In Solidarity with Egypt

Earlier tonight a group of Palestinian gathered at Al Manarah sq. in Ramallah, Palestine in solidarity with the Egyptian people who decided to take the street again, and return to Al Tahrir after the military dictators failed to meet the Jan25 revolution demands. 

The protest started in Friday November 18, until writing those lines the number of dead passed 30, and the injured is more than 1000. 

Palestinian holds a sign that read "we want a military code that can protect Egypt and liberate Palestine"

Palestinian holding signs during the protest

Black and White

Every time I sit and talk to new foreigners coming either to study Arabic in Beir Zeit, or to spend the summer volunteering in some NGO or doing some work somewhere, the hell I care, I hear the same old talks. Ohh I love Palestine and Palestinians, I am so coming next year, freedom, Love, Peace... CRAP CRAP CRAP and finally BS.

I usually listen to them talking passionately about the amazing time they spend at this village or that. "ohh i am sooo in love with tea and Meramyeh and na'a na'a" they would also talk about the Wara'a Enab they ate the other day too, and they always finish it with "Ohh, Ahmad living with those people, sharing food with them, made me understand their pain, I feel like I am one of them." (seriously, already? You came like a week ago!). I usually smile, and think "how deep lady gaga’s lyrics are!?" 

Most of those people never stayed in Palestine longer than the usual 3 months, they come in, have a nice trip, and maybe hook up with either a Palestinian, or an Israeli(you never know) Then they get on an airplane and get the fuck out of here. Many we never see again(Thank God), some return;"they come back to liberate Palestine".

Ramallah down town 

About a month ago a friend of mine asked me to meet up in a bar in Ramallah called Bait Annesah, despite my promise to myself not to step a foot there, I went to see this friend, as she was leaving the next day. I finally got in the pup,, after convincing the bouncer that I am part of a group, which was waiting  for me inside.

I walked up to sit with my friend, who was already sitting with a group of Palestinian(i am not sure) Europeans and Americans. The conversation carried on, while I sat there saying nothing, until one of the so called Palestinian said "Existence is Resistance, being here is part of resisting the occupation". I looked to their faces for reaction, I saw nothing but approval. I said bye to my friend directly, as I couldn't stay any longer;I would kill someone if I did.

FYI: existence is resistance when your house, land, or even bar under threat of being attacked by settlers or army, when your existence as individual effect the Israeli policies in your area. Existence is NOT resistance if you are sitting in a bar in Ramallah downtown! 

This is one of the too many statements I heard from many of those same pretentious, arrogant white-people, with a big colonialist and orientalist mentality. And just to help you understand why I said what I said, I am adding a couple of those statements I heard:


"The Palestinian keep fucking it up." American. "they wont give up!"

"I really can't understand why you people love violence that much" European. "coffee?"

"Palestine will be much better, if you got rid those bearded fanatic" European. "who?"

"I can't believe this man, he told me I can't drink in there, so dark age" European. "OK"

"I dressed as Palestine for Halloween this year." American. "not going to ask how!" 

"I don't think Palestinians understand, what non-violence means" American. "TRUE"

This post is not directed against a lot of the great people who got to knowthe Palestinian cause as their own, standing at the front line in Nabi Saleh, Bilin and Nilin, or spend hours documenting and translating to expose the Israeli practice against my people. I have nothing but respect and appreciation for them, this post is against those who think by spending a week or 2 hanging out in Ramallah bars and expensive restaurants, they can claim to understand me, my people and my cause. This one is against everyone who thinks he/she has the right to judge my people, based on their standards.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged" Luke 6:37

Best

A

The UN bid day, what you didn't see on TV

I barely knew Abu Haneen , I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times.I was even detained with him by the Israeli army at Attara checkpoint at one point. After that, I met Abu Haneen a couple of times, either at a protest at Qalandia or in Nabi Saleh. The last time I saw him was at last Friday’s protest in Nabi Saleh. We barely talked then, I remember how I was showing him some of the pictures I took earlier that day, how we shared a couple of laughs before we went our separate ways at the end of the day. 

Yesterday, while the PA was manipulating the Palestinian masses at AlMannara, some activist took matters into their own hands and marched towards the Israeli wall and checkpoint at Qalandia, announcing it loud and clear "We don't want to see you anymore". The Israeli army responded in the only ways it knows: violence. While they were attacking the crowds with gas, Rubber bullets, beating and undercover police; the Palestinian youth responded with the oldest weapons on earth, stones. 

Note the beating of an unarmed man in the first few seconds  

As a result of the clashes some young kids were injured including 13-15 years old Ahed Wahdan who lost his eye, other young men were arrested by the undercover Israeli Police including AbuHaneen.

Ahed carried away by a foreign Journalist 

Although we are aware of the consequences ofgoing into protests and confronting the colonialist army; many will be thrown to jail, and many others will be taking to Hospitals either dead or with serious injuries. Yet, it still hurts every time we hear the news about a fallen or a captured fellow activist

 

The path is long and hard, but we have no choice. Its either this, or living on our knees; we can’t do that,our knees hurt.

Best 

A

The Chair

The Chair.

The Blue Chair.

The UN Chair.

The Palestine's Right Chair.

The Palestine Deserve Chair. 

The State of Palestine Chair. 

The God Forbid Chair. 

The For God Sake Give Me A Break Chair. 

The Over Compensation Chair. 

The *censored* Chair 

The What Ever You Want To Call It Chair.

Must admit, this blue is pretty nice 

Are we done with the chair!? more?

With chair that big, the US wont Veto

Now, lets put the big ass blue chair a side and lets talk real politics.  

How the UN bid is going to serve the Palestinian cause? 

To be fair watching the US and Israel panicking is pretty amusing, yet this wont change much as the US value it relation with Israel more than its relation with the Arab world "which is already fucked anyway", adding to that the US presidential election is around the corner, so, Fuck those Arab "VETO". 

at the same time Israel expect violence to break anytime in the coming days, regardless the PA promises it will be peaceful, the troops in the west bank were increased 20%, new equipment have been bought and of course a lot of statements were made, either calling the PA for negotiation, or claiming the PA is playing solo. "as id Israel is a great team player"

In other hand the coming Palestinian state will mean nothing as long as Israel doesn't recognize it, after all the Israeli still consider the West Bank as disputed territories, which mean the Israeli government and people wont have any moral obligation to give up the occupied west bank. After all, morality tend to fade away when 40% of you economy come from controlling this territories and its native population. 

Fast Note: Security and military industry make good money without mentioning the settlements and it's business. agricultural, industrial and touristic"around dead sea" one!

leaving the most important to the end"Those are what concern me the most", The Right to Return-the core of the Palestinian cause-, and the PLO status as the only representative of the Palestinian people everywhere.
Can someone please explain it to me, how the PLO will represent the Palestinians when the state is declared, people can not have 2 representative, its simply not logical.
The PLO after the establishment of the Palestinian state will no more represent the Palestinian people, the Palestinian state governments will, a government the Palestinian refuges in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and diaspora wont be able to elect.  

Speaking of the refuges, how they expect from Israel to allow the Palestinian refugees back to their original homeland, while the Palestinian state is just next door. Its a first grade logic, Palestinian live in Palestine, Israelis live in Israel! Which mean the Palestinian refuges, if they were ever allowed to return, will be only allowed to return to the Palestinian state, in the West Bank and Gaza, not to their original homeland, Israel will be no more responsible about their cause and their right to return.

The Palestinian want Palestine

Until someone give me a clear answer regarding the PLO and the right to return I will never consider supporting the PA bid in the UN. At the contrary, I will stand with many other Palestinian youth against it(I guess I live in a free nation). After all, Haifa and Jarra aren't mine to give up.

Best
A


* Pictures and Art work are stolen from around the web, I would mention the source if I wasn't lazy to trace them back.

Revolution, you are doing it wrong!

This morning I got an email through a yahoo group called RamallahRamallah, the group is for advertising  available apartments, rooms, local business so they reach local and international customers, and even for political activist, to spread the word about actions, protests and events. 

The Email is in the picture you see below, the text is also included right below it.

It's Thawra time @ Andareen Pub . . .
It's time for a real revolution..Come to Andareen and let us show you how the real revolution works . . . We are partying Thawra style....
REVOLUTION  

Wear a Koffye (7ata) and get 10 NIS discount on cover charge, OR a free shot.DJ Atallah Tarazi will be playing the best and newest revolutionary music.... Don't miss it 

New Thaura cocktails! Kassam... Kheibar... AK47 and more... Couples of groups only  

Cover charge 20 NIN 

See you all there, 

Peace

I am not going to comment, I just want you to set back and think about it!
Think how low we sank.

Best
A

Close Range

An old picture I found while going through my old files. 

The picture is for an Israeli Army officer arguing with a Palestinian resident in the village of Bilin, during the soldiers search for Palestinian stone thrower. 

Peaceful Resistance

The Confrontation with the Israeli army in Naksa day at Qalandia in Sunday, and  after the Israeli took over the streets in no time with their tear gas, concussion grenade, and rubber bullets. the Palestinian protesters were forced back to the same old position, the same one as May 15, Nakba clashes.
Well, I have nothing to say about it, The pictures below will tell more,

But the protest took a different direction, a group of protesters gathered around the soldiers, the Protesters were chanting and holding signs, and every time the soldiers throw tear gas, they would gather again as soon as the gas fade away, at this moment boarder police went down to confront the protesters, pushing "usually with their bodies, never saw a soldier use his hands." the protesters back -who had their hands behind their back-. the police used the means they know the best, they used tear gas at least twice, they stopped after they gassed themselves"somehow the commander who throw the gas canister, just miss calculated the wind, so he teargassed his men, rather than the protesters, I have some respect for this commander, as he returned to his men, although the gas was everywhere, to check on them.!"

After the second gassing, the police called the Skunk water Canon (it is chemical blue/greenish liquid that smell like sewage water. it stick on clothes and skin, not easy to remove). as soon as it's arrived the protesters rushed to confront it, as soon they stood in front of it, the canon opened fire!! "to be more accurate, open water" refreshing them in the very hot sunny day! I got some of this refreshing liquid as well, a week later I still smell it.

The protesters stood against the truck for a while, they were pushed, and pepper sprayed before the police finally push them aside letting the trucks enter, to wash the street of Qalandia refuge camp.

The protester stood doing almost nothing for a while before a military jeep showed up, 2 protesters tried to block it's way, the soldiers at this point responded violently they stormed the 2 protesters, they arrested one, dragged him and forced him inside the jeep. The protester who escaped the arrest said "we shall not let this Jeep leave as long as this guy inside", the protester tried to block the path, but the soldiers were aware this time and forced everyone away.

One of the protesters tried to b lack the way, but not for long, he was chased and brought to the ground for a while, protesters and medics argued the Israeli police to let him go in an ambulance eventually, claiming he was badly injured.


Seeing all this made me think-for the first time- about the power of peaceful resistance in Palestine, the soldiers most of the time stood there a bit confused as for the first time, they are dealing with Palestinian protesters with no stones in their hands, they wanted to use the same old means, I could see the urge in the border police face to shot, yet he couldn't, their was no excuse to use such power, over an obviously unarmed civilian.

The soldier, and border police are used to deal the stones throwers, young men who can be easily listed under combatant, that can cause harms to the soldiers(the list of people who can be considered as a threat on the soldiers life is wide). In other hand Israeli police is more capable to suppress peaceful protest, but they don't operate in the west bank,....... maybe they will sometimes soon.

Yet, you can easily note, how noneffective the peaceful protest was(so the stone throwing), the soldiers could easily arrest them all in minutes, their were only 20 protester.. "maybe less" they were scared, or at least not welling to be arrested. after the water canon stand, there was no more action only 2 people were left to meet their fate, with the Jeep stand.
Those activist failed to understand, peaceful resistance is just like the armed one, need planing, need attacks plans as much as it need defiance mechanism, it's not enough to walk down the street with your hand behind your back, this can be stopped in a tear canister.
The people who adopt the peaceful resistance must maintain the same qualities an armed fighter poses, they must be willing to be arrested, beaten, and even shot dead to achieve their purposes. those qualities I didn't see among most of the activist who stood there.

In the end as someone believe in armed resistance, I think those peaceful resistance advocate have something to offer, we must give them the chance.. in the end, it can't get worse.

Final note, you can't throw stone and do/claim peaceful protest at the same time... those 2 don't work very well together.

Best
A

PS: The Palestinian as people still maintain their right to use any mean necessary to achieve their purposes of Independent state on their righteous land, and the return of the refugees.