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What do you know about Arab-Israel living inside Israel? In other words, what do you know about Palestinians living in 'Occupied Palestine' which is now called Israel?
I was never asked this straight question, but when thought of it after receiving the quoted email below, I forced myself to think of the answer and arrange my general perception in priority order. What do we really know about our other half?
Here is what I have in mind when I think of Arab-Israel:
1. First comes first; the 'Arab-Israel' label does not mix. I mean, Arab and Israel? Sounds completely off tune. I mean, c'mon, Israel is equal to every negative thing one can think of, and putting that next to 'Arab', sound odd. How can one be Israeli and Arab at the same time? When the entire world condemns Israel for its unmatched history of terrorism and crimes, it is unfortunate that Palestinian Arabs living under the Israeli regime are automatically weighed on the same scale. Although Palestinian Arabs do not serve in the Israeli Terrorist Army, even if they like to!
It's a term that we all submitted to using for describing our brothers, who on the verge of historical occupation of Palestine found themselves FORCED to be called Israelis, i.e. Arab-Israel!
2. Arab-Israel members of Knesset are icons which I always look at with pride and respect. Looking and listening to people like Dr. Azmi Bishara and others who represent Palestinian under occupation inside Israel, is always a moment of pride to me. They speak and act as they are molded, "Arab and Palestinians", not Israeli. Regardless of who is standing and speaking at the Knesset floor to promote the next crime against Arab/Palestinians, they fear not condemning him. They never stopped uncovering the racist system of Israel, bravely, and making it clear that they are speaking for their people, Palestinians and Arabs all around the world.
But politicians are not all what comes to mind. Remember Abeer Qibti? She just reminds us that no matter what Palestinians under occupation go through, they will always remain proud Palestinians.
3. The Islamic movement and people like Sh. Raed Salah. Never escaped to be labeled as terrorists by the Zionists, only because he and his alike people are religious movement. As we all know, any and all Muslims are 'terrorist' according to the Zionist scale, so regardless of what Sh. Raed (as a symbol) does or speak, they are terrorist. Even if all what they are fighting for is protecting holy places such as Al Aqsa. I was happy to hear in the news today that more than 250,000 has made it from all around Palestine, specially Arab Israel (but non from Gaza), made it to Al Aqsa mosque (more about Al Aqsa) for the holiest night prayer tonight, Laylat Al Qader (Al Qader night).
4. Last but not least, the beauty contests and Miss Israel (Arab-Israel girl)! Yeah… most Arab Israel's are living normal life, sort of. At least this is what I think. But hey… what can you make out of news such as this?
Not that I'm against it or happy to see it, but it looks odd when you see Palestinians living nearly normal life when their brothers and sisters are killed by Israeli Terrorist Army. Just next door, Palestinians under occupation are suffering from poverty and systematic cleansing, while some Arab Israel are running and celebrating beauty contest. Can't digest that, sorry!
Well, these are the first and most frequent bulbs that light in my head when I hear the word, "Arab-Israel". I might be wrong in my perceptions, I might lack more details about their living (and I don't have an excuse if I am ignorant, I should learn more about them), but the following email made me wonder: How much do we really know about our other half? The half which has not chosen to be under occupation, but found themselves under an occupation which force them to be called Israelis - or leave. Leave; yeah… that's all what Zionist would be happy they would have chosen.
Anyway, here is the email. It would be great to hear from other, what image do you have about Palestinians in Israel (a.k.a. Arab-Israel)?
Print | | Digg | Stumble | delicious | Tweet | Technorati | Reddit | Yahoo | GoogleFrom: a.shiban@gmail.com
To: haitham.sabbah@gmail.com
Date: Thursday, October 19, 2006, 12:18:49 PM
Subject: Palestinians WithinHello there Sabbah,
I'm a Palestinian living in Israel (occupied Palestine), in Haifa city - I was searching for a popular Palestinian blog, and your is what google suggested
I'm hoping you could post a message on your web site with a simple question (that maybe will turn into a guest-editorial written by me) about the image of Palestinians within Israel/Occupied Palestine.
Unfortunately, we're subjected to a number of hardly noticeable systems that work, slowly, on disconnecting us from the Palestinian nation that we're part of - hopefully by connecting, online, with the Palestinian and Arab world, we can hinder the states' continued dissimulation of the Palestinians in Israel.
Hope to hear from you soon, Also,perhaps you could link to www.HaifaAlFatah.org - it's a project we're undertaking, maybe it'll give readers (and yourself) more insight on the matter…
Cheers!
{ 14 } Comments
Not that I’m against it or happy to see it, but it looks odd when you see Palestinians living nearly normal life when their brothers and sisters are killed by Israeli Terrorist Army.
It is weird. You would think that, given the goal of the Zionist state to murder all the Palestinians, that they would get rid of the easy ones first… the ones inside of Israel.
Of course, I would also expect that Israel would have an easier time bombing those big parades, but seem to always miss with their missiles and hit cars instead. They really are losing a chance to slaughter hundreds of Arabs every time they let a parade/mob pass by without a little machine-gunning or bombing.
I always figured that there were two explanations:
(1) Maybe Israel just hits back when attacked
(2) Israel, despite massive military advantages, uses GI.Joe training videos for their soldiers so that they can spray millions of bullets and hit nothing.
#1 is ridiculous, so it must be #2.
David
This was a wonderful post. So much is not known about the situation in Israel/Palestine… blogs like yours do a great job in enlightening the ignorant.
On my blog I try to show life on 'both sides of the wall'… the truth has to be told!
Thanks Sabbah… and Eid Mabarak!
Excellent Haitham !!
there's a general ignorance across the Arab world, they hardly know basics of the Palestinian cause, and they know nothing about Arab 84.
You mean Arab '48, Hamdan
For wondering eyes: 'Arab '48' is yet another name for 'Arab-Israel'. In other words, Palestinian who found theirselves called Israelis after Israel/Arab 1948 and the UN resolution which gave Jews a homeland in the occupied lands of Palestine!
SALAM,
Good effort :),but we (as arab 48) can serve in the Israeli Terrorist Army if we like to !!
the 4th point is very true
we are not suffering as our brothers at Gaza and West Bank suffer,what can we do?.. I don't know:(
It's not enough, but our hearts with them ..
Mona,
We are not suffering the same type of suffering they are - true,
but we are suffering a different kind, perhaps just as diffecult.
I live in Haifa, and I've recently been in Ramallah to meet with Palestinians, so we stay in touch - and what I've seen was a society, with its institutions, its universities, its diversity - its own dialog.
I won't get into details now, but they are very much a nation that we are not - we've been ripped apart by the governments, by our indifference and our cowardness at times.
It's important to not play the role of the loser, even if you think we're suffering less, that does not mean we're doing 'worse' as palestinians, on the contrary, let's utilise our strengths and benefits to create and build something that serves our joint effort, joint purpose.
Cheers!
A. SHIBAN,
msh 3arfe a3beer :(..
ana ma 7ket ele 7keto 3shan a2ol eno e7na mn3ane.. fhemtne 3'la6
ana kman 3ayshe hon blshamal, w b3ref kef 3ayshen e5wana b3'aze w bld'afe.. I have some friends from there..
ana 7ket hek 3shan a3ref esh b2dr a3ml 3shan a5lehen suffer lees
let’s utilise our strengths and benefits to create and build something that serves our joint effort, joint purpose.
that's what I want to hear!!
sorry coz I wrote in eng, it's my 3rd language & and it's very poor :$
thanks dear :)may god bless you all ..eid mubarak;)
To Mona and Shiban
You spoke about suffering, but in palestine 48, suffering is other, more sound, more silencious, but it is a really suffering, when you live in your country and land but you are considered alien. You must resist in all what you do to affirm your really identity. Money is not all things, if Palestinians in 48 territories have more money. And if you look to Palestinians in the Naqab (Neguev)in unrecognized villages, are you sure that their live is really different from Palestinians from some villages of al khalil district ? from refugees camps ??
I am the webmaster of this website
Hanan
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http://shatil.org.il/bornhere/index_arabic.asp
http://shatil.org.il/bornhere/english_download.asp
lol
yes I Meant Arab 48
Many Arab 48 youths are coming to study at my university (Jordan University of Science and Technology : http://www.just.edu.jo )
and their number is increasing !!!
so what I've found is, most of Jordanians don't know anything about them. Not only Jordanians, but also Palestinians who live in Jordan doesn't know anything about them !!
worse yet, many (Not all of them, the Majority i mean) of the Arab48 studnets are misBehaving, and are more like westerns in behavior! ya3ni they don't follow Islam rules, girls can live with guys, and this is so wrong.
There are, of course, many of them are good and role model for the rest of us, but to be honest , the students here are giving bad impression of the Arab 48.
I'll try and touch a couple of points made:
Mona #11: First, don't picture a world where Palestinians are dying off everywhere, in Gazza the situation is alot worse than lets say, ramallah
Second, Try and work internally, on the Palestinians within (and that's VERY possible, whether it is volunteer work, group activities, just visit our web site, http://www.HaifaAlFatah.org to get an idea on what we're trying to do in Haifa - there's an Arabic version that is more updated)
What you could do, to stay in touch with Palestinians in the West bank and Gazza, is to join some effort that brings us together, like the Jam3iyyet El Thakafa al 3arabiyyi (Nazareth)… Let me know if you want more info.
A general note: Try and not call us Arab 48, Palestinians 48 is ok, Palestinians within is ok, emphasize, even for yourself, that we're palestinians, because we are
Arab cities and villages are truly in a horrific situation, with lacking funds, development, programs and schools, things the country/state should be providing adequately - If anyone knows of statistics online, please post links…
As for Abed Hamdan, #14, misbehavior is tied to what you believe in - some people are muslims, some are not, some believe more in faith, and some less - Instead of thinking its misbehavior, why not look at it as a different lifestyle? Not everyone lives life according to Islam, and that's not related to being Arab 48 or not.
What you think is right, others might see as wrong, just like what you think is wrong about arab 48, they might see as right - the solution is to understand our differences, and each live their own life with as little conflicts and possible, plus work together on the joint interest, al mushtarak!
Cheers!
THANKS A LOT !!
Ok, I'm palestinian , I'm so proud of bieng Palestinian :)(no more Arab 48)
Thanks for the link, y36eko el3afye
Yes, I want to know more info about Jam3eyet Al-Thakafa Al3arabeyi
#Abed : Once , an Egyptian guy asked me: how could be an Arab girl live in Israel?!! fa 3ade
#Ahlam: No..
Hey Mona #16, Goto ur web site (http://www.haifaalfatah.org) - leave a message (under Contact us, or Ittasel ma3ana) and leave me your email (I'll pull the message) or MSN/Yahoo, and we'll talk there about that specific matter.
Wow i really like this blog, i can kind of relate to whats going on here i mean i am an Palestinian and i was born and raised in America and only visited palestine for a summer but i absolutely felt like i was home. I mean i love my Country and no amount of occupation or force will ever make me deny being anything other than Filesteeni, when people here in America ask me where i'm from i don't tell them "ow ya im from florida" no i tell them i am from Jerusalem, Palestine. i hope to connect with My brothers and sisters all around the world. we cant forget who we are, we are all one no matter where we are in this world. they can take us out of palestine but they cant take paletine out our hearts, blood, and souls. we can never deny or forget our ancestors, our land, and each other,because then what will we have to offer to our childeren? peace, love and falesteen 3la tool.
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