Thursday, February 19, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
My Thoughts and Worries about Obama's Presidency
It has been a week now since Barack Obama assumed presidency in this country and thus far I have been pleasantly surprised with his judgment during these first seven days as President, particularly of his decision to close Guantanamo immediately and for appealing the abortion aid rule. If he continues this trend, 2009 will be a very progressive year. (Enough with those comments that Obama supporters are expecting "ponies" and rainbows"--being a leftist does not mean being a delusional dreamer.)
Although I have pretty much been an Obama supporter (but NOT an "Obamamaniac") since day one at the beginning of the campaign--remember, it began ridiculously early this time--(although I'll admit to considering Kucinich and Edwards at various stages early in the game) I am not without my doubts. A few of the things that he has said throughout his campaign and afterwards have me more than a little worried. Here I will discuss two separate issues that I am concerned about: the blockade imposed on Cuba and the unhindering support of the state of Israel even when it engages in its brutal incursions against the Palestinians while strengthening the blockade on Gaza. Since this is a blog that deals primarily with Palestinian issues, I will address the latter first.
In July, during his visit to Israel Obama said: "If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep every night, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop that. I would expect Israelis to do the same thing." In other words, he was effectively giving the OK for Israelis to massacre Gazans indiscriminately under the pretext of "fighting militants" and "combatting terrorism" as they did in this latest December 2008-January 2009 catastrophe and as they have done numerous times in the past. He also was silent throughout Israel's latest incursion, although to be fair he was not yet President while the war was going on. But how do we know that he won't be silent if Israel does something like this again (which it is very likely to do, considering many Israeli citizens have been upset by the ceasefire and would like to continue the war) during his presidency? Will Obama continue to fund and defend Israel's position even though it is morally terribly wrong and unjust? Will Obama really make an effort to stop another event like this from happening again and will he send aid to Gaza and the UNWRA to rebuild the schools and homes that Israel destroyed and will he put pressure on Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza? Will he even attempt to do any of these things or will he just be like all of the other presidents the U.S. has had recently, making lovely promises but offering little results? We can only speculate, but judging from that one comment I quoted, nothing looks very promising at this point.
The second issue I will mention is another brutal blockade that suppresses the people it is imposed on and that is the U.S. blockade on Cuba. I will say it, I am a Marxist and an admirer of Fidel Castro and a supporter of the Cuban Revolution. But you can be as viruntly anti-Communist and anti-Castro as a Cuban-American is and still admit that the blockade is wrong, because it does not punish the Castros or the Communist Party (although still believing that "Communism" is a dirty word is so Joe McCarthy) but rather the Cuban people. Also, why can't people decide for themselves whether they want to buy Cuban sugar or cigars or visit the island for a holiday? The U.S. has no such embargo on much more repressive regimes and is even friendy with some of them (see Israel) and also with dictatorships (See many Middle Eastern countries). The answer is, of course, the Miami Cuban-Americans and their descendants who are still pissed because their casinos and whorehouses were closed following the Cuban Revolution and who put pressure on the U.S. government. (Although it seems to me that their power is diminishing.) It is absolutely laughable that we say all we want is an end to dictatorship and an implementation to "democracy" when we complain about somebody we dislike. Do I need not mention the CIA's role in overthrowing the democratically elected and progressive Presidents Jacobo Arbenz, Mohammad Mossaddeq, and Salvador Allende (of Guatamala, Iran, and Chile, respectively) while remaining best of friends with subsequent brutal dictators? And we hate Fidel Castro, a man whose most brutal acts against his people have been free health care and education, improved literacy, land redistribution, and subsidized food? Supposedly, the regime was anti-gay (although that was not really Fidel's fault, rather it was Cuban machismo) in the past but if it was anti-gay now it's LGTB heaven now with many rights (although admittedly not marriage) given, even a free sex change to those who request it.
The reason for the U.S.'s favorable position towards Israel and unfavorable position towards Cuba has a lot to do with the presence of Jewish-Americans and Cuban-Americans (otherwise known as the gusanos) due to their great political power that comes with them being among the more prosporous of Americans. This is why, even while Jewish-Americans compromise of only 2.5% of the population and Cuban-Americans a mere 0.5% they play such important roles in swaying American politics, particularly in the issues that concern them the most like Israel in the case of Jewish-Americans and Cuban-Americans in the case of Cuba. I should point out, though, that the latter group is on the whole more passionate about the Cuban issue than most Jewish-Americans are although the minority that do care often have much political power. Since they have more wealth, they typically have more influence that other sectors of the population do (such as the 0.6% of Muslims in the U.S. who were mostly against the Israeli attacks) including the 15% of Americans that live below the poverty line whose voices are scarcely ever heard. But Obama does not really need the support of Jewish or Cuban-Americans and should not value their support more than the lives and well-beings of Palestinians or Cubans. As some point, Obama will have to put his morals ahead of his political aspirations, especially now that he is President, and pursue a more just policy towards the Palestinians and the Cubans. Maybe reverse the present policy and put the blockade on ISRAEL and give aid to CUBA? Just a thought!
Although I have pretty much been an Obama supporter (but NOT an "Obamamaniac") since day one at the beginning of the campaign--remember, it began ridiculously early this time--(although I'll admit to considering Kucinich and Edwards at various stages early in the game) I am not without my doubts. A few of the things that he has said throughout his campaign and afterwards have me more than a little worried. Here I will discuss two separate issues that I am concerned about: the blockade imposed on Cuba and the unhindering support of the state of Israel even when it engages in its brutal incursions against the Palestinians while strengthening the blockade on Gaza. Since this is a blog that deals primarily with Palestinian issues, I will address the latter first.
In July, during his visit to Israel Obama said: "If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep every night, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop that. I would expect Israelis to do the same thing." In other words, he was effectively giving the OK for Israelis to massacre Gazans indiscriminately under the pretext of "fighting militants" and "combatting terrorism" as they did in this latest December 2008-January 2009 catastrophe and as they have done numerous times in the past. He also was silent throughout Israel's latest incursion, although to be fair he was not yet President while the war was going on. But how do we know that he won't be silent if Israel does something like this again (which it is very likely to do, considering many Israeli citizens have been upset by the ceasefire and would like to continue the war) during his presidency? Will Obama continue to fund and defend Israel's position even though it is morally terribly wrong and unjust? Will Obama really make an effort to stop another event like this from happening again and will he send aid to Gaza and the UNWRA to rebuild the schools and homes that Israel destroyed and will he put pressure on Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza? Will he even attempt to do any of these things or will he just be like all of the other presidents the U.S. has had recently, making lovely promises but offering little results? We can only speculate, but judging from that one comment I quoted, nothing looks very promising at this point.
The second issue I will mention is another brutal blockade that suppresses the people it is imposed on and that is the U.S. blockade on Cuba. I will say it, I am a Marxist and an admirer of Fidel Castro and a supporter of the Cuban Revolution. But you can be as viruntly anti-Communist and anti-Castro as a Cuban-American is and still admit that the blockade is wrong, because it does not punish the Castros or the Communist Party (although still believing that "Communism" is a dirty word is so Joe McCarthy) but rather the Cuban people. Also, why can't people decide for themselves whether they want to buy Cuban sugar or cigars or visit the island for a holiday? The U.S. has no such embargo on much more repressive regimes and is even friendy with some of them (see Israel) and also with dictatorships (See many Middle Eastern countries). The answer is, of course, the Miami Cuban-Americans and their descendants who are still pissed because their casinos and whorehouses were closed following the Cuban Revolution and who put pressure on the U.S. government. (Although it seems to me that their power is diminishing.) It is absolutely laughable that we say all we want is an end to dictatorship and an implementation to "democracy" when we complain about somebody we dislike. Do I need not mention the CIA's role in overthrowing the democratically elected and progressive Presidents Jacobo Arbenz, Mohammad Mossaddeq, and Salvador Allende (of Guatamala, Iran, and Chile, respectively) while remaining best of friends with subsequent brutal dictators? And we hate Fidel Castro, a man whose most brutal acts against his people have been free health care and education, improved literacy, land redistribution, and subsidized food? Supposedly, the regime was anti-gay (although that was not really Fidel's fault, rather it was Cuban machismo) in the past but if it was anti-gay now it's LGTB heaven now with many rights (although admittedly not marriage) given, even a free sex change to those who request it.
The reason for the U.S.'s favorable position towards Israel and unfavorable position towards Cuba has a lot to do with the presence of Jewish-Americans and Cuban-Americans (otherwise known as the gusanos) due to their great political power that comes with them being among the more prosporous of Americans. This is why, even while Jewish-Americans compromise of only 2.5% of the population and Cuban-Americans a mere 0.5% they play such important roles in swaying American politics, particularly in the issues that concern them the most like Israel in the case of Jewish-Americans and Cuban-Americans in the case of Cuba. I should point out, though, that the latter group is on the whole more passionate about the Cuban issue than most Jewish-Americans are although the minority that do care often have much political power. Since they have more wealth, they typically have more influence that other sectors of the population do (such as the 0.6% of Muslims in the U.S. who were mostly against the Israeli attacks) including the 15% of Americans that live below the poverty line whose voices are scarcely ever heard. But Obama does not really need the support of Jewish or Cuban-Americans and should not value their support more than the lives and well-beings of Palestinians or Cubans. As some point, Obama will have to put his morals ahead of his political aspirations, especially now that he is President, and pursue a more just policy towards the Palestinians and the Cubans. Maybe reverse the present policy and put the blockade on ISRAEL and give aid to CUBA? Just a thought!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Handala: a study
Lately, despite my typical antipathy for cartoons (unlike Yasser Arafat who was apparently quite the Loony Tunes fan, according to the biography by Alan Hart that I am reading)I have become extremely into Handala. That character, seemingly simple with his hands clasped together behind his back, nevertheless conveys perfectly the sense of alienation by Palestinian youth who were cast away like dogs from their homeland following Israeli aggression in 1947-48 up to the present day, where little has changed. Naji al-Ali created one of the very few characters (Argentines like myself may argue that Mafalda is another), that I know of at least, that served not only as entertainment, but as a form of resistance not so much as propaganda for any particular resistance movement, but more as for a collective plea to consider the issue of human, particularly the children that Handala symbolizes, rights that affect the world, particularly the Middle East and specifically for the Palestinians.
Handala, through aesthetic appearance alone, may not be particularly striking to Western youth who are accustomed to seeing more "sophisticated" cartoon drawings that look three-dimensional and whatnot. To them, Handala must appear to be very ordinary and that is just what he is meant to be: An ordinary child who had the misfortune of being an undesirable (to Israelis at least) Palestinian and thus, not being able to live his life out freely as an uninhibited, self-assured child as he should. Instead, he has a submissive, melancholy although not particularly depressed (he is used to the situation) exterior as a boy forced to live his life witnessing when not violence, oppression and harassment on a daily basis, especially at military checkpoints. Only occasionally, when the situation becomes so unbearable that he cannot keep his hands clasped any longer does he partake in any resistance, typically throwing a stone in anger of some wrong committed by the military or similar oppressors.
Westerners would most likely be nonplussed were this youthful character to suddenly appear in one of their comic strips. Handala is not exactly funny, nor is he particularly endearing or cute (we never even see his face) but he is a very real character. He is no Charlie Brown or Dennis the Menace, he does not have the luxury of spending his hours attempting to kick a football or making trouble for his parents--his family goes through enough without having to handle a naughty child. But as aforementioned, while it may be depressing that Charlie Brown never succeeds in kicking the football, Handala is not meant to merely depress. However, since we cannot delve into his psyche, we must infer what he must be feeling through his outward appearance and outward environment, instead. We see that he wears tattered and dirty clothes and that he is usually (although this will change) submissive, but his head is never down and his back never arched. This shows us that in spite of severe hardship and a constant feeling of alienation, Handala does not feel defeated and hopeless. He believes, even through his witness of atrocity after atrocity, that perhaps, justice will someday prevail and he will one day be able to return to a liberated Palestine. As for his outward environment, he is constantly haunted with the presence of bombardments, helicopters, and false promises and false solutions from not only Israel but also from the PLO and UN. He realizes their words are worthless to him and so many others like him and their situation.
In later cartoons, Handala can be seen partaking in forms of active resistance like throwing stones or holding Palestinian flags. He makes the transition from alienated child to participating in an intifada. My theory is that this transition is almost inevitable when living under the regime--"Intifada" means "shaking off" and Palestinians at some point must "shake off" their feelings through some act of vocal resistance if they want to retain their sanity. Psychoanalysts always say that the worst thing a person can do is keep 0ne's feelings hidden inside of oneself and partaking in the intifada is one of the few ways to effectively express decades of pent-up anger and resentment. The flags serve to hold the Palestinians (who are now effectively the "people without a land"), although perhaps separated from one another, together as an expression of nationalism and patriotism for a land that was forcefully and illegally taken away from them without even compensation.
Handala is, in essence, the archetype of Palestinian youth and expresses their poverty, struggle, and sense of alienation that they must go through and also, their maturity, persistence, and audacity, in quite an effective way. I imagine most youth would be able to empathize with that feeling of alienation and displacement, although none as much as would a Palestinian youth be able to do so. Handala lives on as a symbol as a sort of a David to Israel's Goliath--a young child trying to end his situation by taking on a much bigger power with all of the spirit he has in him.
Handala, through aesthetic appearance alone, may not be particularly striking to Western youth who are accustomed to seeing more "sophisticated" cartoon drawings that look three-dimensional and whatnot. To them, Handala must appear to be very ordinary and that is just what he is meant to be: An ordinary child who had the misfortune of being an undesirable (to Israelis at least) Palestinian and thus, not being able to live his life out freely as an uninhibited, self-assured child as he should. Instead, he has a submissive, melancholy although not particularly depressed (he is used to the situation) exterior as a boy forced to live his life witnessing when not violence, oppression and harassment on a daily basis, especially at military checkpoints. Only occasionally, when the situation becomes so unbearable that he cannot keep his hands clasped any longer does he partake in any resistance, typically throwing a stone in anger of some wrong committed by the military or similar oppressors.
Westerners would most likely be nonplussed were this youthful character to suddenly appear in one of their comic strips. Handala is not exactly funny, nor is he particularly endearing or cute (we never even see his face) but he is a very real character. He is no Charlie Brown or Dennis the Menace, he does not have the luxury of spending his hours attempting to kick a football or making trouble for his parents--his family goes through enough without having to handle a naughty child. But as aforementioned, while it may be depressing that Charlie Brown never succeeds in kicking the football, Handala is not meant to merely depress. However, since we cannot delve into his psyche, we must infer what he must be feeling through his outward appearance and outward environment, instead. We see that he wears tattered and dirty clothes and that he is usually (although this will change) submissive, but his head is never down and his back never arched. This shows us that in spite of severe hardship and a constant feeling of alienation, Handala does not feel defeated and hopeless. He believes, even through his witness of atrocity after atrocity, that perhaps, justice will someday prevail and he will one day be able to return to a liberated Palestine. As for his outward environment, he is constantly haunted with the presence of bombardments, helicopters, and false promises and false solutions from not only Israel but also from the PLO and UN. He realizes their words are worthless to him and so many others like him and their situation.
In later cartoons, Handala can be seen partaking in forms of active resistance like throwing stones or holding Palestinian flags. He makes the transition from alienated child to participating in an intifada. My theory is that this transition is almost inevitable when living under the regime--"Intifada" means "shaking off" and Palestinians at some point must "shake off" their feelings through some act of vocal resistance if they want to retain their sanity. Psychoanalysts always say that the worst thing a person can do is keep 0ne's feelings hidden inside of oneself and partaking in the intifada is one of the few ways to effectively express decades of pent-up anger and resentment. The flags serve to hold the Palestinians (who are now effectively the "people without a land"), although perhaps separated from one another, together as an expression of nationalism and patriotism for a land that was forcefully and illegally taken away from them without even compensation.
Handala is, in essence, the archetype of Palestinian youth and expresses their poverty, struggle, and sense of alienation that they must go through and also, their maturity, persistence, and audacity, in quite an effective way. I imagine most youth would be able to empathize with that feeling of alienation and displacement, although none as much as would a Palestinian youth be able to do so. Handala lives on as a symbol as a sort of a David to Israel's Goliath--a young child trying to end his situation by taking on a much bigger power with all of the spirit he has in him.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
A lovely afternoon spent in Los Angeles listening to ANSWER'S Palestine Public Forum & Teach-In
Today I went to a fascinating lecture on the Palestinian titled "The U.S./Israeli War on Gaza & the 'Ceasefire': The Real Aims Behind the Media Lies." The speakers were Dr. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian (a law professor and activist who lives in Jerusalem), Yousef Abdayyeh (a founding member of the National Council of Arab Americans who lives in San Diego) Muna Coobtee (a writer for Liberation newspaper and anti-war activist), and Rana Sharif (a member of the PAWA Executive Board and graduate student at UCLA). Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian was especially brilliant. Some main points that she made:
-Israel's use of biopolitics in the area. I was not quite clear on what the term meant, but I Wikipedied it and it seemed to make absolute sense. It says, and I quote: "the style of government that regulates populations through biopower (the application and impact of political power on all aspects of human life)."
-Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian used to be a psychologist dealing in trauma and she described how Palestinians are not only traumitisized through the violence and killings they witness on a daily basis but also as seemingly simple as the shame one individual felt when being forced to, in the presence of about seven other people including his seventeen-year-old son have to bark before being allowed to cross the checkpoint to get to work.
-The gate allowing people to cross opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at midday for a break. Like she said, a "woman having a baby has to make sure she times the delivery right."
-Also, she mentioned how she would see these Palestinian children who would be so much in despair after suffering all they have suffered that when she would ask them what they wanted to do when they got older they would say, "We want to be freedom fighters; we want to blow ourselves up." What other option could they possibly have in that kind of desolate situation?
-She called for a boycott for Israeli academia. She said the professors there were studying theories of "anti-terrorism" while she was studying "anti-anti-terrorism."
-Also, she mentioned how, as a feminist, she was offended when casualties were constantly being referenced as "women and children. "As if the men don't count." Of course, we must remember this. Since when is not sad for a man to be killed in an attack?
-She also quoted "A master's tools could never demolish a master's house." (Re: the more "moderate" aka Israel-sympathizing organizations in relation to the Israeli apparatus.)
-Finally, another thing I think she said that rung true with me was that "Israel is reaching its climax," just as South African apartheid reached its climax before it disintegrated.
Of all of the speakers, Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian was definitely the most articulate and well-spoken, although I listened to all of the speakers with interest. Mr. Yousef Abdayyeh made a comment expressing his request to boycott all Israeli products, specifically naming olive oil and any other products with the label "Israel" on it. He suggested to buy the one on the shelf next to it that comes from a country other than Israel instead and said "And if you don't like it, call me and I'll pay for it for you." Although I respect Mr. Yousef Abdayyeh's opinion, I think the idea is a bit farfeched personally because 1) I don't think the IDF is going to collapse because less people have stopped buying olive oil that says "Made in Israel" on it. I realize that every bit counts, but Israel primarily gets money from donations, (particularly those from the U.S. government!) tourism, software, and similar things. It's a heavily industrialized country, not a country that relies on food exports like many poor countries do. I support the boycott but I don't think that is the most important method by any means to ending Israeli apartheid. 2) I haven't seen very many Israeli products to boycott in any case! I don't know how it is in other stores but here in Southern California I have never seen a label that says "Made in Israel." I'm sure they exist, but I don't think store shelves are heavily stocked with Israeli foodstuffs. Also, more important than boycotting products that merely have the Israeli label on it, the boycott would have to also boycott the companies that support and fund Israel (like McDonalds, for example).
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion and highly recommend to anyone in the U.S. that wants to help the Palestinian people to go to meetings like these if they are held anywhere near where you live. The sense of solidarity one gets from these get-togethers is exhilerating.
-Israel's use of biopolitics in the area. I was not quite clear on what the term meant, but I Wikipedied it and it seemed to make absolute sense. It says, and I quote: "the style of government that regulates populations through biopower (the application and impact of political power on all aspects of human life)."
-Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian used to be a psychologist dealing in trauma and she described how Palestinians are not only traumitisized through the violence and killings they witness on a daily basis but also as seemingly simple as the shame one individual felt when being forced to, in the presence of about seven other people including his seventeen-year-old son have to bark before being allowed to cross the checkpoint to get to work.
-The gate allowing people to cross opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at midday for a break. Like she said, a "woman having a baby has to make sure she times the delivery right."
-Also, she mentioned how she would see these Palestinian children who would be so much in despair after suffering all they have suffered that when she would ask them what they wanted to do when they got older they would say, "We want to be freedom fighters; we want to blow ourselves up." What other option could they possibly have in that kind of desolate situation?
-She called for a boycott for Israeli academia. She said the professors there were studying theories of "anti-terrorism" while she was studying "anti-anti-terrorism."
-Also, she mentioned how, as a feminist, she was offended when casualties were constantly being referenced as "women and children. "As if the men don't count." Of course, we must remember this. Since when is not sad for a man to be killed in an attack?
-She also quoted "A master's tools could never demolish a master's house." (Re: the more "moderate" aka Israel-sympathizing organizations in relation to the Israeli apparatus.)
-Finally, another thing I think she said that rung true with me was that "Israel is reaching its climax," just as South African apartheid reached its climax before it disintegrated.
Of all of the speakers, Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian was definitely the most articulate and well-spoken, although I listened to all of the speakers with interest. Mr. Yousef Abdayyeh made a comment expressing his request to boycott all Israeli products, specifically naming olive oil and any other products with the label "Israel" on it. He suggested to buy the one on the shelf next to it that comes from a country other than Israel instead and said "And if you don't like it, call me and I'll pay for it for you." Although I respect Mr. Yousef Abdayyeh's opinion, I think the idea is a bit farfeched personally because 1) I don't think the IDF is going to collapse because less people have stopped buying olive oil that says "Made in Israel" on it. I realize that every bit counts, but Israel primarily gets money from donations, (particularly those from the U.S. government!) tourism, software, and similar things. It's a heavily industrialized country, not a country that relies on food exports like many poor countries do. I support the boycott but I don't think that is the most important method by any means to ending Israeli apartheid. 2) I haven't seen very many Israeli products to boycott in any case! I don't know how it is in other stores but here in Southern California I have never seen a label that says "Made in Israel." I'm sure they exist, but I don't think store shelves are heavily stocked with Israeli foodstuffs. Also, more important than boycotting products that merely have the Israeli label on it, the boycott would have to also boycott the companies that support and fund Israel (like McDonalds, for example).
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion and highly recommend to anyone in the U.S. that wants to help the Palestinian people to go to meetings like these if they are held anywhere near where you live. The sense of solidarity one gets from these get-togethers is exhilerating.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The paradox of articles regarding Israel & Palestine
From Yahoo:
"The fighting killed some 1,300 Gazans, the vast majority civilians, and thousands of Palestinian homes were destroyed. Israel emerged from the war with relatively few casualties — 13 dead, including 10 soldiers — but halted fire before reaching its objectives. No internationally backed truce deal is yet in place to prevent Hamas rocket fire on southern Israel or arms smuggling into Gaza."
So, 1,300 Gazans were killed, thousands of Palestinian homes were destroyed, and Israel emerged with "relatively free casualties" (100 Palestinians did for every Israeli killed) and yet what is most urgent is "preventing Hamas rocket fire on southern Israel or arms smuggling into Gaza"?!
And from the same article...
"The fighting killed some 1,300 Gazans, the vast majority civilians, and thousands of Palestinian homes were destroyed. Israel emerged from the war with relatively few casualties — 13 dead, including 10 soldiers — but halted fire before reaching its objectives. No internationally backed truce deal is yet in place to prevent Hamas rocket fire on southern Israel or arms smuggling into Gaza."
So, 1,300 Gazans were killed, thousands of Palestinian homes were destroyed, and Israel emerged with "relatively free casualties" (100 Palestinians did for every Israeli killed) and yet what is most urgent is "preventing Hamas rocket fire on southern Israel or arms smuggling into Gaza"?!
And from the same article...
"[Ban] later visited the Israeli border town of Sderot, a frequent target of Hamas rockets and expressed sympathy with residents.
"'You live every day with a threat of a rocket falling from the sky. No human being can live in a state like this," Ban said. "I expect basic humanitarian law to protect civilian life to be respected and restored and not violated as Hamas has done.'"
If anyone has truly violated "humanitarian law to protect civilian life" it is Israel itself.
Un abrazo latino a Hugo y Evo
Quisiera felicitar Hugo Chavez y Evo Morales por su solidaridad y apoyo al pueblo palestino y por mostrar su fraternidad humana para los ignorados y vilipendiados del mundo. Como latinos izqueridistas, necesitamos no olvidarnos no solamente de los oprimidos de nuestra America, sino los del todo el mundo. La vida de un niño vale mas que todas las armas del mundo. Ojala que el ejemplo de Uds se extiende al resto del mundo, particularmente donde lo necesitamos mas, a los vecinos del Norte en Washington.
¡Venceremos!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Under the Bombs Movie Review
Directed by Philippe Aractingi, Under the Bombs/Sous les Bombs is an independent film shot in the midst of the chaos and bombs of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. Directed by under a tight budget, the movie is compromised by just a few characters but includes actual film of the war. Zelna, the protagonist in the movie, played by actress Nada Abou Farhat, is a a woman who has been recently separated from her cheating, well-off husband. Prior to her marriage, she, along with her family, lived in southern Lebanon. She sends her six-year-old son, Karem, to southern Lebanon just prior to the war to spend time with her sister, thinking that it would be better for him to be away while she and her husband were fighting. Then, days later, the bombs fell. She is despairing because she cannot locate her sister or Karem and cannot get through via telephone. Since much of Under the Bombs was filmed in Lebanon during the war we get to experience a very real war in the eyes of a fictional mother's despair in this film.
No taxi driver wants to drive Zelna to southern Lebanon when she asks, saying that it is too dangerous and suggesting they take her to Damascus, instead. Finally, one taxi driver Tony (played by Georges Khabbaz) offers to take her there, but his offer appears at the beginning to be less due to kindness on Tony's part than a combination of attraction to Zelna and a want of money.
Tony, the Christian cab driver, and Zelna, the sophisticated, educated Shiite woman form a profound friendship. Tony himself says that speaking with Zelna was the first time he had ever opened his heart to a woman to the extent of tears. It is a powerful film in which we see not only a mother's despair surrounded by explosions and bombs, but a glimpse into the horrid life in the refugee camps and how life felt for the Lebanese, particularly the southern Lebanese, during the brief, but brutal, war. It does this without ever showing a single dead body or gruesome scene. All we see and hear are the exploding bombs and the left-over debris and ruins.
The movie is not without its lighthearted moments, however. Georges Khabbaz is a prominent Lebanese comedian and even though here he is acting in a drama, he does have a couple of humorous lines, notably (I'm paraphrasing, because I don't recall the quote word-for-word) "Jews look just like us. Except that they're rich."
It is a must-see for all who are interested in seeing a beautiful film shot in the midst of the chaos of the war.
Childhood in Gaza
Bombs exploded over our rooftops
Left our home in shackles
The debris killed my brother
He had been hiding in the bathroom
Too afraid to go out and play
All he did was look outside
Overhead at the heartless drones
That emitted the white phosphorus bombs
Under the flag of Israel
Land of the dispossessed people and refugees
What about the Palestinian refugees?
Will the world not care about us
Until they put us in concentration camps?
That's all that'd be left for them to do--
We've already been bombed, murdered
Imprisoned, terrorized, tortured, despised
Like my brother, a defenseless child
My hope died after the blasts
All that is left is flesh and blood
The heart and soul have been torn out
And my eyes see only aircrafts and arms
Left our home in shackles
The debris killed my brother
He had been hiding in the bathroom
Too afraid to go out and play
All he did was look outside
Overhead at the heartless drones
That emitted the white phosphorus bombs
Under the flag of Israel
Land of the dispossessed people and refugees
What about the Palestinian refugees?
Will the world not care about us
Until they put us in concentration camps?
That's all that'd be left for them to do--
We've already been bombed, murdered
Imprisoned, terrorized, tortured, despised
Like my brother, a defenseless child
My hope died after the blasts
All that is left is flesh and blood
The heart and soul have been torn out
And my eyes see only aircrafts and arms
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