have armed Palestinian militias and self exploding suicide bombers. The targets were not soldiers but civilians. The world does not care about them anymore except for the kookoo left (such as Finkelstein and Chomsky) which has no credibility. They just hate US policy and US friends in the world. No matter what the US does, they find an analysis to say that US is evil. US has done nothing right in the minds of thee people- even if the US has helped the Palestinians with Aid and pressure on Israel- US is still evil.

There are plenty other groups in the world today, and recent history, who have suffered. We can include the Palestinians in this Group. However, how many black South Africans blew themselves up for the purpose of killing the whites in South Africa?

How many Kurds have blown themselves up?

How many Tibetans have blown themselves up?

How many Iranians have blown themselves up in face of 30 years of repression by the IRI?

Did you guys ever consider Saddam as a Nazi? Did you ever call Saddam, who killed 800,000 Iranians, 400,000 Iraqis, a Nazi? Did you use the words “Holocaust” and “South Africa” to describe the Baath party? Sadamm separated the Shiia and Sunnis- Did we ever compare these crimes to what the Nazis did to the Jews? You know the Baath party was modeled after the Third Reich.

I said that the Israelis were defenseless against the tactics of the First intifada. Now, you guys are being intellectually defenseless by your comparisons to what the Jews are doing to the Arabs as a result of the second Intifada. It actually borders Anti-Antisemitism. These days, the Palestinians are to blame for their plight. The world does not care like it did during the 2nd intifada. The IRI's support of the Kookoos in Gaza has not helped either. The Palestinians have no one to blame but themselves for the current situation.


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Re:Anonymous4now

by XerXes (not verified) on

I have never met doesn't translate to it doesn't exist. Thanks for clearing that up.


Anonymous4now

Xerxes

by Anonymous4now on

I left a couple of posts earlier about Israel, and my impression after visiting that country.  I don’t want to repeat everything again.  If you wish you can read them on the previous page of this thread.    I have never met a people more open minded and more critical of themselves, than Israelis.  They feel under siege and attack from all around, and you do notice the tention and the sense of paranoia in them.  The situation is not healthy for either side, but what is the solution, other than coexistence?  


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To: Islamists and

by Time to Heal (not verified) on

To: Islamists and Zionists

The fact of the matter is that the region of the Middle East has finally come of age. Israel and its belabored and violent existance managed to rudely awaken the peoples of the Middle East and to face what was awaiting them in a world of " the survival of the fittest"...Social Darwinism was knocking at the doors of the "East" from Palestine to Afghanistan. Israel was already "armed" with the necessary knowledge and with the material means at hand to enable her to orchestrate and to control all movements undertaken by all the Arabs combined, individually or collectively, inclusive of presumed hidden agendas thought to be in existance and used by the Maronites, the Druze, the Sunnis, the Shiaas, the Orthodox and even by the ginnis which inhabited the vaves in the Middle East. "Knowledge", it seems, is a rare commodity in the Muslim/Christian Middle East. Knowledge of religion, of history, of cultures, of major languages, of modern literature, etc all of that, was and continues to be lacking in the Middle Eastern skies of knowledge and learning and specifically in the domain of Arab leadership and scholarship. No Arab leader, of whatever religion or political philosophy is equipped, whether politically or intellectually, to look at the world from, or with, an enlightened and an objective perspective. The United States, Britain and France seem to have had a monopoly over what they perceived, a long time ago, to be " irrefutable knowledge". They have not only reinvented Knowledge as it was already defined in the archives of history but have also managed to re-create and to "re-document" history and the tools with which facts are determined, acknowledged or even authenticated.
What we need today in the Middle East is intellectual ecumenism. The Azhar University, The Vatican, all the major universities of higher learning in the East and in the West need to come together in Jerusalewm to discuss the problems of the world beginning with those problems which seem to have created a hell on earth in the Middle East.
New Knowledge is not only needed but must be practiced equitably . Facts must be redifined as they actually exisit on the ground; fiction must be exposed and expunged. Religion must be neutralized politicallyand philosophically and kept away from the realm of politics. If God is One so must be the rules governing this universe and the people who live in it. Politics and Religion simply do not mix. Knowledge of fact and capitalizing on falshoods must be irrevocably terminated.

Rossim Khalaf

Burr Ridge, IL
//www.raghidadergham.com/4rdcolumn.html

p.s.Hope you don't delete this post again.


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comments

by Choob (not verified) on

I am puzzled by some of the comments here. Interestingly enough, out of the hundred something comments, only a few are relevant to the post. I appreciate the comments by people who are providing sound and informed arguments and are engaging in a debate. But the ones that are just out of hate and resort to personal insults do nothing but to divert the discussion to an irrelevant direction. I thought rather than repeating what has been said, I could share some readings that I have found helpful in thinking about Palestine:

Palestine in a Transnational Context - Social Text 21:2 Social Text 21.2 (2003) 1-5 Introduction Palestine In A Transnational Context Timothy Mitchell, Gyan Prakash, and Ella Shohat

Rupture and Return: Zionist Discourse and the Study of Arab Jews
Social Text - 75 (Volume 21, Number 2), Summer 2003, pp. 49-74 Ella Shohat

(Ellas Shohat actually breaks the dichotomy of Arab and Jew and talks about the way the State of Israel has exerted violence upon Arab Jews). Here is a link that briefly talks about Shohat’s position as an Arab Jewish woman: //www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID...

And this is Joel Beinin’s article after the fall of the wall in Rafah: //www.juancole.com/2008/01/beinin-guest-op-ed...

And a historical overview of Zionism by Beinin and Hajjar: //www.merip.org/palestine-israel_primer/Pales...

And… someone who commented here was pissed about people sitting at their computers and doing nothing… well, there is some truth to that, but it seems to me that some people have done a lot (good and bad) sitting at their computers… cultural productions included. But I agree with that person that those of you in the Bay Area may want to actually see the plays and participate in the post-play discussion!


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programmer craig

by America_Colony_of_Zionist (not verified) on

America being the colony of Israel, I am not surprise at your comment. I dare you to talk anywhere in your country against Israel, your ass is grass. hehe. funny. Slaves of Israel come to this site to protect their masters. Did you know that you can burn an American flag but can't burn an Israeli flag in your country? hehe, colony, lol. AIPAC has shoved it up your ass, no one needs to do anything else to you and your kind. Go to work and pay your taxes for the Zionists to build themselves libraries and all the other shit that US can't afford to have. Check out the youtube to get my drift. Or go smash a beer can on your forehead and just forget about it!
Without US Israel is gone, now my question to Zionists is, what have you done for me lately?


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Zion: What's weird about Israel

by XerXes (not verified) on

In every country you see that the people criticize their government and its action, it's just weird that I have yet to see one Israeli to say that Israel has done (At least possibly) wrong. My question to the Zionists would be hey, how can you be so perfect? Unless you're hiding the truth. This is just dumb discussion that Zion gets himself in to it. To bring the level of humanity to the lowest possible position in order to support a regime it's dumb and racist. It's arrogant and irresponsible. It's inhumane and evil. It's Zionist. You can argue for the position of Israel without being racist and Zionist. You could consider the faults of Zionists and their shortcomings and still be an Israeli Patriot. You must understand that there is a real crimes, similar to Holocaust against the Palestinians, and if you and like you don't recognize that as a problem, then you just be a Zionist. I would say rise yourself above the level that you are stuck in. Being open minded doesn't mean that you have to be fine with crimes against the Palestinians. Zionists tell you how bad they (Palestinians and Arabs) are, you learn for yourself how bad you've been. But if you are a true Zionist, I just wasted my time typing!


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Hey Zion

by Jamaleto (not verified) on

I read your answer and your true colors (non intellectual racist pig or Zionist for short) came out. You could not answer Q and had to go back to your Rush Limbaugh style character assassination method that is so in your Jewish blood. Must be the hate and the sleepless mind of yours that sub consciously feels shame for supporting a criminal system of Israel. Well my friend, seh kardi. Let me guess, one of your hero (beside Bush) must be Natanyahu, right? see how well I get to know racist pigs. Jamaleto an ast


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Q

by Anonymous257 (not verified) on

At long last don't you have any shame you Anti-Semite Islamist of the worst kind?


Q

More lies and deception by Zion

by Q on

Zion, who do you think you are fooling? Your "myth" comment (lie) was about Finkelstein. He does not dispute the numbers, nor is he a Holocaust revisionsit. Not even the most fanatical zionists accuse him of that!!!

In fact none of the people I named: Not Finkelstein, not Said, not Chomsky, not Carter, not Ostrovsky, not Lerner, fall into these categories. Not one! Meaning, you are slandering. You are conflating legitimate criticism with Holocaust revisionism, in other words, abusing Holocaust.

You are either increadibly ignorant or willfully deceiving. It's clear you have not one shred of integrity.

These are lies, the question is why are you telling them?

 

 


programmer craig

Oberon & Titania

by programmer craig on

The boobtube and LCD screens are ruining the excitement of live cultural events and creating a race of apathetic isolated hermits.

You think Palestinian culture should be celebrated? I find it horrifying. And I'm not talking about the violence. I find the culture, horrifying. If the US ever became anything remotely like that, I'd move someplace else. Anyplace else. Except Palestine.

The suggestion about bringing a date to go watch this is interesting. I've never been involved with a woman who was a masochist before.

PS-This is a blog. Presumably, everyone here can get their fill of Palestinian activism on Palestinians blogs if they wish to, right? Everyone here reads blogs. The "cultural value" of this ReOrient is nil, so why would anyone here go see it for any reason other than as a show of solidarity for that particullar ideology?

 


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So...is anybody going to go see these plays?

by Oberon & Titania (not verified) on

Or just comment on the side lines.....at least go see these great actors and see their hard work that has led to this very heated discussion no matter what you believe in. They are creating art that is resulting in some kind of dialogue instead of mindless crap the surrounds us all day every day. Get up from behind your laptops and go to the theater, heck, maybe even take a date.......The boobtube and LCD screens are ruining the excitement of live cultural events and creating a race of apathetic isolated hermits.

Here is a country with so called freedom of speech and nobody cares if its not Batman. These plays, if performed in Iran, would be sold out every night, because people are hungry for it. Here, people don't give a damn because of apathy and loathing, just look at yourselves......Scream all you want on these threads, you are not changing anything or making a difference frankly...... You are all talking and no one is listening and most are just waiting for a chance to attack and insult ..... Typical actually. At least these actors have put themselves out front to express political issues in a well thought out and creative manner. It would do you good to sit and listen for a second and maybe, if you are very quiet, beauty can be heard, no matter what stance you cling on to for dear life.

Bravo to the actors.

Most people just talk, but very few can truly communicate, this is our greatest gift and hardest challenge as a species. It cannot be beaten into people, it has to be inspired. Art will inspire. Go out and see some art, because you can!


Zion

Mina you need to go see a shrink.

by Zion on

That's all.


Zion

Newspeak

by Zion on

It is you Q who are engaged in a very amateurish newspeak. As I said very clearly, the majority of actual ``Holocaust deniers`` , calling themselves historical revisionists, use a simple tactic when faced with an audience who are not of their type. They accept that Jews under Nazi Germany were encamped and killed, this way the `appear` not to be `denying` the Holocaust outright, but they instead dispute the numbers of the victims or the magnitude of Holocaust. After all it is hard to convince ordinary people that all the photos and films they see are forgeries. So they use the fact that 6 million people can't be crammed inside a photo to be seen at once. You mean you have never heard of this? This is actually the common trend amongst IRI officials, your buddies.
The term `Holocaust industry` is even a more indirect and hypocritical way of alluding to this. For clearly, if you say the truth about Holocaust and people are impressed by its true magnitude, this is no conspiracy, no abuse, no industry. It is merely standing by the truth and making sure it will never be forgotten. So the term is a euphemism for a conspiracy to exaggerate and overwhelm the world by what they present the world with as `Holocaust`. It is all about implying there is a Holocaust `myth` around different from the truth. It is sinister and evil, and Finkelstein is a disgrace to any victim of Holocaust for contributing to this evil in our time.

The `scholars` that you adore and mention are anything but objective. They are, all of them, ideologues with a clear agenda who have proven time and again that they will stop at no lie, no manipulation and misrepresentation of truth for this agenda, and that they express a very hostile politically motivated attitude of attack towards any respectable real scholar who opposes them and stands in the way of their ideological goals. I'm not surprised that you and your type find them the greatest and the most knowledgeable. It makes perfect sense to me.


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Iroonibystander,

by Anonymous8 (not verified) on

You are a hypocrite yourself. You are also a racist who only sees people in categories. Are the Iranian people to blame for the actions of the Islamic Republic?

If YES, than you are part of the problem too. So start criticizing yourself and leave us alone.

If NO, than neither are "Arabs" to blame for Palestine, or whatever happened in 1967. So stop insulting people much smarter than you, and shut the fuck up.


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To all the Palestine supporters (Q, Mina, concerned.......)

by AnonymousIROONIbystander (not verified) on

You are all a bunch of hypocrites. The Arabs are as much to blame for the Palestinian problem as the Israelis. Your failure to be fair and objective about the issue only shows your bankrupt way of thinking. The IRI has now also become part of the problem by supporting all the extremists in the region.

For example, all the areas that are in "dispute" today were controlled by the Arabs pre 1967. Why didn't they establish Palestine then?

Why have the arabs suddenly accepted a two state solutions? Why didn't they accept it in 1948?

Why did the arabs encourage the Palestinians to leave in 1948 (yes the Israelis were guilty in this to but what about the Arabs).

Why did the Arabs expel 800,000 jews from their countries?

Why did the Arabs come up with the Khartoom declaration after Israel's overtures for land for peace in 1967?

Most of you far lefty quacks sound like Antarinejad. You are part of the problem. Not the solution.

The rethoric goes to far....

And for mentioning Carter as a great analyzer of the palestinian issue..... this is the same idiot who caused the Iranian revolution and so many Iranian deaths... yeah he is good. Or Chomsky..... I would like to see chomsky run a corporation or a nation.


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To Zion, I reply to you just

by Mina_2 (not verified) on

To Zion,

I reply to you just this one time. If you open your eyes and ears, and if you stop your typical arab-hating attitude, you will find it easy to see that NONE of the things you said is supported by historical and contemporary facts.

If the jews have the right to return to Palestinian land, kill, torch, torture, and destroy their homes and people, just because jews were one of the tribes living there 3000 years ago, then I guess so many ethnic groups in this world can start committing the same crimes as Israel because they used to live in a land where some other people are living now. (think of Native Americans if you can).

Israel is nothing but a huge criminal military machine. It is not sustainable. Even Israeli experts know it is not. It was created for a purpose and it will be dismantled when the time comes. It will fall by the force of truth and by the force of human progress towrds a more civilized and a more just and a more democratic world. A world in which ethnic and racial hatred is behind us and no one claims special status.