This posting, today, on the blog Popular Resistance of Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh - who teaches and does research at Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities in occupied Palestine - provides an insight, in detail, of facts on the ground in Palestine and Israel.
"Today, Jewish settlers came to Beit Sahour to look over the area they want to build the new settlement on. Last night, settlers tried to burn a Palestinian family home in Tequa. This week, Israeli ministers give speeches that says they support new settlements and expanding existing colonial settlements. The Jewish state's finance minister even admitted doubling the financial support for these settlements built on stolen native Palestinian lands. The last few days there was an escalation of the Israeli bombing raids in Gaza. US-made airplanes, paid for by US taxpayers, and painted with the star of David, were used to kill several Palestinian civilians and at least two Palestinian militants (extrajudicial assassinations). Israeli occupation forces are threatening more strikes and more colonialism. Many Palestinians were relieved to see Obama win the US presidency and some 80% of Arab Americans voted for him. But Obama said nothing about these atrocities since his election.
The US position is what it is and will change only when more Americans are made aware of the Zionist damage to US public and economic interests. The Israeli position is also predictable until more Israelis can transcend their brainwashing. What is less understandable and more disturbing is that we still hear the same rhetoric from the two "Palestinian authorities" which have no authorities and whose terms in office expired nearly three years ago: Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank. Some "leaders" of these factions reserve their most bitter verbal and even physical attacks against the other faction or anyone who might question the status quo. Hamas "security" beat women in Gaza protesting for unity and Fatah "security" regularly arrest and imprison Hamas activists in the West Bank or even normal ordinary citizens who they suspect are not agreeing to their policies. This included one of my own students who missed important lectures as he was being questioned by fellow Palestinians.
Absent a reasonably responsible leadership that puts the Palestinian cause ahead of factional and financial interests, this leaves most Palestinians desperate and frustrated. Decent people are in all Palestinian factions but they are afraid to speak out within their own faction."
"Today, Jewish settlers came to Beit Sahour to look over the area they want to build the new settlement on. Last night, settlers tried to burn a Palestinian family home in Tequa. This week, Israeli ministers give speeches that says they support new settlements and expanding existing colonial settlements. The Jewish state's finance minister even admitted doubling the financial support for these settlements built on stolen native Palestinian lands. The last few days there was an escalation of the Israeli bombing raids in Gaza. US-made airplanes, paid for by US taxpayers, and painted with the star of David, were used to kill several Palestinian civilians and at least two Palestinian militants (extrajudicial assassinations). Israeli occupation forces are threatening more strikes and more colonialism. Many Palestinians were relieved to see Obama win the US presidency and some 80% of Arab Americans voted for him. But Obama said nothing about these atrocities since his election.
The US position is what it is and will change only when more Americans are made aware of the Zionist damage to US public and economic interests. The Israeli position is also predictable until more Israelis can transcend their brainwashing. What is less understandable and more disturbing is that we still hear the same rhetoric from the two "Palestinian authorities" which have no authorities and whose terms in office expired nearly three years ago: Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank. Some "leaders" of these factions reserve their most bitter verbal and even physical attacks against the other faction or anyone who might question the status quo. Hamas "security" beat women in Gaza protesting for unity and Fatah "security" regularly arrest and imprison Hamas activists in the West Bank or even normal ordinary citizens who they suspect are not agreeing to their policies. This included one of my own students who missed important lectures as he was being questioned by fellow Palestinians.
Absent a reasonably responsible leadership that puts the Palestinian cause ahead of factional and financial interests, this leaves most Palestinians desperate and frustrated. Decent people are in all Palestinian factions but they are afraid to speak out within their own faction."
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