By Mahmoud S. Audi, Ph.D.
For a year in the early 1970s, I was the president of the Arab Students Association at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. The University had Arab students from a number of Arab countries including Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Tunisia.
By attending the Friends of Sabeel—North America, conference “In Search of a Homeland: The Quest for Place and Peace in the Middle East” at Villanova University, on April 25 and 26, 2008, memories of a politically proactive year came to my mind.
The relationship between the recent conference and the year of a distant past and the now 84 year-old Uri Avneri, the Israeli peace activist, whom I had met in that year, when he and I were about 36 years younger are the subject matters of this post. The more general notes would refer to the intersection of my life routes, that far in the past year of activism, and the recent Christian conference at Villanova University.
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Governor Rockefeller of New York appointed in 1968 to the Senate Charles Goodell, to finish the term of the assassinated Senator Robert Kennedy. In the early 1970s that term was coming to an end. The senator was campaigning for a full term of his own, in the Senate. He came to Syracuse University. The Chapel was full. Four of us, from the Arab Students Association, were there. We sat where the available seats were, in the back, but we listened.
He began his partisan speech and continued until he came to the point to appease some in the audience. He said, in effect, that the government spends our tax money left and right, but it does not help Israel to defend itself against Naser (the President of Egypt and the President of the short lived United Arab Republic) who threatens to through the Jews to the sea.
During the question and answer period, I raised my hand to ask a question. When he picked me I said (in effect) you claim that Naser said he would throw the Jews to the sea, can you give me the exact quote, the date, and the place, when and where did Naser say that he would throw the Jews to the sea? He asked me to give him my name and address and he would send that information to me. I told him that he would not be able to do that, because it is a lie. On his way out of the Chapel others, from the Arab community, and I talked to him about the same subject. I remember this episode of my life every time I look at a picture where I appear with him. The Senator was not elected, and I vehemently deny any responsibility! Early in my life I learned that in America, the cradle of modern democracy one could express his political views without fear of retributions.
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Also during this year, I received a telephone call from Khalidi, a physician at the Syracuse University Hospital, who was an active member of the Arab community. He suggested that we invite an Israeli peace activist who was on a lecture tour in the United States. The doctor said that the community would contribute toward the expenses. I told him that I would call him back in the evening and talk with him about the matter.
Later I understood that Noam Chomsky, a moderate Zionist, and a renowned linguist, and an anti-Vietnam War activist was the main sponsor of the speaker. Years later I learned that the speaker I had invited was the leader of the Israeli Communist Party. He was Uri Avneri.
When I finished talking with the doctor I went to Ms Torrelli, the International Student advisor. I told her that we, the Arab Students Association, wanted to invite an Israeli speaker to campus (I intentionally used the nationality of the speaker) and we need your help. She was excited as I expected and within less than a minute she said that she could contribute $200. I told her that I would talk with her about the details later in the week.
I called each of the members of the Arab Student Association executive committee and discussed with each of them the details of the activity. In the evening I called the doctor and told him how much we could contribute, and we wanted the community to help with the balance. He agreed and we talked about the rest of the details.
On the day of the lecture I went to the Airport, picked him up and brought him to a packed lecture hall in the Maxwell School of Government. I introduced him to the audience, and he followed by given an outstanding lecture. At the end he had numerous questions, which he wrote on a yellow pad, before he answered them. The audience was also balanced. Many Arabs, more Jews, and a majority of Christians attended the event. We congratulated ourselves, and I took Uri Avneri to the Airport. Ms Torrelli did not get what she was expecting, and here is the last act of the story:
Few weeks passed, the Israeli Students Association invited a Canadian Zionist to give a talk. Ms Torrelli covered the expenses. The location of the lecture was on my turf— in the main auditorium, of the Edwin Link Engineering Building—my office was in the basement. Six members of the Arab Student Association (including I) were there. They made about half the audience. The essence of his presentation went as follows: Palestine was a land of swamps with no population, and the Zionists came and reclaimed the land and settled in it.
When the speaker finished I asked him if he were an Israeli. He said he was Canadian. I asked him about how many times had he been to Israel. He said few times. I asked him if he saw any swamps that had been reclaimed. He said no. I asked him if he would allow me to tell him what did the Zionists do in Palestine. He said okay. I went to the blackboard and wrote the name of the village of my birth, and how did the Zionists change it. There activity was a failure.
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During the same period, the late Israeli Yitzhak Rabin, a former Prime Minister of Israel, and a former Ambassador of Israel to the United States, planned to visit Syracuse University to address the community about the needs of Israel, among other stuff. We got the news, and sat out to prepare posters to protest his visit. Salwa was very active in this and other efforts of our Association. One of the posters, I still remember, one of the posters read ‘Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,’ Salwa was a none; she knew her Bible. The visit was cancelled. There was a rumor that the Security Department of the University was afraid, violence might break out. The posters were trashed. Few weeks after the cancellation, unannounced, Rabin appeared at the Chapel. I called members of the executive committee, and told them about what happened; four of us were able to attend the speech. The Chapel was full.
He said many things, but one thing remains in my memory, that tells me a lot about the mentality of the Zionists, and their dreams. This is approximately what he said. Israel is a small poor country that needs your continuous help to defend itself. When he left Egypt, good old Moses, instead of turning right to the oil rich land, he turned left to Palestine a poor land. He did not elaborate. But what he meant was clear, and the audience laughed.
Fundraising from individuals, organizations, and governments, for Israel is a daily activity in the United States, and Western Europe. They say they need to pay to maintain the torch of freedom and democracy in the Middle East glowing. But the reality is different. Palestinians have been displaced, their homes demolished, their lands raped, their villages and towns encircled by high walls, they are being imprisoned and starved. All of that and more have been done in the name of democracy! There are many books that have recently been written about Israel and Palestine. The former president, Jimmy Carter’s book is one example.
Fundraising for the Palestinians is illegal in the United States.
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There are Israelis who believe that the Israel policy toward the Palestinians is bad for the Palestinians and bad for Israel because and it tarnishes the image of Israel abroad. Some of them are peace activists.
Jeff Halper was one of the speakers at the conference. He is the Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against [Palestinians] House Demolitions. As the conference pamphlet notes, he was a nominee for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. The topic of his presentation was ‘Reframing of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A View from the Ground.’
He is an Israeli-American activist, a professor of anthology, an author and an internationally known speaker. He had taught at universities in the United States, Israel, and other countries. He has published two books and numerous articles. I met him at the conference and told him about myself, and my village in Palestine. I bought his book ‘An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel. I promised him, I will read it once I finish reading the latest book by Bill Moyer:
The thrust of his lecture was about the framing of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There is the human rights framing, the historical framing, the Israeli Zionist security framing. The contents of the lecture was creative, and it cast some interesting light on the different aspects of the problem and the tools needed to reframe the issue and make other understand.
He also talked about the different solutions of the problem: the two states solution, the Israel plus and Palestine minus solution, the one democratic state solution, and the confederation solution.
When he talked about peace activism in Israel he put the pictures of four Israelis on the screen. One of those was Uri Avneri. That was the connection between the time in the early 1970s and the Sabeel conference about 36 years later. The speaker told me that Avneri was still alive and still active at 84 years old.
Another Israeli-American speaker at the conference was Marc Ellis who is the director of the center for Jewish Studies at Baylor University, Waco, Texas. His presentation focused on the after math of the Israeli creation in 1948. He argues against the current political policies, which are based on the Jewish vulnerability, and calls for Jews to seek justice for all. Justice for the Isalelis and justice for the Palestinians. Justic now! Justice now!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
As an American I am ashamed of my president
By Mahmoud S. Audi, Ph.D.
At the 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel, the President said in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) what no president of any country should have said. I am a proud American, but like many Americans, I am ashamed of this President. What he had said did not rise to the level of greatness of the American people, and did not rise to the level of dignity the President of this great nation should demonstrate.
He is so adamant in trying to dictate to history his shallow and unrealistic view of the World that no one can stop him from continuously trying. Even his attempt at fortune telling would not help—he claimed to see, by looking into the future, an image of the Middle East that reflects his childish understanding of history. He does not know that even false prophets will not accept him among their ranks!
I was expecting my president to stand in the Israeli Knesset and say I am here to congratulate you and to congratulate the Israelis and the Zionists for your defeat, around sixty years ago, of the unarmed and unorganized Palestinians. The tanks, the airplanes, and the training provided by the British and others helped. But, now it is time to reconcile and to live in peace with your neighbors. One state, two states, it does not matter, peace matters. Now is the time for serious negotiations (you have already exhausted all delaying tactics) with the Palestinians. The support of future American Presidents, Congresses, and other governments, may not come readily.
His infamous speech insults Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and peace loving peoples of the World, including many great Americans, and some Jews. The speech ignored their feelings either because of the speaker’s ignorance, his lack of tact (diplomacy), or because he decided to ignore them, and treat them like dirt. In any case, he created more enemies, when he should have worked to make friends among all the people including them.
At the 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel, the President said in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) what no president of any country should have said. I am a proud American, but like many Americans, I am ashamed of this President. What he had said did not rise to the level of greatness of the American people, and did not rise to the level of dignity the President of this great nation should demonstrate.
He is so adamant in trying to dictate to history his shallow and unrealistic view of the World that no one can stop him from continuously trying. Even his attempt at fortune telling would not help—he claimed to see, by looking into the future, an image of the Middle East that reflects his childish understanding of history. He does not know that even false prophets will not accept him among their ranks!
I was expecting my president to stand in the Israeli Knesset and say I am here to congratulate you and to congratulate the Israelis and the Zionists for your defeat, around sixty years ago, of the unarmed and unorganized Palestinians. The tanks, the airplanes, and the training provided by the British and others helped. But, now it is time to reconcile and to live in peace with your neighbors. One state, two states, it does not matter, peace matters. Now is the time for serious negotiations (you have already exhausted all delaying tactics) with the Palestinians. The support of future American Presidents, Congresses, and other governments, may not come readily.
His infamous speech insults Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and peace loving peoples of the World, including many great Americans, and some Jews. The speech ignored their feelings either because of the speaker’s ignorance, his lack of tact (diplomacy), or because he decided to ignore them, and treat them like dirt. In any case, he created more enemies, when he should have worked to make friends among all the people including them.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Obama’s promise of “Change” failed the test
By Mahmoud S. Audi
The core theme of Sen. Obama’s campaign for the nomination to run for President of the United States is “Change.” He has been repeating, nearly daily, that without changing the way the government in Washington runs, and changing the politicians who have been in Washington for a long time (in his estimate, more than six years), nothing will change. And he is the only presidential candidate, he claims, who should be trusted with the mission to affect the desired change: change the way the government is run, change the way we treat other countries and other peoples of the world, and the way we get into wars. He seems to believe that he has a monopoly on “Change,” and probably wishes he could protect the word by copyrights registration.
Observing Obama and reading his memoir, I came to believe that he is another politician with less than six years experience in the United States Senate. A true proponent of change would be inclusive in treating the different peoples of the world, and would not change the fairness principle as a result of the influence of lobbies.
A number of tests could be run to assess the seriousness and the credibility of Obama in the area of changing our foreign policy. I chose one test that is of most interest to me, and to many people of Earth; unfortunately, not to many of us in the United States. The lobbies stifle the undesired truths, and they do not allow us to face the daily trials and tribulations of suffering people. That problem is the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
In these days, the Jewish community and other Americans, are celebrating the 60th birthday of Israel, and claim that its creation “… is one of the biggest success stories of modern times.”
At the same time the victims of the creation of Israel, the Palestinians, are mourning the Naqbah (the catastrophe) that befell on them when Israel was created. For sixty years the Palestinians have been suffering from the absence of justice in the Holy Land.
I know that it is in the tradition of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (along with other religion) to help the poor and protect the weak. But our government in its lack of wisdom, and because of the influence of the Israeli Lobby in Washington, chose to stand with the militarily mighty and tread on the back of the weak. The war on the Palestinians has been going on for more than a century; the war on Iraq is still young. So, logically, Obama, the self proclaimed prophet of change, should, in addition to ending the war on Iraq, should also work on bringing a just resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli problem. Is there a sign that he might do that if he becomes President? No, but there are signs that he would be worse than Bush.
On Wednesday, April 16, just before the 08 Pennsylvania Primary, Obama met with the Philadelphia area Jewish leaders. I read an account of the meeting in the Philadelphia Inquirer. In that meeting he said everything the leaders wanted to hear: a typical politician—NOT AN AGENT OF CHANGE.
He said that his links with the Jewish community predate) his entry into politics (he was perhaps referring to the Jewish activist who gave him his first community organizer job), and would extend beyond his campaign. At the United Nations he would continue to veto any resolution, which Israel would not like, and he is for the security of Israel, but against the right of return of the Palestinians to their homes. He also said that he disagrees with former President Jimmy Carter who is pushing hard for a solution of the problem. I wish he said something positive to the peace loving peoples of the world and to the Palestinians who are longing for peace in Israel and Palestine.
He failed the test. He is just another politician, with little experience, and who puts a lot of work to compose his speeches.
The core theme of Sen. Obama’s campaign for the nomination to run for President of the United States is “Change.” He has been repeating, nearly daily, that without changing the way the government in Washington runs, and changing the politicians who have been in Washington for a long time (in his estimate, more than six years), nothing will change. And he is the only presidential candidate, he claims, who should be trusted with the mission to affect the desired change: change the way the government is run, change the way we treat other countries and other peoples of the world, and the way we get into wars. He seems to believe that he has a monopoly on “Change,” and probably wishes he could protect the word by copyrights registration.
Observing Obama and reading his memoir, I came to believe that he is another politician with less than six years experience in the United States Senate. A true proponent of change would be inclusive in treating the different peoples of the world, and would not change the fairness principle as a result of the influence of lobbies.
A number of tests could be run to assess the seriousness and the credibility of Obama in the area of changing our foreign policy. I chose one test that is of most interest to me, and to many people of Earth; unfortunately, not to many of us in the United States. The lobbies stifle the undesired truths, and they do not allow us to face the daily trials and tribulations of suffering people. That problem is the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
In these days, the Jewish community and other Americans, are celebrating the 60th birthday of Israel, and claim that its creation “… is one of the biggest success stories of modern times.”
At the same time the victims of the creation of Israel, the Palestinians, are mourning the Naqbah (the catastrophe) that befell on them when Israel was created. For sixty years the Palestinians have been suffering from the absence of justice in the Holy Land.
I know that it is in the tradition of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (along with other religion) to help the poor and protect the weak. But our government in its lack of wisdom, and because of the influence of the Israeli Lobby in Washington, chose to stand with the militarily mighty and tread on the back of the weak. The war on the Palestinians has been going on for more than a century; the war on Iraq is still young. So, logically, Obama, the self proclaimed prophet of change, should, in addition to ending the war on Iraq, should also work on bringing a just resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli problem. Is there a sign that he might do that if he becomes President? No, but there are signs that he would be worse than Bush.
On Wednesday, April 16, just before the 08 Pennsylvania Primary, Obama met with the Philadelphia area Jewish leaders. I read an account of the meeting in the Philadelphia Inquirer. In that meeting he said everything the leaders wanted to hear: a typical politician—NOT AN AGENT OF CHANGE.
He said that his links with the Jewish community predate) his entry into politics (he was perhaps referring to the Jewish activist who gave him his first community organizer job), and would extend beyond his campaign. At the United Nations he would continue to veto any resolution, which Israel would not like, and he is for the security of Israel, but against the right of return of the Palestinians to their homes. He also said that he disagrees with former President Jimmy Carter who is pushing hard for a solution of the problem. I wish he said something positive to the peace loving peoples of the world and to the Palestinians who are longing for peace in Israel and Palestine.
He failed the test. He is just another politician, with little experience, and who puts a lot of work to compose his speeches.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
In search of a homeland--the keynote speaker and I
A conference (some speakers called it retreat) of two days, April 25 and 26 was held at Villanova University. I had attended most of the two days. In this article, I am trying to introduce you to the keynote speaker, and what I have in common with him.
The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek was the keynote speaker of the two-day conference. The title of the speech was “The quest and the crisis: What Americans can do?” It is about the quest for peace in Palestine and Israel, and the current crisis due to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the oppression of the Palestinian. It is about the Naqbah (catastrophe) which befell on the Palestinians (Christians and Muslims) in 1948, sixty years ago, come May 15. It is about the biblical and other claims of the Zionists about Palestine, and the claims of the Palestinians that can be support by biblical text. And it is about enlightening of the American Christians about the plight of the Palestinian Christians and their Muslim brothers and sisters. It was a brilliant and a well-argued address that added considerable to my knowledge. I will try to get a copy of it once I join Sabeel.
The Rev was born in Beisan, an inland village of Galilee, Palestine. I was born in Az-Zeeb, a costal village of Galilee, Palestine. He and I are probably of the same age. We were both small children, of the same age, in 1948, when the Naqbah took place. For fear of massacres that took place, my family fled Palestine to Lebanon and we became, and remain, refugees. Naim and his family wanted to stay in Beisan, but the Zionists moved them to Nazareth, further to the east. He spent his childhood in this biblical city.
He earned his BA degree at Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX, in 1963. I earned my BE degree at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Master of Divinity degree at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkley, CA, in 1966. After four years of working in Saudi Arabia as an engineer, I immigrated to the United States in 1969, and earned my M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. The Rev returned to Galilee and started his ministry after he was ordained priest in the Episcopal Church. Later he became the Canon of the Episcopal St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem. In the 1980s he returned to the United States to earn a doctorate degree at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He returned to Jerusalem and started a career in theology that included the founding of Sabeel Liberation Theology Center. His activity on behalf of the Palestinian Christians and their Muslim brothers and sisters brought him world recognition and several honorary doctorate degrees and other distinction awards. I earned my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering degree at Syracuse University in 1974. I taught, published, and engineered, until I became a full professor. That was the highest achievement of my career.
I did not have the chance to talk with the Rev, but I hope to meet him in Beisan or Az-Zeeb, and in the love of God, every thing is possible.
The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek was the keynote speaker of the two-day conference. The title of the speech was “The quest and the crisis: What Americans can do?” It is about the quest for peace in Palestine and Israel, and the current crisis due to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the oppression of the Palestinian. It is about the Naqbah (catastrophe) which befell on the Palestinians (Christians and Muslims) in 1948, sixty years ago, come May 15. It is about the biblical and other claims of the Zionists about Palestine, and the claims of the Palestinians that can be support by biblical text. And it is about enlightening of the American Christians about the plight of the Palestinian Christians and their Muslim brothers and sisters. It was a brilliant and a well-argued address that added considerable to my knowledge. I will try to get a copy of it once I join Sabeel.
The Rev was born in Beisan, an inland village of Galilee, Palestine. I was born in Az-Zeeb, a costal village of Galilee, Palestine. He and I are probably of the same age. We were both small children, of the same age, in 1948, when the Naqbah took place. For fear of massacres that took place, my family fled Palestine to Lebanon and we became, and remain, refugees. Naim and his family wanted to stay in Beisan, but the Zionists moved them to Nazareth, further to the east. He spent his childhood in this biblical city.
He earned his BA degree at Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX, in 1963. I earned my BE degree at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, in 1965. He earned his Master of Divinity degree at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkley, CA, in 1966. After four years of working in Saudi Arabia as an engineer, I immigrated to the United States in 1969, and earned my M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. The Rev returned to Galilee and started his ministry after he was ordained priest in the Episcopal Church. Later he became the Canon of the Episcopal St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem. In the 1980s he returned to the United States to earn a doctorate degree at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He returned to Jerusalem and started a career in theology that included the founding of Sabeel Liberation Theology Center. His activity on behalf of the Palestinian Christians and their Muslim brothers and sisters brought him world recognition and several honorary doctorate degrees and other distinction awards. I earned my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering degree at Syracuse University in 1974. I taught, published, and engineered, until I became a full professor. That was the highest achievement of my career.
I did not have the chance to talk with the Rev, but I hope to meet him in Beisan or Az-Zeeb, and in the love of God, every thing is possible.
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