Comments on: Happy Independence Day wishes from a Palestinian

By: RichardNYC

RichardNYC — Wed, 11 May 2011 23:26:30 +0000

@ES
hear hear

By: Ethan Schwartz

Ethan Schwartz — Wed, 11 May 2011 11:56:06 +0000

I’m looking forward to the day that I will wish my Palestinian friends a happy Independence Day. My dream is that it will be as easy to meet with them with borders as open as they were previous to the first intifada. We have more in common with with each other then we have differences.

By: Richard Witty

Richard Witty — Wed, 11 May 2011 08:18:13 +0000

“When Ibrahim uttered the words “happy Independence Day,” he challenged that narrative of fear and doubt, and assured his Israeli friends that he knows they are here to stay, and accepts that. He wanted to let them know that he is not waiting for a chance to strike back. In essence, Ibrahim was digging a grave for the narrative of fear and replacing it with a narrative of hope.”

Thanks for this obvious reminder.

The relief from the pain that the Jewish community experienced in the early 20th century was a liberation.

And, it is time for Palestinians to experience similarly.

There are ways to address plausible and tangible Israeli fears without suppression.

By: Sinjim

Sinjim — Wed, 11 May 2011 05:22:22 +0000

@Arlosoroff: Just because I would never insult the memory of my grandfather, whose family lost their home in Ramla, by telling Israelis “Happy Independence Day,” it doesn’t mean I want the cycle of revenge to continue. As I said, there are countless ways to demonstrate the desire for peaceful coexistence without this pathetic kowtowing.
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@Simcha: I hope for that day, too, but it cannot happen so long as the occupation defines the relationship between Palestinians and Israelis.

By: Borg

Borg — Wed, 11 May 2011 00:51:34 +0000

careful Aziz, you may be kicked off 972 for expressing moderation. 972 is our local Taliban. Yossi Gurwitz in particular might be upset

By: Arlosoroff

Arlosoroff — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:19:42 +0000

“You have no right to wish any Israeli etc etc..”
surely as an individual he has any right to do what he wishes..?

and opening to the possiblity of an alternative course of action (which evidently has encounterd entirely new reactions..) in my opinion may in fact honour the “dead and dispossessed” in condemning the endless cycle of revenge from both sides to history, and allowing for a new reality to exist, in practice.

By: Simcha Daniel Burstyn

Simcha Daniel Burstyn — Tue, 10 May 2011 20:03:51 +0000

Thanks for this. It’s good to know that these sentiments abound, even on SINJIM’s terms. Sadly, the media only focus on the negative, and our government (which, sadly, represents a small majority of Israelis) doesn’t seem to want to change that. I pray that your position, and that of Ibrahim, even of SINJIM, should carry the day come September. I pray that someday we shall see two countries living side by side, perhaps intertwined, between the river and the sea. I pray that we will one day be able to come together, both to mourn our dead and to celebrate our interdependence.

By: sinjim

sinjim — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:10:08 +0000

There are a hundred million ways to let Israeli allies know that Palestinians don’t want to ethnically cleanse the Jews without negating our suffering. There are a hundred million ways to return the sentiment of solidarity that is expressed by Israeli activists without insulting the memory of our dead and dispossessed.
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You have no right to wish any Israeli a “Happy Independence Day” in the name of Palestine and Palestinians. And especially in the pages of the racist rag The Jerusalem Post.

By: RichardNYC

RichardNYC — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:33:32 +0000

This is encouraging, but it takes more than a majority wanting peace to create peace. Peace requires that the majority wanting peace enjoys a monopoly over violence, and that the minority that would thwart peace have no substantially capability for violence.