Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Khaled Abu Toameh hits the nail on the head:
In recent years there has been a significant rise in the number of non-Palestinians who describe themselves as "pro-Palestinian" activists. These people can be found mostly on university campuses in North America and Europe.
What is striking is that many of these "pro-Palestinian" activists have never been to the Middle East, let alone the West Bank or the Gaza Strip. In most cases, they are not even Arabs or Muslims.
What makes them "pro-Palestinian"?
In their view, inciting against Israel on a university campus or publishing "anti-Zionist" material on the Internet is sufficient to earn them the title of "pro-Palestinian." But what these folks have not realized is that their actions and words often do little to advance the interests of the Palestinians. In some instances, these actions and words are even counterproductive.
It is hard to see how organizing events such as "Israel Apartheid Week" on a university campus could help the cause of the Palestinians. Isn't there already enough anti-Israel incitement that is being spewed out of Arab and Islamic media outlets?
If anyone is entitled to be called "pro-Palestinian," it is those who are publicly campaigning against financial corruption and abuse of human rights by Fatah and Hamas. Those who are trying to change the system from within belong to the real "pro-Palestinian" camp.
These are the brave people who are standing up to both Fatah and Hamas and calling on them to stop killing each other and start doing something that would improve the living conditions of their constituents...
Amen.
This has been true for decades. People claiming to be "proPalestinian" are actually rewarding radical factions or even helping create them and I fail to see how incitement in the West hasn't resulted in violence in the East.
I can't help but feel that in some cases creating violence and instability is the point.
Sophia,
These people basically want to see blood, and if it's Jewish blood all the better.
One can this in the violent movies where the incitement against the baddy is such that the audience jumps to its feet and cheers etc., with the blood flying on screen.
Also while in Britain in the 70s the invective displayed at some of the protests against South Africa with "humans" literally spraying spittle as they screamed for blood to assuage their hatred.
Rabble rousing is not in its infancy.
The biggest advantage Palestinian have is the fact that they are fighting Israel. Being pro-Palestinian is therefore very easy You really do not need to check any facts.
“Do you know why we Palestinians are famous? Because you are our enemy. The interest in us stems from the interest in the Jewish issue. The interest is in you, not in me. So we have the misfortune of having Israel as an enemy, because it enjoys unlimited support. And we have the good fortune of having Israel as our enemy, because the Jews are the center of attention. You’ve brought us defeat and renown.” (Mahmoud Darwish)