Fwd: Ingenious Muslim rhetoric

This is a from a trusted friend. It's humorous and insightful. I hope it's enjoyed for the nuanced and eloquent manner in which a profound statement was made.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

As salam mu alaikum,

Thought you would like this one:

An ingenious example of speech and politics occurred recently in the United Nations Assembly and made the world community smile.

The Palestinian Representative's Speech at the UN

 
'Before beginning my talk I want to tell you something about Moses. When he struck the rock and it brought forth water, he thought, 'What a good opportunity to have a bath!'

He removed his clothes, put them aside on the rock and entered the water.
When he got out and wanted to dress, his clothes had vanished. An Israeli had stolen them. 

The Israeli representative jumped up furiously and shouted, 'What are you talking about?  The Israelis weren't there then.'

The Palestinian representative smiled and said:
'And now that we have made that clear, I will begin my speech.'

Jerusalem Post article: Hagana weapons cache found in Hod Hasharon synagogue

Does this not remind you of all the allegations made by Israelis that Hamas hides/operates in/within civilian areas? Do I smell hypocrisy? Seems like enemies really do learn from one another - and that some things never change.

NYT op-ed: Why the Muslim World Can’t Hear Obama

This op-ed piece is perhaps the closest any mainstream media outlet will come to echoing my sentiments on America's new president - Barack Obama.

Several months before he even won the election, his rhetoric on Israel (Jerusalem will be the undivided capitol of Israel, he said to an AIPAC audience) and his silence on Gaza (only one President at a time, he said) disappointed me. For someone who has made the english language beautiful again, these statements - and absence of them - makes little sense to me.

I am cautiously optimistic. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, because he was Illinois's "junior senator". He does not have all the requisite foreign policy experience one might need in his position. But he has the resources at hand to help solve these problems. I will give him time. Many more will, as well. But for how long? The world can't wait. Actions speak louder than words.

Palestinian loss of land

This is indeed tragic.

I'm wondering if someone can verify the source and/or the info presented in the image?

Courtesy of my friend Sherrise.

Event with Israeli Ambassador - 6/11

The United Nations Association of New York invites you to: A Conversation with H. E. Mr. Dan Gillerman Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations
UNA of New York Quick Links Our Website Join UNA-NY Upcoming Events More About Us		Ambassador Gillerman has served as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations since January, 2003. In 2005, he introduced a resolution to the UN General Assembly designating January 27 as an annual Holocaust Remembrance day, which was unanimously adopted. He was also elected to serve as the Vice President of the General Assembly, the first Israeli representative in the past 53 years. During his tenure, he has worked closely with members of the European Union and is in constant negotiation with the Secretary General and other delegations in order to help improve Israel's standing in the international community. Prior to his appointment as UN Permanent Representative, he was CEO of several Israeli companies and served as Chairman of the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce. Ambassador Gillerman has played a prominent role in helping to steer Israel towards economic liberalization and a free market economy. He has also been deeply involved in the economic aspects of the peace process and has been intensively engaged in talks with Palestinian and Arab leaders trying to further economic cooperation within the region. Monday, June 11, 2007 Location: UN Church Center 777 United Nations Plaza, 2nd Floor (44th Street entrance near First Avenue) __________________________________________________________________ Reception and Registration 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. 7:00 Presentation Followed by Reception __________________________________________________________________ Members $10 Non-members $15 For reservations: call (212) 907-1353 or e-mail: info@unanyc.org Please specify which event you are reserving for. Please include your name and the names of your guests (if any). Please indicate whether you and/or your guests are members of UNA-NY. Click here to RSVP

Occupied Gaza like apartheid South Africa, says UN report

I remember blogging about UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories, John Dugard, earlier when one of his articles appeared in a prominent Atlanta newspaper. But alas, that was Atlanta, and this current article is from The Guardian. One can imagine the difference in readership, as well as the impact its contents can have.

He says similar things, ie Israel is an apartheid state and it is racist, but one would hope that we move beyond these discussions, and instead, work toward a sustainable solution.

I must say, though, that such a solution cannot take place without the developed world's support, and if the US and Britain continue to play irresponsible, or rather, unresponsive, roles, then we are truly doomed.

Without further ado, here's the article.

Israel, an apartheid state?

Old habits die hard! It's been a while since i've blogged and for that, I am forever apologetic. Some friends informed me that they actually visit my blog frequently, and I thank them, and all my readers profusely. As you can imagine, not posting for a while is both embarassing in some ways and also lets hopes down.

So, again, my apologies!

The author, John Dugard, works in some capacity at the United Nations, and so this writing has special meaning. It's not written on behalf of the UN, but gives an interesting perspective to the issue of Israel and Palestine from a global, as opposed to Middle Eastern, perspective. Moreover, Dugard and former US President Jimmy Carter are riding on a wave of harsh criticism directed at Israel in recent months, first after the Israel Lobby report was published by two prominent American political scientists, and now after Carter's book was published.

I should have posted this article when I first read it, but at the time, did not, and am now repenting like a perpetual sinner because I can't seem to find the article in its entirety. Instead, I will post for you the first half, which I found buried deep within my email inbox. As always, comments - constructive and destructive! - more than welcome...

APARTHEID: ISRAELIS ADOPT WHAT SOUTH AFRICA DROPPED
John Dugard, Atlanta Journal Constitution, 11/29/06

Former President Jimmy Carter's new book, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid," is igniting controversy for its allegation that Israel practices a form of apartheid.

As a South African and former anti-apartheid advocate who visits the Palestinian territories regularly to assess the human rights situation for the U.N. Human Rights Council, the comparison to South African apartheid is of special interest to me.

On the face of it, the two regimes are very different. Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial discrimination that the white minority in South Africa employed to maintain power over the black majority. It was characterized by the denial of political rights to blacks, the fragmentation of the country into white areas and black areas (called Bantustans) and by the imposition on blacks of restrictive measures designed to achieve white superiority, racial separation and white security.

The "pass system," which sought to prevent the free movement of blacks and to restrict their entry to the cities, was rigorously enforced. Blacks were forcibly "relocated," and they were denied access to most public amenities and to many forms of employment. The system was enforced by a brutal security apparatus in which torture played a significant role.

The Palestinian territories - East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza - have been under Israeli military occupation since 1967. Although military occupation is tolerated and regulated by international law, it is considered an undesirable regime that should be ended as soon as possible. The United Nations for nearly 40 years has condemned Israel's military occupation, together with colonialism and apartheid, as contrary to the international public order.

Article: Israel Destroyed 766-year-old Mosque in Beit Hanun

These sorts of news items depress me unlike any other events in the world. Architectural landmarks, like sacred manuscripts or clothing or jewelry, are reminders to us of a world different from ours, that we can learn from. With their destruction, a piece of my soul also tears away because in my heart of hearts, I know I could've been made better off having seen the grandeur of the mosque, it's beauty, it's captivating effect on me never ending.

Now, in 2006, houses of worship are nothing but fancy buildings that can be rebuilt, replaced by luxury condos or office buildings. The same happened in Iraq. When Iraq's museum was destroyed, I couldnt help but think what must have ensued after the first looter broke in. How much must he have made off that sale? Where might that item be today? In a museum in London? Paris? In a rich aristocrat's home? Does that looter beam with pride? Does the owner of the piece beam with pride?

Who cares! It's but a piece of yesterday; of history. A place we will never know, and one we have surely never seen. What a terrible tragedy. With the destruction of the mosque comes a loss to our collective heritage. Now visitors will go to the place where this ancient mosque once stood and think: "what if"....

Some excerpts below:

Israel’s military strikes on the town of Beit Hanun in Gaza, which left 19 Palestinians including women and children dead, have also destroyed a 766-year-old mosque.

In a statement to the U.N. Observer website, the imam of the An-Nasr Mosque in Beit Hanun, Sheikh Sihda Abu Zreyk said that the mosque, which was established in 1240, was completely destroyed during the Israeli operation.

The targeting of places of worship during military operations is considered to be a war crime according to the 16th article of the Geneva Convention. Israel’s destruction of the mosque has revealed another aspect of the Israeli occupation in Palestinian territories.

NY event: Israeli and Palestinian youth speaking engagements - 11/6-11/12

COME SEE WHAT THE NEWS MEDIA

DOESN’T SHOW YOU…

Our campuses are overflowing with literature and speakers about the Middle East conflict. But all too often, people and groups spend their time fighting for sole ownership of history and suffering or choose to stand up for their ‘side’ by attacking ‘the other.”

We’ve heard endless lectures and seen editorials from politicians, professors, advocates and others. We know the frustrations and critiques, but what do average Israelis and average Palestinians really think? Do they want to end the conflict? Are they able to compromise?

Leading OneVoice youth activists Palestinian Aya Hijazi and Israeli Yosef Kedmi will be speaking with YOU, their U.S. counterparts, throughout the New York area during the week of November 6^th through 12^th, galvanizing support for their work in the Middle East and giving young people the opportunity to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.

Yosef and Aya will use their personal experiences to shed light on several key questions: Is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict intractable? Can mainstream Israelis and Palestinians actually agree on what they want the future of their region to look like? What is the current pulse of the young generation and what are they doing to make a difference?

Refreshments will be provided!

Town hall meetings will take place across the New York area:

Sunday 11/5 10am Private brunch Westchester, NY

Monday 11/6 12pm Cardozo Law School 55 5^th Ave at 12^th Street Room 423

Monday 11/6 6:30pm NYU Wagner School of Public Service Puck Building 295 Lafayette

Tuesday 11/7 12:30 Baruch College 55 Lexington Ave at 24^th Street Room VC 10-150

Tuesday 11/7 7:30pm Stony Brook College Student Activities Center Auditorium

Wednesday 11/8 1:30pm Hunter College West Building 68^th and Lexington Ave Room 415

Wednesday 11/8 8pm Rutgers NJC Lounge at Douglass College

Thursday 11/9 12pm CUNY Location TBA

Thursday 11/9 6pm Columbia University SIPA International Affairs Building, Room TBA

Friday 11/10 8pm Brit Tzedek V’Shalom Young Adults meeting at The Olive Press, Park Slope

Sunday 11/12 OneVoice meets with Jewish and Muslim communities in Rochester, NY

Sponsors across North America include: Americans for Informed Democracy, Brit Tzedek V’Shalom, American Task Force on Palestine, the Arab American Institute, Hillel, the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, the Union of Progressive Zionists, and National Jewish Campus Life/UIA Federations Canada.

For more information on these or other events, contact -

Miriam Asnes: Miriam@OneVoiceMovement.org, 212 897 3985 ext.124; mobile 617 775 6427 or

Jake Hayman: Jake@OneVoiceMovement.org, 212 897 3985 ext.122; mobile 917 701 8726.

The OneVoice Movement is a mass grassroots movement in the Middle East that empowers moderates to stand up against extremism and to seize back the agenda for conflict resolution. For more information, please go to www.OneVoiceMovement.org.

Targeting Muslims - the new Inquisition: Article

Wow, what an awesome article. I read it in Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper and have been blown away. I've rarely read anything like this in Western newspapers - alas, probably because it is a critique on Western modernity?

Read on and please spread the word. I would also urge you to send a note of thanks to Bradley Burston, the author, who can be reached at BBurston@Haaretz.co.il

Targeting Muslims - the new Inquisition

_{By Bradley Burston}

Were I a Muslim living in the West, I'd be mad as hell. Not to mention terrified.

Were I a Muslim living in the West, I'd begin to believe that a new Inquisition had begun. An inquisition aimed at no one but Muslims.

Were I a Muslim living in the West, my wife, or my sister, or my daughter might well decide to wear a headscarf or a veil when she went out in public.

Perhaps it would be because she was tired of men and boys ogling her, objectifying her. Perhaps it would be because she felt she was entitled to her dignity. Perhaps she simply might prefer modesty and privacy to fashion slavery.

Perhaps she just thought it was a free country.

And perhaps, on that last point, she would have been mistaken.

For years, and especially since 9/11, law-abiding Muslims have been verbally and physically attacked across North America and Europe. They are scorned for their faith, shunned for their piety, falsely condemned for dual-loyalty, blamed for the crimes of terrorists they abhor.

Of late, however, there has been a disturbing new trend, particularly in Europe, where cabinet ministers and influential lawmakers have increasingly made it their mission to combat, of all things, the head scarf and veil worn by growing numbers of Muslim women and girls.

In Germany, the states of Baden-Wurttenberg and Bavaria recently introduced legislation to outlaw the wearing of head scarves in schools. Bavarian Education Monika Hohlmeier said the head scarf was increasingly being used as a political symbol. To the understandable ire of Muslims, Hohlmeier went on to say that it was acceptable to wear Christian crosses or Jewish symbols. In Spain, home to the original Inquisition, Minister for Social Affairs Juan Carlos Aparicio was quoted as having said that the Muslim veil was "not a religious sign but a form of discrimination against women," and having compared it to genital mutilation. In Britain, the government minister for race and faith relations, Phil Woolas, was quoted this week as demanding that Muslim teaching assistant Aisha Azmi, 24, who refused to remove her veil at work, be fired for that reason. "She should be sacked," Woolas was quoted as telling the Sunday Mirror. "She has put herself in a position where she can't do her job." Azmi worked at the Headfield Church of England junior school in Dewsbury, which took pains to state that her suspension had nothing to do with religion. The scarf issue had already taken center stage when former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, now an MP and Leader of the House of Commons, voiced public objections to the wearing of the niqab, a full-face veil, at face-to-face meetings with his constituents. The national debate has since widened, with David Davis, a top Conservative Party official, taking the anti-veil stance to a new level. ''What Jack touched on was the fundamental issue of whether in Britain we are developing a divided society,'' Davis said. ''Whether we are inadvertently encouraging a kind of voluntary apartheid.'' The anti-veil arguments dovetail with a parallel campaign, which takes as its premise the concept that Islam itself renders its adherents incapable of integrating into Western societies. "If you are going to have Islamic schools, the question is whether they are going to embrace Western values," Patrick Sookhdeo, a Pakistan-born Anglican priest in England who converted from Islam, told the New York Times this month. "I would argue that Islamic values are not compatible with Western values," he said. And what Western values might these be? Are they the time-honored Western values of intolerance for people of color, suspicion and marginalization of non-Christians, fear and loathing of non-Whites? Exploitation of and contempt for the residents of former imperial possessions and colonies? At this point, there will be a pause for the springloaded Islamophobes among us to suggest that it is any society's right and duty to protect itself against elements that may foment terrorism. There will be those who will argue that the veil may both mask and encourage extremism. Perhaps it is time for us in the Western world to declare that Islam has a right to exist. Perhaps it is time for us to recognize that non-violent, non-Judeo-Christian religious observance is a right, not an act of war. Scarves don't explode. Veils do not kill. The niqab does not incite. It takes courage to wear the veil in the West. Certainly, no one should be forced to wear it against her will. But those who do so voluntarily, have chosen to brave ridicule, and perhaps to risk their own livelihood. They have made a choice for self-respect, in the face of all that is vacuous in contemporary Western civilization, where the worship of the superficial has taken on the potency and universality of a state religion. We in the West have allowed the veil to become the symbol of all that we do not know and do not trust about Islam. In the Age of Paris Hilton, however, the West desperately needs women who devote themselves to serious pursuits, to the betterment of society, women who believe that self-esteem and dignity are worthy values. If they choose to wear a veil, and we take offense, that is wholly our problem. We have no business making it theirs.

15th Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, Oct. 30-31

There is a golden opportunity for Council for the National Interest (CNI) supporters to take part in a CNI workshop on Sunday, October 29th, and participate during the next two days, October 30th and 31st, John Duke Anthony's National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations. He has an excellent program including a reception at the Saudi Embassy and he has offered to waive all registration fees and the cost of lunch, dinner, and reception, as well as reduced hotel rates, for CNI members. Ordinarily, this would cost over $300. Please see below.

We will plan a suitable workshop on the subject of the "A Tipping Point: America's Changing Perception of the U.S.-Israel Relationship." We will have a screening of the debate in New York City between Prof. John Mearsheimer, Rashid Khalidi, Tony Judt, Martin Indyk, Dennis Ross, and Shlomo Ben-Ami, the former Foreign Minister of Israel. We have tentative plans for a dinner on Sunday evening, depending on how many sign up.

Gene Bird

SUBJECT: Waiver of registration fees for 15th Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, Oct. 30-31, and special discounted hotel rate for CNI

INVITATION TO CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, DC OCT. 30-31

I am pleased to inform you that on Oct. 30-31 the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (www.ncusar.org) will host its 15th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington, DC.

The National Council will be focusing its attention this year on Saudi Arabian-United States relations on Oct. 30, and the future of the Gulf Cooperation Council on Oct. 31. His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States, will host a reception at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia for all attendees the evening of Oct. 30. The “Forum on the Future of the Gulf Cooperation Council” will commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the GCC.

CNI conference attendees will receive free registration for the event (up to a $300 value), which includes all sessions, two lunches and two receptions on Oct. 30. Conference attendees will all receive gift books and publications from the US-Saudi Arabian Business Council and other sponsors.

DISCOUNTED HOTEL INFORMATION

The National Council has reserved a special discounted hotel rate on the nights of October 29 & 30 of $159/night plus applicable taxes for CNI attendees at the Holiday Inn - Central (1501 Rhode Island Ave NW). To access this discounted rate, please contact the hotel’s front desk (1-202-483-2000) and mention the National Council on US-Arab Relations group rate to the reservation specialist. These rooms are now available on a first come, first serve basis. To receive the discounted rate, you must make your hotel reservations by October 16th.

HOW TO REGISTER

Fill out a registration form and submit it back to the National Council via fax (202-293-7770), or regular mail. The conference registration form is available online at: http://www.ncusar.org/auspc/AUSPC_registration_form.pdf. In order to qualify for free registration for the event, please clearly note on your completed registration form that you received this notice from CNI.

Ambassador Turki Al-Faisal will be the featured keynote speaker along with other prominent American, Saudi Arabia and Gulf personalities, including former U.S. ambassadors to Riyadh, GCC and U.S. officials and ambassadors from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Information about the 15th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, including (when available) the conference schedule and roster of speakers, can be found online at www.ncusar.org.