During the Gaza war, i was widely criticized for publishing an open letter to the Palestinian people, calling them to rid themselves of what i consider to be a terrorist organization strangling their hopes for peace and condemning them to a future ridden with hatred and bloodshed. I was also criticized by these same people for defending Israel’s right to self defence and claiming that there was never any intention on Israel’s part of hurting innocent civilians, whereas Hamas’ sinister plans were and remain clear: to destroy Israel and in such, target innocent civilians intentionally.
I have always been a staunch supporter of the Peace process and the ‘two state solution’. But during the public discourse on this matter, i was shocked by the clear demonization of Israel, which became a horrible sort of “fashion”, and the forgiving, “they know not what they do” attitude used to judge, or rather not to judge, Hamas. I stated that though i am and have always been critical of many of Israel’s policies and actions, i would by no means agree to the wanton and imbalanced “death sentence” flung at her doorstep. I even compared it to Ceasar’s ‘thumb down’ with the bloodthirsty crowds roaring.
When the Goldstone report was issued, it was widely used by anti-Israel forces to condemn Israel, and by my own critics to strengthen their claims against me. Now, almost three years after that tragic war, many things have changed, and much more is known about what really happened. It is unfortunate that due to Israel’s initial,illogical refusal to cooperate with the Goldstone fact finding committee, the truth (whatever that may mean) has taken so long to emerge from the ruins of war.
This week Judge Goldstone published an article in the prestigious Washington Post, entitled "Reconsidering the Goldstone Report".
Here are some captions:
"If I had known then what I know now, the Goldstone Report would have been a different document.” “Israel has dedicated significant resources to investigate over 400 allegations of operational misconduct in Gaza” while “the de facto authorities (i.e., Hamas) have not conducted any investigations into the launching of rocket and mortar attacks against Israel.”
“the most serious attack the Goldstone Report focused on was the killing of some 29 members of the al-Simouni family in their home. The shelling of the home was apparently the consequence of an Israeli commander’s erroneous interpretation of a drone image, and an Israeli officer is under investigation for having ordered the attack. “
“the Human Rights Council should condemn the inexcusable and cold-blooded recent slaughter of a young Israeli couple and three of their small children in their beds.”
“Regrettably, there has been no effort by Hamas in Gaza to investigate the allegations of its war crimes and possible crimes against humanity”
“ the laws of armed conflict apply no less to non-state actors such as Hamas than they do to national armies”
The complete report here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/reconsidering-the-goldstone-report-on-israel-and-war-crimes/2011/04/01/AFg111JC_story.html
War is an ugly thing. We must do all in our power to avoid it, and at the same time be VERY careful when we go out on witch hunts and burn culprits at the stake without carefully considering how much bias and prejudice is involved in our judgement.
Even though it may fall under the category of “too little to late”, i am happy Goldstone published this article and i admire his integrity. It takes a courageous man to reconsider his former position.
Having said that, i continue to urge my government to snap out of its destructive lethargy and rekindle peace talks with the Palestinians AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Rather than basking in an arrogant “i told you so” attitude, Netanyahu and his cabinet should be making every effort to utilize the shift of international attention from our region (the focus now being on other areas of the Arab world dealing with historic upheavals), and sanely and respectfully conclude the agreement with the Palestinian Authority. It seems Netanyahu’s regime wants to be dragged kicking and screaming by an entire nation’s hair to the table, rather than initiating the dialogue themselves, as would be the honourable thing to do.
May we know better days.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
a black day
today, we experienced a horrible tragedy. a bomb exploded in the center of jeruslam killing one woman and wounding 40 people.
the president of J street, a jewish american left wing organization which i support, issued the following statement. i agree with every word:
J Street condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s attack in Jerusalem as well as the increase in rocket attacks on the south of Israel. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families and to the people of Israel who in recent days are experiencing once again an increase in terror and violence.
We support the state of Israel in taking the steps necessary to respond to today’s attacks, to protect all its citizens, and to bring those who perpetrated today’s attack to justice.
We are in Jerusalem today, a mile from the bombing, for a debate in Israel’s Knesset, at which we reiterated that the security of Israel depends on ending the conflict with the Palestinian people through a two-state solution.
We remember at this moment the advice of Yitzhak Rabin that we must fight terror as if there were no peace process, but pursue peace as if there were no terror.
Even on the blackest of days like today, we recall his words and seek to carry out his legacy.
the israeli and palestinian governments should do everything they can to reach a peace agreement as soon as possible!!! how much more bloodshed can we stand??
the president of J street, a jewish american left wing organization which i support, issued the following statement. i agree with every word:
J Street condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s attack in Jerusalem as well as the increase in rocket attacks on the south of Israel. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families and to the people of Israel who in recent days are experiencing once again an increase in terror and violence.
We support the state of Israel in taking the steps necessary to respond to today’s attacks, to protect all its citizens, and to bring those who perpetrated today’s attack to justice.
We are in Jerusalem today, a mile from the bombing, for a debate in Israel’s Knesset, at which we reiterated that the security of Israel depends on ending the conflict with the Palestinian people through a two-state solution.
We remember at this moment the advice of Yitzhak Rabin that we must fight terror as if there were no peace process, but pursue peace as if there were no terror.
Even on the blackest of days like today, we recall his words and seek to carry out his legacy.
the israeli and palestinian governments should do everything they can to reach a peace agreement as soon as possible!!! how much more bloodshed can we stand??
Monday, January 17, 2011
about LIFE, the party...
Since the political situation in my country, and everywhere, is nauseating and depressing to say the least, I have decided to start a new political party.
It’s called, very simply, LIFE.
“LIFE”.
In my party what we do is cultivate life.
We work to make people’s lives better. All people….And all animals and plants too.
There is no death cult. We do not think about death. We do not use death as a threat or a source of fear. We do not want to “die for ..” this or that, we want to LIVE for.. everything!
We treasure human life, regardless of race or religion. Violence is not an option.
We work for feeding the hungry, and helping them feed themselves. We work for equal rights and opportunities for all, for thriving businesses without exploitation, for education and health care on the highest level.
We take care of the planet, we care for the animals.
We nurture and adore art in all its forms; we encourage freedom of expression, eclecticism and pluralism.
We use the democratic system as best we can to promote what we believe to be universal human values. We work to abolish greed and selfishness, mitigating fear by sharing knowledge and information and promoting solidarity, empathy and ….love.
Our virtual headquarters are, for the moment, in my heart.
But we’re looking for appropriate real-estate.
Feel free to join!
All you have to do is…..
It’s called, very simply, LIFE.
“LIFE”.
In my party what we do is cultivate life.
We work to make people’s lives better. All people….And all animals and plants too.
There is no death cult. We do not think about death. We do not use death as a threat or a source of fear. We do not want to “die for ..” this or that, we want to LIVE for.. everything!
We treasure human life, regardless of race or religion. Violence is not an option.
We work for feeding the hungry, and helping them feed themselves. We work for equal rights and opportunities for all, for thriving businesses without exploitation, for education and health care on the highest level.
We take care of the planet, we care for the animals.
We nurture and adore art in all its forms; we encourage freedom of expression, eclecticism and pluralism.
We use the democratic system as best we can to promote what we believe to be universal human values. We work to abolish greed and selfishness, mitigating fear by sharing knowledge and information and promoting solidarity, empathy and ….love.
Our virtual headquarters are, for the moment, in my heart.
But we’re looking for appropriate real-estate.
Feel free to join!
All you have to do is…..
Saturday, October 30, 2010
about the boycotting of israeli products
hello friends.
below is a letter written by my sister-in-law's girlfriend, Tami Tal, to "Olympia Food co-op", a US based company who decided to ban Israeli products.
i agree with every word written here, i could have written the same myself. it is accurate and cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
please read.
Hi,
I read in an Israeli newspaper that "Olympia Food Co-op" is planning to boycott food products from Israel.
I suggest you take further steps, then:
The little chips inside your computer, at least some of them, are probably an Israeli invention. So are some of the software programs you use.
Also – your local hospital probably contains some life-saving Israeli-invented apparatus, as well as some Israeli-invented chemical compounds used in your medications.
The water distribution system in your rural vegetable and fruit fields, which I presume are abundant in your area, are also, most likely, a product of the Israeli brain.
Though tiny, Israel has contributed to the medical, scientific and technological world a substantial percentage of its inventions, intended for your nutrition, health and home comfort, relative to other countries on this planet that are much, much, bigger.
My suggestion, then, is – why don't you boycott all of these as well?.. That would make a much more thorough job on your part.
Lastly, while boycotting Horrible Israel, please consider boycotting:
Saudi Arabia – for human rights violations (who's heard of women driving??)
Iran – for human rights violations (stone the woman to death!)
Syria – for harboring terrorists (keep up the good work firing missiles at Israel boys!)
China – for human rights violations ("Government knows what's best for you"!)
Turkey – for occupying parts of Cyprus , for imprisoning anyone who only mentions the Turkish-caused Armenian Holocaust, and for oppressing the Kurdish people who seek independence.
Russia – for oppressing Chechnya (and for invading parts of Georgia )
France – for prohibiting Muslim women to wear face-veils (though I can't blame them – but, hey, freedom of expression, right??)
Switzerland – for banning the construction of minarets on mosques
And the list is long.
I can think of many, many other countries that are violating human rights right now as we speak.
And more seriously now:
Just so you know – I'm an Israeli woman, and – though you may find it odd – I belong to the Left political spectrum in Israel. I actually CAN'T WAIT for the Palestinians to have their own country. But what I don't like is people, like yourselves, who sit in your comfortable homes, thousands of miles away, and think they know better. What is happening here, in my country, is not black and white like you make it to be. There are TWO sides to the coin.
So I would greatly appreciate if you – and about 99% of all other people on this planet – stop demonizing Israel. Because despite the wrongs that Israel is doing (and there are wrongs), there is also good, and there is also our side of the story. Add to that the fact that other countries around the world are not such great saints either (including, by the way, your very own country), I would be happy if you reconsider.
Sincerely yours,
Tami Tal, Jerusalem , Israel
amen!
Noa, Israel.
below is a letter written by my sister-in-law's girlfriend, Tami Tal, to "Olympia Food co-op", a US based company who decided to ban Israeli products.
i agree with every word written here, i could have written the same myself. it is accurate and cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
please read.
Hi,
I read in an Israeli newspaper that "Olympia Food Co-op" is planning to boycott food products from Israel.
I suggest you take further steps, then:
The little chips inside your computer, at least some of them, are probably an Israeli invention. So are some of the software programs you use.
Also – your local hospital probably contains some life-saving Israeli-invented apparatus, as well as some Israeli-invented chemical compounds used in your medications.
The water distribution system in your rural vegetable and fruit fields, which I presume are abundant in your area, are also, most likely, a product of the Israeli brain.
Though tiny, Israel has contributed to the medical, scientific and technological world a substantial percentage of its inventions, intended for your nutrition, health and home comfort, relative to other countries on this planet that are much, much, bigger.
My suggestion, then, is – why don't you boycott all of these as well?.. That would make a much more thorough job on your part.
Lastly, while boycotting Horrible Israel, please consider boycotting:
Saudi Arabia – for human rights violations (who's heard of women driving??)
Iran – for human rights violations (stone the woman to death!)
Syria – for harboring terrorists (keep up the good work firing missiles at Israel boys!)
China – for human rights violations ("Government knows what's best for you"!)
Turkey – for occupying parts of Cyprus , for imprisoning anyone who only mentions the Turkish-caused Armenian Holocaust, and for oppressing the Kurdish people who seek independence.
Russia – for oppressing Chechnya (and for invading parts of Georgia )
France – for prohibiting Muslim women to wear face-veils (though I can't blame them – but, hey, freedom of expression, right??)
Switzerland – for banning the construction of minarets on mosques
And the list is long.
I can think of many, many other countries that are violating human rights right now as we speak.
And more seriously now:
Just so you know – I'm an Israeli woman, and – though you may find it odd – I belong to the Left political spectrum in Israel. I actually CAN'T WAIT for the Palestinians to have their own country. But what I don't like is people, like yourselves, who sit in your comfortable homes, thousands of miles away, and think they know better. What is happening here, in my country, is not black and white like you make it to be. There are TWO sides to the coin.
So I would greatly appreciate if you – and about 99% of all other people on this planet – stop demonizing Israel. Because despite the wrongs that Israel is doing (and there are wrongs), there is also good, and there is also our side of the story. Add to that the fact that other countries around the world are not such great saints either (including, by the way, your very own country), I would be happy if you reconsider.
Sincerely yours,
Tami Tal, Jerusalem , Israel
amen!
Noa, Israel.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
a broken heart..and a hope that refuses to die
hello everybody.
it has been a while since I've written.
i am actually writing under the saddest of circumstances.
you all know Israel and Palestine are in the midst of peace talks. yes, peace talks. sounds like a joke, doesn't it? it's incredible. so many years of dreaming and waiting and here we are in the midst of direct talks: why does it all feel so dull?
well, obviously: we have been disappointed and disillusioned so many times, it seems none of us can muster even the slightest bit of enthusiasm. we have become hardened by our sad reality,our hope has reduced itself to a tiny trickle...it seems hallucinatory to think that under the existing circumstances, any progress can be made...
and yet....??
who knows?? the tiny dream naggingly persists...
one thing is for sure: the extremists on both sides will do their very best to destroy what is being built. they thrive on fear, hatred and suspicion. they are vampires, lurking the dark nights of our lives, sucking the fresh blood of hope from the bodies of our children.yes, i know that's graphic and jolting, but no understatement is in order where these monsters are concerned.
we witnessed Lieberman's bleek speech at the UN (yes, words are as destructive as bombs),the shooting of the Jewish family in the territories, the burning and defiling of mosques by settlers, we see the devilish joy in the eyes of those eager to continue the "building" in the settlements, that "building" which is actually a guise for destruction and hopelessness...and all in the name og god, of course, as always.
and now, another bitter anecdote to add to the growing list of atrocities.
i have a good friend, an amazing man. i cannot disclose his name, so a snot to endanger him forther.
he is a Palestinian peace activist who has dedicated his life to working with young people in Gaza and offering an alternative to the hate-driven terrorist organizations who suck in the youth and recruit them for acts of violence and suicide.
this man is a man of principles. a man of peace. dedicated to building bridges, to deepening understanding. a man a valour.
when hamas took over Gaza, his life was in danger. he escaped , with the help of his Israeli friends and colleagues, to ramallah, just hours before they came for him. he and his immediate family now live in ramallah, where he continues his peace activity.
but.... his brother and mother were left behind.
a few weeks ago his brother was arrested by hamas and thrown into prison.
through great efforts, a red-cross representative was allowed to visit him, and reported that he was alive, but nothing more.
a few days ago, hamas made the news public:
40 people, whose names were listed, had been arrested and imprisoned, accused of collaborating with Israel.
they are to be given a "fair trial", and executed.
my friend's brother was on the list.
since then, his mother has stopped taking her medicine, eating or drinking. she has no reason to live.
my friend is on the verge of physical and mental collapse.
he, and all of us, are helpless in the face of such cruelty, such madness, such sinister atrocity.
and all for what?
for revenge? for a public display of power? to remind Abbas whose boss?? to tamper with the Peace talks? to make sure terror continues to reign supreme???
yes, all of the above.
yes, god above, all in your name.
i am disgusted, appalled and nauseous.
i do not want to think what my friend is going through (he is not answering the phone)
if there is a god up there, (which i highly doubt), this would be a good time to show some of that merciful etc etc he or she is attributed with.
as for you, "brave" leaders of Israel and Palestine....work it out already!!!! if he is do die, let it not be in vain!!!!!!
with my deepest wish for better days,
a heartbroken Noa
it has been a while since I've written.
i am actually writing under the saddest of circumstances.
you all know Israel and Palestine are in the midst of peace talks. yes, peace talks. sounds like a joke, doesn't it? it's incredible. so many years of dreaming and waiting and here we are in the midst of direct talks: why does it all feel so dull?
well, obviously: we have been disappointed and disillusioned so many times, it seems none of us can muster even the slightest bit of enthusiasm. we have become hardened by our sad reality,our hope has reduced itself to a tiny trickle...it seems hallucinatory to think that under the existing circumstances, any progress can be made...
and yet....??
who knows?? the tiny dream naggingly persists...
one thing is for sure: the extremists on both sides will do their very best to destroy what is being built. they thrive on fear, hatred and suspicion. they are vampires, lurking the dark nights of our lives, sucking the fresh blood of hope from the bodies of our children.yes, i know that's graphic and jolting, but no understatement is in order where these monsters are concerned.
we witnessed Lieberman's bleek speech at the UN (yes, words are as destructive as bombs),the shooting of the Jewish family in the territories, the burning and defiling of mosques by settlers, we see the devilish joy in the eyes of those eager to continue the "building" in the settlements, that "building" which is actually a guise for destruction and hopelessness...and all in the name og god, of course, as always.
and now, another bitter anecdote to add to the growing list of atrocities.
i have a good friend, an amazing man. i cannot disclose his name, so a snot to endanger him forther.
he is a Palestinian peace activist who has dedicated his life to working with young people in Gaza and offering an alternative to the hate-driven terrorist organizations who suck in the youth and recruit them for acts of violence and suicide.
this man is a man of principles. a man of peace. dedicated to building bridges, to deepening understanding. a man a valour.
when hamas took over Gaza, his life was in danger. he escaped , with the help of his Israeli friends and colleagues, to ramallah, just hours before they came for him. he and his immediate family now live in ramallah, where he continues his peace activity.
but.... his brother and mother were left behind.
a few weeks ago his brother was arrested by hamas and thrown into prison.
through great efforts, a red-cross representative was allowed to visit him, and reported that he was alive, but nothing more.
a few days ago, hamas made the news public:
40 people, whose names were listed, had been arrested and imprisoned, accused of collaborating with Israel.
they are to be given a "fair trial", and executed.
my friend's brother was on the list.
since then, his mother has stopped taking her medicine, eating or drinking. she has no reason to live.
my friend is on the verge of physical and mental collapse.
he, and all of us, are helpless in the face of such cruelty, such madness, such sinister atrocity.
and all for what?
for revenge? for a public display of power? to remind Abbas whose boss?? to tamper with the Peace talks? to make sure terror continues to reign supreme???
yes, all of the above.
yes, god above, all in your name.
i am disgusted, appalled and nauseous.
i do not want to think what my friend is going through (he is not answering the phone)
if there is a god up there, (which i highly doubt), this would be a good time to show some of that merciful etc etc he or she is attributed with.
as for you, "brave" leaders of Israel and Palestine....work it out already!!!! if he is do die, let it not be in vain!!!!!!
with my deepest wish for better days,
a heartbroken Noa
Friday, June 4, 2010
some clarifications about my infamous 'open letter' written during the Gaza War, 2009
Dear friends,
During the Gaza war in January 2009, I wrote an open letter. That letter was written with the best intentions on my part but ended up drawing immense criticism, entirely contrary to the spirit in which it was written.
The criticism seems to center around the following sentence:
“I can only wish for you that Israel will do the job we all know needs to be done, and finally RID YOU of this cancer, this virus, this monster called fanaticism, today, called Hamas”
This sentence was widely interpreted as support for the Gaza war as it was perceived by many people: a wanton attack on innocent civilians. This was, and is, by no means the case.
I was always against the use of violence and i continue to be against the use of violence, on all sides. Throughout my career I have been a supporter of the Palestinian quest for independence in a sovereign state alongside Israel, and I continue to be a staunch supporter of their cause. I have fought and sacrificed much for this, and i am sorry for every innocent life lost on both sides of the fence.
It is important for me that it be known that my letter was written as an emotional reaction to horrifying testimony I received from a close friend of mine who is a Palestinian peace activist (a real peace activist) that was living in Gaza, and told me of the torturing, killing and terrorizing of the Palestinian population there by Hamas, especially anyone working for peace with Israel. He himself fled from Gaza moments before Hamas henchmen raided his house with the intention of killing him. He was lucky, many others were not. His blood-curdling stories were the impetus for my letter.
Having said that, I understand now that I should not have written the specific sentence I mentioned before in the original letter, because it did not convey my intentions properly.
There is a great distinction between my stand against Hamas and my support for the Palestinian people and their rights. My sentence seems to have confused the two. Let me be clear. For the time being I am still totally against Hamas for two reasons:
1, Their official covenant calls for the total destruction of Israel and the murder of every man, woman and child!
2. They are a fundamentalist religious organization who dictates an Islamic rule that stands against any liberal human value that I and most of the readers of this document cherish. The entire free world has fought horrible wars against similar regimes paying a high price for the liberties that the fortunate among us enjoy today – including the liberty to express unpopular views and harshly criticize each other.
BUT, my mistake was to write that it is the Israelis who must eradicate Hamas. I take back these words and i regret them. They were inappropriate.
For me, Hamas is not representative of the hopes and dreams of the Palestinian people. Hamas came into power at a certain tragic moment in time, and I personally regret that deeply, as I also regret the rise of the government presently in power in Israel.
My view is clear, as I wrote in the answers I gave to La Republica, starting with my peace plan, “recognize, apologize, share”.
Israel needs to stop the occupation immediately and make an agreement with any leadership of the Palestinian people who wishes to live in peace with its neighboring state of Israel.
Not long ago it seemed impossible to envision talks between the PLO and Israel, but both sides managed to change their paradigm. I firmly believe today that the same type of change is possible between Hamas and Israel and I urge BOTH parties to check their motives and intentions again. I will be the first to put the past behind me and reach out my hand in peace to any former enemy. I firmly believe that if Hamas adopts the same principles that the Palestinian authority has already adopted long ago, the movement towards peace will be swift, though far from easy. Both sides will have to control their extremists in much the same way that Israel managed to clear its settlers out of Gaza.
This whole process must be assisted by the international community, who must ensure the security of both sides, and contribute financially and otherwise to the success of the fledgling state of Palestine and the relationship between the two countries.
I call on all people to listen to all sides with an open heart free from prejudice. I call upon my brothers in Israel and Palestine to unite for the cause of peace. Let’s not point fingers anymore and bring more and more hatred to the world. Let’s show the beauty of all cultures, the wisdom of all religions, and the human, compassionate face of mankind.
It is as simple as that.
Sincerely yours,
Noa
During the Gaza war in January 2009, I wrote an open letter. That letter was written with the best intentions on my part but ended up drawing immense criticism, entirely contrary to the spirit in which it was written.
The criticism seems to center around the following sentence:
“I can only wish for you that Israel will do the job we all know needs to be done, and finally RID YOU of this cancer, this virus, this monster called fanaticism, today, called Hamas”
This sentence was widely interpreted as support for the Gaza war as it was perceived by many people: a wanton attack on innocent civilians. This was, and is, by no means the case.
I was always against the use of violence and i continue to be against the use of violence, on all sides. Throughout my career I have been a supporter of the Palestinian quest for independence in a sovereign state alongside Israel, and I continue to be a staunch supporter of their cause. I have fought and sacrificed much for this, and i am sorry for every innocent life lost on both sides of the fence.
It is important for me that it be known that my letter was written as an emotional reaction to horrifying testimony I received from a close friend of mine who is a Palestinian peace activist (a real peace activist) that was living in Gaza, and told me of the torturing, killing and terrorizing of the Palestinian population there by Hamas, especially anyone working for peace with Israel. He himself fled from Gaza moments before Hamas henchmen raided his house with the intention of killing him. He was lucky, many others were not. His blood-curdling stories were the impetus for my letter.
Having said that, I understand now that I should not have written the specific sentence I mentioned before in the original letter, because it did not convey my intentions properly.
There is a great distinction between my stand against Hamas and my support for the Palestinian people and their rights. My sentence seems to have confused the two. Let me be clear. For the time being I am still totally against Hamas for two reasons:
1, Their official covenant calls for the total destruction of Israel and the murder of every man, woman and child!
2. They are a fundamentalist religious organization who dictates an Islamic rule that stands against any liberal human value that I and most of the readers of this document cherish. The entire free world has fought horrible wars against similar regimes paying a high price for the liberties that the fortunate among us enjoy today – including the liberty to express unpopular views and harshly criticize each other.
BUT, my mistake was to write that it is the Israelis who must eradicate Hamas. I take back these words and i regret them. They were inappropriate.
For me, Hamas is not representative of the hopes and dreams of the Palestinian people. Hamas came into power at a certain tragic moment in time, and I personally regret that deeply, as I also regret the rise of the government presently in power in Israel.
My view is clear, as I wrote in the answers I gave to La Republica, starting with my peace plan, “recognize, apologize, share”.
Israel needs to stop the occupation immediately and make an agreement with any leadership of the Palestinian people who wishes to live in peace with its neighboring state of Israel.
Not long ago it seemed impossible to envision talks between the PLO and Israel, but both sides managed to change their paradigm. I firmly believe today that the same type of change is possible between Hamas and Israel and I urge BOTH parties to check their motives and intentions again. I will be the first to put the past behind me and reach out my hand in peace to any former enemy. I firmly believe that if Hamas adopts the same principles that the Palestinian authority has already adopted long ago, the movement towards peace will be swift, though far from easy. Both sides will have to control their extremists in much the same way that Israel managed to clear its settlers out of Gaza.
This whole process must be assisted by the international community, who must ensure the security of both sides, and contribute financially and otherwise to the success of the fledgling state of Palestine and the relationship between the two countries.
I call on all people to listen to all sides with an open heart free from prejudice. I call upon my brothers in Israel and Palestine to unite for the cause of peace. Let’s not point fingers anymore and bring more and more hatred to the world. Let’s show the beauty of all cultures, the wisdom of all religions, and the human, compassionate face of mankind.
It is as simple as that.
Sincerely yours,
Noa
Thursday, June 3, 2010
an interview about the situation
Hello all,
Here is an interview i did for the Italian paper La Republica, one of the largest in that country.
Thought you would find it interesting.
(i don't know what they will end up printing, but these are the answers i gave them)
1) Why in all these years all the pacts did not reach a real solution for the crisis?
There exist a sufficient number of Israeli Jews who are convinced that Arabs by and large want to kill them, destroy Israel and impose fanatic Moslem hegemony all over the world. At the same time there also exist a sufficient number of Moslems who are convinced that Israeli Jews wish to colonize them, expel them, kill them and enslave them forever. Unfortunately there exist enough evidence to substantiate both arguments! and the evidence continues to compile every day. Obviously each side is convinced that the evidence proves their own righteousness, while the evidence to the contrary play very little role in the minds of most people. This happens for a simple reason. Here's a metaphor which explains why: If, for example, while entering a 1000 seats auditorium, i'm being told that there is one crazy gunman with one bullet in his gun and he's bound to shoot someone, would i stay there? would i say its just one in a thousand ? of course not! i will leave the place immediately! The point is, one doesn't need too many threats to feel threatened and get defensive. From that point the road to violence is unfortunately a very short one. The Hamas Covenant on one side and the ultra-nationalist Jewish settlers' ideology on the other, combined with both parties actions to implement their ideologies by building settlements or by terrorism, provide all the necessary evidence for anyone who finds it difficult to believe in peace. For instance, i am certain that the assassinations of Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat by Muslim fundamentalists and of Israeli PM Itzhak Rabin by a Jewish fundamentalist sealed the lid on many people's hopes in our miserable war stricken region.
2) What the artists, and especially the Israeli artists, can do to testify the need of a democratic solution of the israeli-palestinian crisis?
In general I wish Israelis would both campaign and use their democratic vote to elect a government that would put a complete end to the 1967 occupation and would sign a peace treaty with the elected government of the Palestinian people. Both governments would ideally represent the wishes of both peoples to live side by side in peace and cooperation in their independent, sovereign and internationally recognized state. I will always raise my voice in such campaigns and urge all artists, Israeli and Palestinian to do the same.
I will also repeat my three stage peace plan: Recognize, Apologize, Share:
1. RECOGNIZE-
Each side must recognize the rights of the other to life, freedom, independence, identity, the right to flourish, the right to a peaceful existence. This is the first and critical stage of the plan. Without formal recognition, in writing, signed by the recognized leaders of each nation, no progress can be made.
2. APOLOGIZE-
Both sides have done horrible things to each other in the name of this and that ideal. Since the death of one life is parallel to the death of all of humanity, there should be a true and deep remorse for these actions, a heartfelt apology on both sides for the pain and anguish they have caused.
3. SHARE-
Each side should revoke their dreams of a complete ‘anything’. Only through compromise is peace achievable. In this way, on one small piece of land, we can create 2 countries, Israel and Palestine, living peacefully and respectfully alongside each-other.
3) After this violent and tragic event, what is the atmosphere and what are the feelings among your friends and people you daily meet?
The feeling is terrible, a lot of anger and frustration, a lot of remorse for the loss of human life. Nobody in Israel believes that the Israeli government intended to kill anyone on that boat. Many in Israel believe the Israeli government's decisions regarding how to handle the situation has not only brought the unnecessary loss of human life and injury to the passengers of the boat and to our soldiers, but also brought harsh criticism and demonization of the state of Israel and the Jewish people, while at the same time absolving all other participants in the incident from any responsibility for the unfortunate and utterly tragic event. If i were the Israeli PM or Defence Minister, I would resign immediately, taking responsibility for the consequences of my decisions, that have jeopardized the security of my country and harmed its image.
Personally my criticism of my own government is mostly that it continues to see the occupation as an asset rather than a liability. This position has made the moral and human implications of occupation "tolerable" for too long, and in my opinion, they are intolerable. Truly the alternative of losing strategic depth (a common fear prevalent in the post 1967 era, with arguably good reason) could only be compensated by relying on friendly nations for defence. However the inability of the allies to stop the holocaust during WWII burnt into the hearts of Jews and Israelis the notion of "never again"...never again will we rely on anyone's help but our own strength for survival! Can anyone contest this argument easily? i don't think so.
In conclusion, when i say that i Noa want to end the occupation and am willing to rely on friendly nations for my children's security and my own, it is because the west bank occupation is immoral and inhuman. I know i might be taking a huge risk, but my moral fabric refuses to succumb to any fear, however substantiated it may be. I'm far from being naive and only history will tell, but i am willing to take the risk, just as i hope people like me, on the other side, are willing to take the same risk, no matter how deeply fear and prejudice is rooted in their hearts. The anti-Israeli sentiment I feel everywhere in the world media today doesn't make that an easy thing for me and other Israelis to do, and it is for that reason that we are asking, emphatically, that the international community and its media stand firmly by those who refuse to surrender to fear and hatred, and refrain from the judgement and finger-pointing that does nothing but make matters worse.
Here is an interview i did for the Italian paper La Republica, one of the largest in that country.
Thought you would find it interesting.
(i don't know what they will end up printing, but these are the answers i gave them)
1) Why in all these years all the pacts did not reach a real solution for the crisis?
There exist a sufficient number of Israeli Jews who are convinced that Arabs by and large want to kill them, destroy Israel and impose fanatic Moslem hegemony all over the world. At the same time there also exist a sufficient number of Moslems who are convinced that Israeli Jews wish to colonize them, expel them, kill them and enslave them forever. Unfortunately there exist enough evidence to substantiate both arguments! and the evidence continues to compile every day. Obviously each side is convinced that the evidence proves their own righteousness, while the evidence to the contrary play very little role in the minds of most people. This happens for a simple reason. Here's a metaphor which explains why: If, for example, while entering a 1000 seats auditorium, i'm being told that there is one crazy gunman with one bullet in his gun and he's bound to shoot someone, would i stay there? would i say its just one in a thousand ? of course not! i will leave the place immediately! The point is, one doesn't need too many threats to feel threatened and get defensive. From that point the road to violence is unfortunately a very short one. The Hamas Covenant on one side and the ultra-nationalist Jewish settlers' ideology on the other, combined with both parties actions to implement their ideologies by building settlements or by terrorism, provide all the necessary evidence for anyone who finds it difficult to believe in peace. For instance, i am certain that the assassinations of Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat by Muslim fundamentalists and of Israeli PM Itzhak Rabin by a Jewish fundamentalist sealed the lid on many people's hopes in our miserable war stricken region.
2) What the artists, and especially the Israeli artists, can do to testify the need of a democratic solution of the israeli-palestinian crisis?
In general I wish Israelis would both campaign and use their democratic vote to elect a government that would put a complete end to the 1967 occupation and would sign a peace treaty with the elected government of the Palestinian people. Both governments would ideally represent the wishes of both peoples to live side by side in peace and cooperation in their independent, sovereign and internationally recognized state. I will always raise my voice in such campaigns and urge all artists, Israeli and Palestinian to do the same.
I will also repeat my three stage peace plan: Recognize, Apologize, Share:
1. RECOGNIZE-
Each side must recognize the rights of the other to life, freedom, independence, identity, the right to flourish, the right to a peaceful existence. This is the first and critical stage of the plan. Without formal recognition, in writing, signed by the recognized leaders of each nation, no progress can be made.
2. APOLOGIZE-
Both sides have done horrible things to each other in the name of this and that ideal. Since the death of one life is parallel to the death of all of humanity, there should be a true and deep remorse for these actions, a heartfelt apology on both sides for the pain and anguish they have caused.
3. SHARE-
Each side should revoke their dreams of a complete ‘anything’. Only through compromise is peace achievable. In this way, on one small piece of land, we can create 2 countries, Israel and Palestine, living peacefully and respectfully alongside each-other.
3) After this violent and tragic event, what is the atmosphere and what are the feelings among your friends and people you daily meet?
The feeling is terrible, a lot of anger and frustration, a lot of remorse for the loss of human life. Nobody in Israel believes that the Israeli government intended to kill anyone on that boat. Many in Israel believe the Israeli government's decisions regarding how to handle the situation has not only brought the unnecessary loss of human life and injury to the passengers of the boat and to our soldiers, but also brought harsh criticism and demonization of the state of Israel and the Jewish people, while at the same time absolving all other participants in the incident from any responsibility for the unfortunate and utterly tragic event. If i were the Israeli PM or Defence Minister, I would resign immediately, taking responsibility for the consequences of my decisions, that have jeopardized the security of my country and harmed its image.
Personally my criticism of my own government is mostly that it continues to see the occupation as an asset rather than a liability. This position has made the moral and human implications of occupation "tolerable" for too long, and in my opinion, they are intolerable. Truly the alternative of losing strategic depth (a common fear prevalent in the post 1967 era, with arguably good reason) could only be compensated by relying on friendly nations for defence. However the inability of the allies to stop the holocaust during WWII burnt into the hearts of Jews and Israelis the notion of "never again"...never again will we rely on anyone's help but our own strength for survival! Can anyone contest this argument easily? i don't think so.
In conclusion, when i say that i Noa want to end the occupation and am willing to rely on friendly nations for my children's security and my own, it is because the west bank occupation is immoral and inhuman. I know i might be taking a huge risk, but my moral fabric refuses to succumb to any fear, however substantiated it may be. I'm far from being naive and only history will tell, but i am willing to take the risk, just as i hope people like me, on the other side, are willing to take the same risk, no matter how deeply fear and prejudice is rooted in their hearts. The anti-Israeli sentiment I feel everywhere in the world media today doesn't make that an easy thing for me and other Israelis to do, and it is for that reason that we are asking, emphatically, that the international community and its media stand firmly by those who refuse to surrender to fear and hatred, and refrain from the judgement and finger-pointing that does nothing but make matters worse.
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