Thanks to the video shot by a Palestinian woman, Raja abu Aisha, of the Hebron settler woman cursing at her, the Israeli press (at least Haaretz) discovered the city of Hebron and is telling its tale. Although the writer of this article tells the Hebron story also from the settlers' point of view ("oh, it's just an ordinary fight between women, one of whom wasn't too refined"), the overall picture that is captured reflects the surreal nature of Palestinian life in Hebron. The parts about how Palestinian children's lives are impacted by this madness are particularly maddening.
A classic Kafkaeaque moment is when Palestinians complain to the police of settler violence. Raja's grandfather explains the "process":
"every time we complain, the police demand that we say exactly who attacked us, what his name is, what he looks like, what the color of his eyes is, what shape of skullcap he has and what his father's name is. If we can't answer all of those questions, they don't deal with the complaint."
I'm sure when a settler complains of a Palestinian, no such questioning is needed. Any Palestinian will do. Arabs, like all "Others", all look the same, which greatly facilitates the law enforcement business.
Make no mistake about it: what is going on in Hebron--the forced appropriation of land, the daily harassment, the humiliation, the restrictions on movement, the destruction of commercial life--is organized sate violence and standard Israeli colonial policy.
Palestine
Israeli occupation
2 comments:
Right after all the heart aches and the pain that was 1982 one of my friends managed to find me in Tunisia. He told me that he had arranged for me to see my mother in Kuwait, which was wonderful and that led me to come to the US full of pain, hatred, and agony. As I went to INS to get my self protected (as they say), I looked up and there were a picture of MLK with the following paragraph written on it: “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war, that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality”.
I came to the realization that we are not all bad (humans that is) but looking at all that’s come out of the occupied territories, the reaction when Sharon relocated the settlers (with 1 million for every family to pay for the ease of the suffering from the Bush regime) and the comments I read on Jewish sites, I’m getting to lose that faith and be a dooms day advocate, the burning question: is there any hope for peace or what was taken by the sword would only be returned by the sword?
Now Amal would you be the modern MLK and give me hope for peace or is it all a lost cause?
Are they so full of hatred that the light of peace can’t shine through? I have always hoped that the younger generation will be out of all that madness and be able to bring hope, but the young haters are the ones that do it all, so what is one to do, hope for peace or just look to avenge?
Hi Philistini,
You sound like you're full of sad stories!
Is there hope? Will things change and justice and peace reign instead of racism and hatred?
We all want to believe that.It's darkest before the dawn, right? I'm not as certain of things as I used to be in my more idealistic days, when I was "sure" of so many things and people. As we get older, we know less, it seems!
I can't give up hope, Remy! It's my first name! (lucky I wasn't called Majzara like that poor girl in Gaza). And I have a child. I may not cook everyday for him, but I can't give up hope. Too damn risky.
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