Image ‘Copyleft’ by Carlos Latuff
‘What are we to do?? There are Arab children enrolled in Jewish nursery schools in this neighbourhood.’ Such is the dilemma facing the rabbinical council in Jerusalem. They have been pressing the ‘alarm’ button as more Palestinians move into neighbourhoods in the northern part of Jerusalem.
Just what is an ignorant racist to do when there is a development such as this? Last night a small (poorly attended) meeting took place in my neighbourhood, a meeting called to determine just what can be done about this ‘problem’. One heard words like ‘staus quo’, and how we must not allow that to change. In other words, ‘we have a ghetto here and we like it!”. Well, if the truth is to be known, most of the locals in my area don’t like it! Heaven forbid we all live together, get to know each other and thereby eradicate the possibilities of war…. is that what they are afraid of? It sure seems so.
Brings to mind an incident in my own building when a real estate agent requested I do something about a Palestinian’s name appearing on one of the mailboxes. Seems she was having a problem selling one of the apartments because of that. I assured her that I would do something… I assured her that I would get the other 5 Palestinian families in the building to put their names on the boxes as well. Just to show you the type of neighbourhood I live in, read THIS. Needless to say, I would have nothing to do with the encouragement of an apartheid system in my own building…
In recent months there have been many newspaper reports and Blog articles about my neighbourhood, an area known for its tolerance and the peaceful coexistence of its residents. Why can’t this be accepted as the norm? Why do the carriers of the dreaded virus of racism have to spread their disease?
This ‘chosen people’ syndrome is also becoming a disease…. it leads only to the growth of racism and hatred. I’m sure that was not the intent when the phrase was coined. What’s left now is how to combat that, and thereby stopping the virus in its tracks.
The world we share today is small, the countries within it even smaller. Within the countries there are cities and within them there are neighbourhoods. Let’s start at the smallest denominator and see how far we can spread our anti virus…. IT CAN BE DONE!
Desertpeace 
Scarlett said,
May 13, 2008 at 01:30
Racism is simply a tool that those in power use to divide and conquer. If you can stir up hatred between two groups — they will blame each other for their problems rather than those who are really responsible for it.
It seems that in Israel, with all the corruption that exists in the government (which probably still isn’t nearly as corrupt as here in the US), without racism and “terrorism”, there is no way that they could possibly maintain power. As with most other conflicts, the majority of sane, peace loving individuals in both Israel and Palestine are forced to pay for the corruption and insane ideology of the extremists who prefer to battle to the death rather than compromise. (Although, it does appear that most of the crazies are on the Israeli side at the moment.)
There are very few of the extremists, though, and lots of normal, regular folks who just want to live life in peace. Even most racists would prefer peaceful co-existence rather than constant racial fighting and violence. The key is to unite together — despite our differences — and throw the psychos back into the insane asylums and take back our world. We need to stop being afraid of a small minority and realize that we have reason, morality and decency on our side and stop letting the crazies dominate the discussion. When we stop being afraid of them — they lose their power and we regain ours.
5 Smooth Stones said,
May 13, 2008 at 05:50
Just recently looking at a map of Jewish settlements, from 1950 to 2007, that Jews have slowly overtaken most of Palestine. It looks as if the Palestinians have now been compressed into such small circular area’s, it would make a claustrophobic faint. Let’s see if the Israeli’s move in for the final kill.
MOe said,
June 15, 2008 at 10:59
Hello there
If you are talking about racisim you got in israel and every part of the world. I am a palestinian Canadian. I was married to an arab israeli who hold an israeli Passport.. Recently my wife deilverd a baby in one of the hospitals in Israel. I could not attend to see my wife most of the time because I am a palestininan so I need a permit in order to get into Israel provided I was married 8 years ago and supposddly I get the israeli citizen in order to live with my wife peacfully, I still do have anything and they say no permit for you …However, they gave me only a permit for one day to see my wife and the baby and take care of her. So I wanted to stay with them for few days but unfortunatley the security officer on the hospital gate stooped me and asked for ID as soon as he knew that I am from WEST BANK he went bizzar he thought he hunted a terreorist!!! He called the police and the army personal. they asked me what Am i doing here I told them that my wife had a baby and I am staying with her they saidn no you cannot you are a terrorist. I laughed and I said is this the way you treat people…they arrested me and my wife had almost heart attack she had a nervous break down. Keep in the mind my wife considered to be a Citizen of Israel which bull shit. they treat them class number 7. so Imagine how racist the israeli’s . with every move they think themselves chosen people “big Shit”.
this my story with those people , In fact i found they have no sense of hamanity at all, very selfish people and veery greedy …they do not care about anyone eslse but them selves…..I have been through so many stories in Israel which I will write a book in the near future to describe how living in Isarel “police state” and what to expect…….
Thank you