For a month and a half of quite for Israelis, We the Palestinians didn't witness a single day without death, at least one, but an average of two or three people daily. Along with this, there was the tight closure imposed on all towns and villages, no one allowed out or in (except if he is willing to risk the road through the mountains), and also, the tight curfews in the large towns. This is really getting at us, economically very few institutions are capable of working, and those who work face the danger of getting killed like what happened this morning to a 10 year old kid for "breaching the curfew". People don't only lack food and necessities, but don't have the money to get those because they don't go to work. and this has been going on for three months, so the small savings that an average third world country worker would be able to save, are now all used up. Now when the bombing took place everybody rushed to condemn the horrible, barbaric act of
violence, and as usual blaming it on the Palestinian government (whose police force is also under curfew, and whose institutions have been destoyed by the shelling- so they are incapable of stoping a theif, let alone a suicide bomber).
Of course the media jumps to the site, pictures the injured and show these horrible pictures, and rushes to the israelis to take comments. at this moment, everyone forgets about the seige, cufews, the daily murder in Palestine and focuses on Tel Aviv. The life of these 5 people, and i am not saying it is not sad, is of course of more valueable to these journalists, and hence to rest of the world, than the ongoing inhumane treatment of Palestinians over the past 3 months in particular, 2 years of intifada, and 54 years of Israeli control and occupation. To look at the direct course of events,is to say: yes, Palestinians did it. But what if the past month have been used for lifting the curfews, and closure? what if the occupation has been brought to an end? The man or woman who gave up his life did so not because he is senseless or irrational. but because this is not a life that he is living, he is forced to stay home, do nothing. No job. No future. Rage over the tanks rolling down the street or over his new car. This is frustration, and it leads only to one direction.
People fail to make to connection. I didn't want the 5 people to die today, but also I don't want 3 million to live under curfew, and to live by the daily threat that someone dear might not be with them tomorrow. I don't want the two year old Intifada to continue, but I don't want the 35 year old occupation to remain there safeguarded by America and most of the west. I want to live a normal, decent life... and I am sure if anyone didn't have the chance to lead such a life, he would try to get back at those who, to him, symbolise the obstacle.
At this very minute the Israelis are pushing more and more tanks into my city, surrounding the presidential compound, and terrorising people, in the media this is called retaliation, to me, and to anyone who has sense this is nothing but a mere act of TERRORISM. You don't push hundreds of tanks supported by F16's and helicopters into residential areas, and refugee camps to retaliate a bombing.
This is what I feel, I don't know what your reaction would be. I had the chance to talk to many jews and many would seem to ignore the "other facts" yes people die on the Israeli side, and I am sorry to see blood shed, but we are also human, people die on our side too, and for the past half a century we have not been able to decide on how to live our own life.
« return.