Finding Truth neccessary for world to heal
Finding Truth neccessary for world to heal
Mazin Qumsiyeh
New Haven Register 11/1/01
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=2571534&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=7581&rfi=6
Recent polls (Newsweek, Zogby) showed a majority of Americans thought that our support of Israel helped bring about the attacks September 11. Bin Laden certainly latched on to this in his latest propaganda letter by saying that the US can have no security unless Palestine gets its security. A similar strategy was adopted by Saddam Hussain to use legitimate grievances from the US's misguided support of Israeli aggression to starvation of Iraqi Children by US led sanctions.
A well-planned new media campaign initiated by Israel and its supporters is estimated to cost 100 million dollars. It apparently aims to paint a picture "Arab" or "Islamic" terrorism, equate Arafat with Bin Laden, and brand legitimate Lebanese and Palestinian forms of resistance to oppression as "terrorism" while preventing any discussion of state sponsored terrorism.
The media campaign was kicked off by columns from known Israeli apologists (Will, Saffire, Buckely, Friedman, Kelly etc.). A whole gamut of Israeli leaders followed before the cameras as "experts" and it helped increase the rising anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiment in the US. Barak, Netenyahu, Sharon, Peres, and many of their disciples were allowed free reign with little questioning by people like Larry King or Dan Rather. Why not ask questions such as:
- If Israel was so great at this "war against terror" and they have such sophisticated and powerful "tools", then why do they still suffer from increased terrorism which seems to only accelerate as Israeli forces use ever more brutal tactics against Palestinian civilians?
- Why did Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin once say that "if I were a Palestinian, I'd be a terrorist too" (the same guy who earlier asked his soldiers to break the bones of Palestinian protesters)?
- What drives someone to commit such horrendous acts? Religion seems such a feeble excuse especially when dealing with the fastest growing religion in the world.
- Is state sponsored terrorism included in the war against terrorism? If so would the US bring to justice people like Ariel Sharon (responsible for massacres at places like Qibya, Sabra, and Shatila), Yithak Shamir (planted bombs in civilian areas), or Henry Kissinger (war crimes in Asia)?
- Is US support of the Apartheid regime in South Africa or other racist or undemocratic regimes a contributor to instability in the world?
Our bloody human history did not start September 11. Are we to forget the decimation of millions of native Americans in the name of progress and Christianity, the genocide of Christian Armenians by the Muslim Turks in the name of unity, the Holocaust, the ethnic cleansing of the native Palestinians in the name of Judaism and "Jewish nationalism," or the Vietnamese killed by United States?
The continuing US led sanctions have so far killed half a million Iraqi children. Our Secretary of State Albright did not dispute this enormous genocide but said instead (on 60 Minutes): "we think it is worth it".
Why is it that no congressional investigation is now planned to explore our role in creating, training and arming Bin Laden or Taliban?
Asking questions about US foreign policy should be done by an enlightened society and can be done by patriotic citizens who condemn terrorism.
Is the US advancing peace and democracy while being the largest exporter of weapons (many come back to be used against us)? Did it serve the US national interest to side with Israel against 140 other countries who condemned Israel's racist policies?
Army generals, politicians, corporate leaders, stock analysts, and media commentators maybe unwilling or unable to provide the relevant questions let alone the answers. That is why all people of the world should get involved, ask more questions, and demand clear and truthful answers. Truth is essential to begin to understand and then begin to heal this injured world.
Mazin Qumsiyeh of Orange is chairman of The Palestine Right to Return Coalition's media committee. Readers may write him in care of the Register, 40 Sargent Drive, New Haven 06511 |