The press is full of lies about Muslims, Arabs, Palestinians in particular. This is nothing new…. how can Israel and the West continue to dehumanise these people if they show the true picture?
Drop the Gun, Lift the Olive Tree, Speak to the World’s Heart
by Mohamed Khodr
“The Arab world has failed for 60 years to liberate one inch of Palestine. It’s time for a new, different, and media based strategy.”
Peace and Freedom Be with You, God’s beloved Palestine!
No one earth can possibly imagine what our beloved Palestinians, especially those in Gaza, are enduring or feeling every day and every night of their lives under the brutal illegal and evil occupation by Israel, an Apartheid Zionist state forcibly imposed on an indigenous population by colonial powers who today proclaim themselves the guardians of democracy, freedom, human rights and the military exporters of liberty to an Arab world they mapped and installed autocratic puppeteers.
I am among the millions around the world who are pained daily by the suffering of men, women, and children in Palestine. I am more angry and in greater despair at the internal discord that is often violent amongst the already suffering Palestinians.
It is hard to imagine a competitive disaster to the occupation, but the Fatah and Hamas infighting comes close. It is hard for the world that empathizes with Palestinians, often in silence and often outside the Arab and Muslim world, to see precious Palestinian blood shed by Palestinians themselves.
Isn’t the daily death and destruction committed by Israel sufficient for your minds and hearts? Must you add your guns to an occupier’s tank and missile already aimed at a child’s heart? Are you heartless and mindless too?
This is pure madness, beyond human comprehension. Israel is laughing at you all the way to the morgue, a morgue you compete with your occupier to fill.
Palestinians have never been blessed with an intelligent, savvy, military or media sophisticated leadership. I lived in Beirut during the tragic flaunting of Palestinian power that turned the Lebanese, even those who supported your cause, against the innocent Palestinian refugees far removed from the wealth and corruption of their alleged leaders and defenders.
My beloved Palestinians, you know more than anyone else on this planet that you have no one to depend on for your freedom but yourselves. The Arabs sold you , their souls, and their people for a dollar and a chair of power.
Israel and its powerful lobbies have succeeded in monopolizing the history and narrative of your existence.Neither you, nor the Arabs, nor the Muslims in the entire world have had the mindset to understand the western psyche, a psyche whose lifestyle, attitudes, and opinions are shaped by the multi-national entertainment and media industry. What comes out of the television box emanates from the western mouth the next day.
While in the west image is everything, in the Arab world pathetic hollow and grandiose lies and lip service to Islam, Muslims, and oppressed Arab and Muslim populations are the norm.
The entire Arab and Muslim world is lost given its divided subservient and dictatorial leadership. While American politicians out Jew and out-Israel each other, Arab leaders out Bush each other. To American and Arab leaders Palestine is remembered during times of political expediency such as a prospective bombing or invasion of an Arab country, or during conferences, summits, meetings, and celebratory occasions. They sell Palestine words while they sell Israel oil, protect America’s interests, and buy their weapons, the same weapons that massacre our beloved Palestinians on a daily basis.
Paradoxically, while Israel has defied every U.N. Resolution and International Law, the Arabs in their impotence still adhere to such international measures as their political strategy.
How shameful that the Arabs plead and beg the very superpower that supports and arms Israel to do its killing of Arab “brethren?
Stop the bellicose speeches. Stop the charade of photo op meetings, handshakes, and smiles across Europe and the White House. Stop betraying your faith and your people for a joke of government power. None of your leaders can leave his office or home without permission from Israel or fear of being killed. How dare you imprison and torture your own people? Palestine, you have way too many political parties and militias, and for what? Rather than dedicating yourselves as one people to free Palestine from bondage you’ve all become bonded and hostages to outside influences playing you against each other for their own agenda, certainly not to your benefit.
For God’s sake, stop the internal strife. Stop the useless rockets. Just stop all these failed strategies.
First unite. Then lay down your arms and launch daily peaceful protests throughout Palestine, but without guns and the idiocy of shooting them in the air for any excuse imaginable, remove all masks, and refrain from hot blooded speeches and loud speakers. Simply carry banners of peace and flags of the U.N. Security Council nations. Invite all religious and civic leaders in Israel and in your territories to march with you.
Stop the hysterical media pronouncements that the entire Arab world is sick of. We’ve had enough of long meaningless speeches whose only intent is to bow and praise the useless leaders. It is incredulous that our media in the G.C.C. nations proclaim that their kings, emirs, and sultan are worthy of human sacrifice. May Allah (swt) forgive their stupidity and arrogance. Do such leaders deserve to be called Muslim leaders or is it the fault of the brainwashed demoralized masses who accept their life long hold on power?
Palestine will be liberated through intelligent strategies, peaceful protests, and a brilliant media and public relations campaign and not through the childish futile Qassam rockets or counterproductive suicide bombers.
The Arab world has failed for 60 years to liberate one inch of Palestine. It’s time for a new, different, and media based strategy. The west lives, dies, fights, buys, and elects according to media hype, the Delphi oracle of the western hemisphere.
Thus start an image campaign. Begin with a professional makeover of all governmental websites that are poorly designed and developed, usually written in poor Arabic fonts, rarely translated into proficient English, and often under eternal construction. Imagine the world’s most worthy humane cause is disconnected from a world eager to know more about official Palestine.
Rarely, if any, are eloquent personalities and speakers traveling across America to present the historical and humane Palestinian perspective.
From my own observance I would highly recommend that such laudable individuals as Drs. Hanan Ashrawi, Nabil Sha’ath, and Moustapha Barghouti.
Where are the Palestinian Christian leaders? They carry the greatest weight in this country given that many American churches are struggling alone to present your story, to divest from Israel, boycott Israeli products as well as Caterpillar whose bulldozers are demolishing your homes and building extravagant Arab cities and projects.
Where are your artists, dance troupes, musicians, products such as dresses, embroidery, jewelry, and artifacts that the west so admires and needs to see?
Fifty seven Arab and Muslim Ambassadors are totally non-existent, much like ghosts, in the American media. They live for parties, receptions, photos ops and as you’ll understand–Non-Islamic behavior.
You need to come here in force and populate the television and print media. Rarely does one see an op-ed or letter to the editor from a Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim leader in western newspapers or magazines.
Perhaps I’m being idealistic, far fetched, and unrealistic to hope for a new strategy for Palestine’s independence, a nation stolen under the very eyes and feet of Arabs. But what is the alternative other than the status quo?
Does anyone actually believe that this year’s Bush driven to make up for Iraq peace process will amount to anything? No one should be this delusional.
Nothing is ever given by superpowers only taken. The question is the path and strategy to reclaim one’s freedom, rights, and stolen land.
In today’s world, especially after 9-11 violence is dead on arrival and only peaceful protests and a media savvy campaign gets results.
I pray to God that Fatah and Hamas will see the folly of their ways and together work toward the light of independence. You both struggle for a sense of false power in a land not under your control. Yet none of you are able to feed a single hungry Palestinian child living in total darkness in Gaza who’ll awaken tomorrow to play in contaminated water and sewage.
The world supports and loves you but you must earn this love and support and not lose it through your arrogance and failed strategies. It must be said that in modern history perhaps the most misguided resistance movement has been the Palestinian movement.
To Fatah and Hamas, may God help your hungry, sick, and unemployed people if you as alleged leaders are unable to unite for the freedom and welfare of your people.
The fastest way to your independence is by talking and touching directly the hearts of the western masses and not through photo-op meetings with politicians. Western politicians are beholden to their domestic constituencies and not to any foreign cause. You must come here and impact the citizens who vote for these politicians. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the reservoir of good will many Americans have toward Palestinians. They just need to see and hear your narrative told in a most compelling manner.
For once our beloved Palestine take the initiative from Israel, hold the upper hand and place your destine in the hands of God.
Begin by announcing to the world that you abandon all military resistance and seek a peaceful two state solution as called for in U.N. Resolution 242: 2 states– 4–2 peoples.
Proclaim that Israel has one year until Bush’s term ends to reach a final settlement based on United Nations Resolutions and the Arab League Peace Plan presented for the third time and rejected by Israel. Place the onus directly upon Israel in the court of world opinion.
If Israel fails to accept the plan after one year than for God’s sake UNILATERALLY DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE. Whatever happens can’t be worst than what’s happened to you for sixty years. What else can Israel do, invade and occupy your lands?
Many in the world will fill the streets in your support beginning with the oppressed and suppressed one and a half billion Arab and Muslim masses.
Declare your independence on January 20, 2009, the day a new American President is inaugurated. A new President will have no choice but to flaunt his power to gain worldwide credibility and will halt any Israeli onslaught. There will be victims for sure but Palestine has given up thousands of its children for decades and has never achieved independence. In due time many nations from South America, to Africa and Asia, will recognize Palestine after such a dramatic and potentially risky endeavor.
The world is sick of superpower hegemony and fear of American retaliation against those who speak or act ill toward Israel. Your declaration of liberation will reverberate and liberate the world once and for all from Israel’s political hegemony and intimidation.
Do it and only fear God, not America and not Israel. The Arab leaders will react to your declaration after first checking with the new President, most likely Barack Obama.
God be with you our beloved Palestine.
Desertpeace 
Amy Aremia said,
February 24, 2008 at 18:22
Finally, someone has printed the story which is long overdue. THey have continually committed the crimes and then blame it on their enemies. It is no longer “anti-Semitic” to put the blame where it belongs…
Peace will only come when the rest of the world realize that the root of the problem, for over 2000 years have been caused by those who refer to themselves as “God’s chosen ones.” Yet, in the Old Testament , God, who did promise them a land of milk and honey, if they would obey his laws and commands. WHICH THEY NEVER DID, and at last, the legendary Jew was doomed to wander the world. The promised land was no longer theirs.
William said,
February 24, 2008 at 18:30
Brilliant, except do NOT wait a year, declare independence NOW. Also, get to the International Courts and start filing lawsuits. Against the Zionists, against the U.S.A. for aiding and abetting. Against Caterpillar.
j.c. said,
February 24, 2008 at 20:14
MEDIA CONTROL
When the media is in CONTROL of zIONISTs,
they DISTORT the picture to demonize the Palestinians.
http://www.realnews247.com
Carl M. said,
February 24, 2008 at 22:35
It is critical for the Arab world in general – and the Palestinians in particular – to approach Americans as the Israeli government has done so effectively. Israeli politicians and spokepersons speak “American” to us. What does that mean? They speak fluently, rationally make their case, and are portrayed as pure victims. This is simplified, of course. But why does this work? Because we have always helped “friends” under attack. Our greatest generation liberated the death camps. That determination to “never again” allow that to happen has driven our view of that supreme tragedy to not see the cruelty our “friend” has returned upon another people. Americans “hear” the rhetoric of “kill all the Jews”, “incinerate the Jews/Israelis” as but another example of what the Nazis attempted and succeeded to do, in great part, in World War II. To have anyone in the world, especially a fanatical leader such as in Iran, question the authenticity of such an act only falls more into the hands of those in Israel who want to keep their own criminal behavior hidden behind the shield of perpetual victim. And it works! Do you really think that we could ever believe otherwise with what we do see in the media today? Do beheadings of innocents, masked cowards destroying each others religious icons and using crucifixes as target practice affect the American psyche? You bet. Do we execute women in soccer stadiums while they kneel veiled in front of their executioner? No. Does Israel? No. Do we believe women should not be schooled? No. does Israel? No. Do we see American or Israeli religious and/or political groups killing their own civilians en masse because of internal religious differences and then blame it on the “Infidel?” Do you know how insulting it is to hear anyone other than “a true believer” should be allowed to live? Whether you believe we are guided solely by the media hype or not, you need to understand the basic ideals that still drive the private conscience of many, many Americans. That is religious freedom and tolerance. That tolerance may have been true of Islamic culture in the past and may be the foundation of current Islamic thought. But where is that message to America? Israel knows our self-image and our history and molds it message to that. The Arab world does not and “proves” its hostility to our way of life while Israel portrays itself as a model of our beliefs in the middle of a hostile, hate filled environment that replicates the Nazi atmosphere of World War II. Is it a real portrayal? Do the Arab Christian and Muslims appeal to the hearts of American Christians (you can’t call them Republicans or Democrats – if you do, you’re missing the mark with us altogether) as the Israeli’s do? Is the Israeli government racist? Yes it is. Are all Jews to be killed for Israeli politics? Absolutely no, no, no. But that is the message the media saavy Arab interests out there portray and demonstrate on our TV! Were our soldiers corpses defiled and abused on TV by Israelis? No, but they were in Iran, in Iraq and in Somailia…by those who proclaim Islam as the religion of peace. If you put just some of those above issues in context, where do you really think that Americans’ sympathy will fall and whose ideals seem more in line with ours? Its not rocket science. Appeal to basic humanity. Show that Arab “religion” is not violence and hate – believe me, it is hard to see Arab response in light of either Christian or Muslim thought. The Arab world, both Christian and Muslim, has lost the moral authority of their ( and our) respective religions. Whether Jews hate Christians or not is not the problem. They portray to us that they do not while any number of “Arab/Muslim” groups sure go out of their way to tell us that our faith (Christian) is heretical, we should convert or die, and that given a chance they will kill as many Americans and or Christians as possible. Pretty powerful message on both sides. Arabs have the money, the moral imperative (if they reclaim it by disavowing what the world deems abhorrent behaviour in the radical elements of Islam) and the ability to do so. But learn America. Don’t blame us, or this cycle will continue with more bloodshed that no one wants. We will stand up for the injustices that are being perpetrated in Muslim/Arab lands, but give us the tools and the thoughts and the impetus to do so. Right now you are losing that battle and you shouldn’t be. We will listen, but not to threats of more killing, subjugation to anothers religion or blind hate filled rhetoric. May all in the Holy Land learn tolerance, find our true God in their respective religions, and love one another. That is what I, as a Christian, am called to do.
Peter said,
February 25, 2008 at 11:05
I completely agree with all of the above messages. The arab world must work together and talk to the western world in a western manner. I am sure there will always be influential groups that will distort the message and quassam rockets might be sent from Israeli military bases “by mistake”, something that has happened before, but regardless of the distortion, the message from the arab leaders as well as from the people in the streets must be clear.
How come, with all the money concentrated in the arab world and invested in western companies, so little money seem to be invested in media strategy and getting the arab world view out to the western public. It is late, but not too late, to start doing that now.
banketh said,
February 25, 2008 at 16:07
Media campaigns? Updated websites? what kind of joke is that? Why enter another arena and try to fight a battle that is completely controlled by the opposition? When peaceful revolution is impossible, violent revolution is inevitable.