I can't think of anything else - even when I laugh at a joke or kiss my boyfriend - it is still there in the back of my mind. The pictures of dead - of bleeding and dying men, women and children.
I read a very good quote today. It's from a book by Israeli Knesset speaker and Jewish National Fund chairman Avraham Burg. It's from a powerful new book called “The Holocaust Is Over, We Must Rise From Its Ashes,” and this is what he says:
“If you are a bad person, a whining enemy or a strong-arm occupier, you are not my brother, even if you are circumcised, observe the Sabbath, and do mitzvahs. If your scarf covers every hair on your head for modest, you give alms and do charity, but what is under your scarf is dedicated to the sanctity of Jewish land, taking precedence over the sanctity of human life, whosever life that is, then your are not my sister. You might be my enemy. A good Arab or a righteous gentile will be a brother or sister to me. A wicked man, even of Jewish descent, is my adversary, and I would stand on the other side of the barricade and fight him to the end.”
I wish and hope that the socialistic movement in Israel will grow so big that it can overthrow the current government and make a real change.
Because the answer to peace doesn't lie in a military solution. We can't put our faith in UN or any politicians or movements outside of Israel and Palestine. UN has already showed that they have no control or power over what is happening. Especially since the USA are standing in their way. Without the support of an American government UN has no real power in Israel.
I don't think that there will be a big change in that when Barrack Obama starts his precidency because if he would do something radically different he would already have spoken out. I must say I am disappointed because I - just like many others - had a lot of hope for this new president. Let's see what he does once he does get into office but I am not expecting anything radical from him.
The answer to real change and peace in the middle east - as anywhere else lies with the working class. Even Hamas that might seem radical by the average person here because of their violent resistance towards Israel are very right wing and Hamas military has killed unionist palestinians for their resistance of the oppression within Palestine. The Israelian government is super right wing and a big part of the working class people of Israel (Palestinians and Israelis living in the state of Israel) are payed way below what is necessary for survival. It is among them that the resistance will rise. They have no interest in war. The war is only in the interest of the upperclass citizens that want to stay in power and that want to show to the world that the "iron wall" of the israelian army is invincible. Because they were humiliated by Lebanon back in 2006.
There was a protest in the north of Israel the other day with 100'000 people (mostly Palestinians) saying that it must end. There was also one in Tel aviv where 10'000 people - mostly Israelians protested. So there is resistance within the state of Israel and I think that that's where we have to put our hope and support.
Because real and lasting change can only come from within and if we don't believe in that there is no hope at all.
/Hannah
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