Demonstrations in Stockholm earlier today. Photo by Iman.Bare with me folk, I am not pessimistic, and my quest for peace is not rhetorical. It is time I wrote something, to all arabs and israelis and beg them: Will you please SHUT UP (if you have nothing constructive to say).
Everywhere on the net, the same old tit for tat discussions are bouncing back and forth between Arabs and Israelis:
You started it, no you started it.
We were here first, no we were here first.
Peace is giving us our rights, no, peace is giving us our rights.
Recognize us first, no, you recognize us first.
Killing your people is justified when you kill ours.
Killing your people is justified since we have been killed before.
Your children are taught how to hate.
Your children are taught how to hate.
At the end, even the so called peace activists end up echoing corrupt politicians, war lords, and quote the propaganda machines to get their point across. Peace equals winning, no compromise. Everyone ends up believing their own lies and fabrications, while people die on both sides of the wall, tunnel or electric fence.
THIS is a time to be self-critical in a proactive sense, to be completely dedicated for conflict prevention rather than take responsive measures by shouting louder and have nothing really to say. (The latter option proves to be impotent against the interests of the arms industry, which sold more weapons in the last decade than the whole of the last century).
I am tired of peace activists talking among themselves with sugar coated words of pure political correctness.
You will find me throwing flowers at guns flashing back at me, you'll find me having a beer with an Israeli soldier to persuade him to give up his weapon, and the next day I will talk to a Palestinian mujahid to take him out of his suicide belt. You will find me pushing politicians in the corners of great halls and press conference rooms, facing them with their own lies. You will find me in lecture rooms and universities teaching about the propaganda machines to journalism students.
Arabs and Israelis tried war, tried peace, led to nothing but more war for peace, like fucking for virginity, completely pointless. Israel is a nation lead by military-minded politicians, who chose to do their deeds between the changing of presidencies in the US and the EU (not that they would have changed anything) and while they explained their plan in detail to neighboring nations. Fatah, corrupt to the bone, helped in the process of giving information to Israel about possible targets through their people in Gaza.
Truth of the matter: no body wants Gaza. The Palestinian Authority deserted its 1.5 million impoverished, uneducated folk. Egypt has long disowned them. Jordan has always given them a third class Palestinian citizen treatment, and Israel wishes Gaza would just disappear in the sea. Gazas problem is nothing that started last week, its been there for tens of years, while no body really cared.
Where are the voices of reason?
Israel is a nation, with global political and financial support, a very steady economy and with one of the most advanced military forces in the world. Gazans are unorganized, underdeveloped folk who will never be of any match to Israels power or intelligence. The swedish analogy is Israel is a big guy, hitting a small kid really hard, despite that the little kid might strike back with a hit or two. That is why Israel will always been seen with rolling eyes and people will have a hard time understanding their rhetorics, which really insult any intelligence on this planet.
To Israelis, I am tired of your rhetorics, but I pity you for having to live by your own propaganda machines. I am tired of Israelis who will always believe that they are victims no matter how advanced they have become in all walks of lifes and no matter how many years its been since their horrific tragedies. How many noble prizes would it take to find one single solution? 60 years and we still have no substantial solution in the horizon.
However, Israel is here to stay, Arabs should accept it. And Israel must learn that Hamas will not disappear either, its an extension of the Muslim brotherhood who has access to most Arab Parliaments. In Jordan alone, they run kindergartens, schools, collegues, and possesss a majority of seats in the Parliament.
Israels recent action is counter productive in every possible sense, but it is a call for Arabs to give up their prejiduces, stop shouting war slogans, and learn that the only way forward is to educate themselves out of the dark ages and into the 21 century as civilized people who have good access to all democratic channels to get their rights.
Truth of the matter, both sides do not want peace. Both sides will always claim they are victims. When will either side realize that the holy land is no blessing, but a pure curse, it is a place to long for that will corrupt any who seeks to control it.
Why can't Muslims and Jews live together in the holy land, they way they live and work in harmony in the US or Europe? Do you want me to spell it out for you? It is the only thing they do not have in common....
Sigh
WE need new ways of thinking.
The Purify lads, L-R, Micke, Me, Kristian, and Andreas (Sorry Julia you were not included in this photo)
Julia, me and a part of Micke.
