When
the current Intifada occurred in Palestine/Israel it became imperative
that we publish a special supplement similar to the one we did shortly
after 911. Unfortunately the corporate media in the US has been
diligently favoring Israeli policies. Especially when it is disclosed
that the US has been giving 90 billion dollars in military aid to
Israel since 1967, it is vitally important to give space to voices
who oppose such policies that continue the Occupation as well as
policies that verge on genocide against the Palestinian people.
After having said that, it is also imperative not to fuel the animosity
between these two peoples but to strengthen the movements toward
peace that both Israelis and Palestinians are pursuing.
It is unfortunate that the media in the US is simply in knee-jerk
reaction to the violence that occurs on both sides, somehow not
wanting to take the space and time for understanding how peace can
occur, what peaceful activities/solutions are being explored. Why
is this? Why do we prefer to see the blood and the lust for war
rather than the courageous acts of forgiveness, reconciliation,
non-violent direct action and compassion? Why is this?
And who are we in the US to sit back in our comfortable couches
talking and writing about the horrible crisis as if we have answers?
What a luxury I have ... to publish reports and necessary voices,
when I am not even there. I have no relatives who have been murdered.
I have not tasted the seemingly inevitable revenge when close friends
or relatives are brutally murdered. I do not have a visceral contact
with the horror, yet I still desire to speak out, to seek the truth,
to publish material that can add to the sanity of the situation
rather than fuel the violence.
I have been warned by some not to publish this supplement since
it might encourage more synagogue bombings and that the support
of HopeDance by the Jewish community might be altered. Are truth
seekers not to speak out for fear of being labelled anti-semitic?
(I have seen anti-semitic writing and it is grotesque and ugly just
like any other racist literature.) Who has the monopoly on truth
in this dire situation? I personally do not know the incredible
history of both peoples to categorically speak confidently what
the truth is. I can only listen to both stories, feel deeply the
trauma of both peoples, publish essays that reflect this degree
of understanding and wisdom and have hope that restraint, peaceful
resolve and compassion can happen in such a volatile area.
As we read the US reports, see images on TV and documentaries and
hear the arguments on both sides, I just hope we don't walk away
thinking that tragedy is happening over there. The conflict is universal,
it's enemy against enemy. It's the refusal to listen and to feel
the Other. It happens on many levels. In Israel-Palestine, it is
being played out in the extreme. I hope we can use these tragic
events to instruct us: to learn how we don't listen to our "opposition"
(in whatever form it takes), how to restrain ourselves when we begin
to do battle (even if it's in a seemingly quiet zone of one's alleged
private psychic space), how to be tolerant of other viewpoints,
how to resolve firmly that everyone has elements of the truth and
everyone needs to be listened to... and perhaps we can eventually
evolve to a point of experiencing compassion for the Other whom
we originally sought out to destroy.
These are my hopes, idealistic as they may sound, but I wish to
strengthen the voices of restraint, peaceful resolve and compassion
(employing the physical, mental and emotional energy of the battle)
so we can move toward a holistic healing for all involved and stop
the bloodshed.
Perhaps it's only when things get truly Kafkaesque, surreal, terribly
and horribly bizarre that solutions once seen as sentimental and
idealistic will become a viable option. Sometimes only in desperate
times can fruitful options be listened to.
We have selected a number of superb writers for this special supplement.
Gene Hoffman writes about the "two traumatized peoples."
She explores the possibility that many Jews are experiencing Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because of the Holocaust horror
and need desperately to heal in order to heal how they relate to
the Other, the Palestinians (see p.4). Jeff Kingham has recently
returned from spending two-and-a-half weeks in the Occupation. A
Central Coast resident who was arrested and deported for his peace
activities, his insightful report is fresh and haunting, and he
can clearly see how peace can simply happen (see p.20). Michael
Bridges writes words sounding very much like one of the Hebrew prophets
of old (see p.6). "Talking with the Enemy," about the
Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue Project, gives us a glimpse of what
can happen when listening and compassion are allowed to be seeded
and nurtured (see p.7). Sarah Shields, a Jewish professor in the
States writes a letter to her father, a Rabbi, asking him how she
can stop being complicit (see p.8). Dr. William Thompson helps us
visualize and personalize the oppression of the Palestinians by
putting it into simple terms we can understand (see p.9). Starhawk,
an extremely important voice for today, authors a piece that combines
the pain of both peoples. Being Jewish herself, she understands
the gloriousness of the birth and dream of Israel. Yet she also
understands that it came at the expense of another people (see.p.10).
Archbishop Desmund Tutu, global peace activist and anti-apartheid
champion takes a look at the Holy Land on page 14. The story of
Jenin is horrendous. And Human Rights Watch (www.hrw.org) entered
into the foray and came out with some startling reports (see p.15).
What does Mahatma Gandhi say about all this tragedy? He forewarned
it in his writings in the 30s and 40s (see p.17). We reprint an
interview with Amos Oz, a noted Israeli novelist, who has some interesting
things to say about the two peoples (see p.19).
We also include some short items about Women in Black, Marching
for Peace in Tel Aviv, Dennis Kucinich endorsing Compassionate Listening,
and Peace and Permaculture promoted in Jerusalem. We hope that we
have helped create some understanding of this terrible crisis along
with some insights into what we can do.
Bob Banner
