Palestinian Justice vs US & Israeli Sociopathology

I am stunned and numb and tired. Has the world lost its senses or has this level of evil always existed? Living in middle class USA, was I blind? Has the veneer of civility been so polished I was deceived? Or is this disillusionment something that comes with age?

By 361 to 37, the U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday for the so-called “Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act,” declaring Palestine a terrorist sanctuary and calling for draconian sanctions. I wish I could dismiss the vote by quoting Christ’s words as he was crucified, “Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do.” But they do know what they do.

We have been blasting away at Congress to inform them that that the Palestinians are under constant attack – by land, by sea, by air. They are enclosed in a prison existence and subjected to daily horror. But despite articles that have appeared in the New York Times, USA Today and other major news outlets reporting on deaths due to a shortage of medicines and increasing hunger and poverty, these sanctimonious Sons of Bees frankly don’t give a damn. Have we become a nation of sociopaths?

And the illegal settlements are expanding, not retracting. Olmert will make a show of removing a few outposts and settlements but the game grows more intense. The IDF raids are relentless – 4 killed in Ramallah today, a woman in a refugee camp looks out her window in Nablus and is shot dead – children picked off like ducks in a shooting gallery – and Olmert gets a standing ovation demanding that Palestine renounce violence?!!

But on a positive note – 37 individuals voted NAY to legislation that is a violation of Article 33 of the 4th Geneva Convention, a crime against humanity involving collective punishment and attempted genocide. One was a congressman from Worcester Massachusetts, Jim McGovern. Bravo, Jim. You and your colleagues who stood up and were counted as respecting human rights and simple core values of human decency are profiles in courage.

Because I was despondent, I called an old friend, a democrat activist who still chooses to work inside the party. We discussed the Israel First, anti-Palestinian phenomena. The discussion then turned personal. She spoke of living in Egypt with her husband, when he was a college student studying anthropology and archaeology. She said that the people they encountered there were respectful, especially of women. She always felt safe and the beauty of the country and architecture was magical. Later, they moved to Israel which was hell. Prostitution and drug abuse and violent crimes were rampant.

She explained that she had a hard time there as a young housewife. They lived in Tel Aviv for 6 months, but she didn’t speak Hebrew, which was a far greater handicap then she ever dreamed possible. For example, when she was in a grocery store, she would approach anyone who was speaking English, hoping they would help her out. All the packages had Hebrew labels and she couldn’t tell sugar from flour. But time and time again, the people she approached would immediately switch to Hebrew so they couldn’t be of service. What bizarre behavior. It doesn’t even make good business sense. But when you depend on America to foot your bills, why bother?

When she and her husband traveled, they encountered the same phenomena over and over again. Though there were some exceptions. Occasionally they encountered warm and helpful Israelis. But their reception in the West Bank was the opposite of the Israeli norm, and though crime in all probability occurred it wasn’t visible, hanging out on the streets for all to see. People went out of their way to be kind and sensitive and helpful. She loved her time spent in Palestine, despite the hardships the people encountered as a fact of life.

We also spoke of how too many Israeli academics, including archeologist will attempt to justify their conclusions instead of looking objectively at the facts. Their conclusions for the most part support the Zionist line whether or not there is a grain of truth. But worst of all, she explained, were her experiences on Israeli tour busses. The guides would point out the lavish lifestyles of the Israeli settlers and then point to dilapidated Palestinian homes. The Palestinians would be ridiculed in the vilest of terms and of course declared to be terrorists. The irony of Israel creating the Palestinian destitution due to continued land and resource theft was lost to them – as well as the American piggybank that supported the luxury.

Is America becoming like Israel? Are we assuming the values – the cruelty of deliberately holding people down, destroying them, and then laughing and ridiculing their fate? These are not the values I was taught – though my ancestry is in part ethnically Jewish. The NeoCon/Zionist socio-pathology seems to be sweeping the country. Or is that an illusion too? Big money has sponsored politicians that uphold these anti-values; others more sensitive to the wants and needs of our communities are routinely crushed.

But at heart, I believe that the Israeli-Zionists are their own worst enemies. They have to live with themselves and crime and violence is on the rise as a societal norm. But as the song from the American musical South Pacific goes, “You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear. You’ve got to be taught from year to year. It’s got to be drummed in your dear, little ear. You’ve got to be carefully taught.” The Israeli-Zionist propaganda numbs the mind as they instill their lies. The question is, how to break the cycle – perhaps their personal misery will – or if they push hard enough, but yet another intifada. Or perhaps America will go broke and endlessly funding Israeli boondoggles and horror shows will lose their appeal.

Currently, Olmert is attempting to incite a civil war in Palestine. His latest gambit is to arm Fateh – to keep order? – or to fight Hamas?

As for Palestine, I pray for them to unite and to maintain the will to endure. They should know that the world has not abandoned them. But millions of us are at a loss as to what to do next. The odds at present seem overwhelmingly against justice. But I suspect core values will carry them through – and the phoenix will rise from its ashes. In the end, justice will prevail. Why? Because it must!

ENDS

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