Author's note: Who am I to worry about Israelis and Palestinians? What inspires me to be involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict? The following is the story of my struggle to see a cohesive world, the story will take you through different emotions but at the end, I hope you feel a sense of completeness of the story. Due to its length it is a three-part article, and this is part 3 of 3.
I am proud of President Jimmy Carter who brought Sadat and Begin together and had them sign the peace accord. He is a genuine hero to both the people, as he stopped the blood feud and had them look to each other as collaborators of peace. That is one less conflict between Egypt and Israel. When I put the review of his book on my website, one of my Jewish friends, who had collaborated with me on several issues boycotted me. He would not return my calls or emails. One day, I ran into him in a Synagogue, and begged him to explain to me why. He said, I was a no-good bum because I have Jimmy Carter on my website.
There are innumerable men and women out there who are working day in and day out to bring the people together, who have lived through the most difficult of times. Thanks to President Bill Clinton, another peace maker who climbed several more steps up the ladder of peace by bringing Arafat and Rabin together.
A few hounders had unleashed pit bulls at me on Facebook. They called me up and barraged me with floods of emails. It was a harassment, they were calling me names and telling idiotic things, and tempting me to shout "you people," so they can nail me as anti-Semitic. They failed miserably, I am not filled with hatred towards any. Thank God for the freedom from hate. By the way, I had jumped on a councilman in Dallas for using the very same phrase against Jews. A few on the right always do things to hurt Israel in the pretense of defending it. They do not want to derail any good any one attempts to do.
The exact same acts were repeated by the right among Palestinians and a few Muslims. A few have made serious attempts to malign me as anti-Palestinian or a Zionist agent, and campaigned against me at every opportunity they got. Despite my appeal to them, that as Muslims they simply cannot believe in hearsay without verification, both the Qur'an and the Prophet have emphasized to live a regret free life by not jumping to conclusions and holding malice towards others.
I guess facts don't matter to the right, no matter what group they belong to; Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Christians or others. By the way that "right" is not a group, it is a virus that infects all of us from time to time. It did to President Bush, facts did not matter to him.
My energy comes from the laughter they breed. Last year I wrote an article on the topic and immediately the right among Jews and Palestinians pounced on me. It was hilarious, that for the very same article, the Jews (right virused ones) called me an Islamist, while the Muslims (right virused ones) called me a Zionist -- it's the same freaking article! I cannot stop laughing on this. I am sure about 1 percent of you are judging me as well if you have made this far out. I am for building a cohesive society where no human has to live in fear, discomfort or apprehension of the other human. I have nothing to gain but feel worthy of living on the planet.
The real threat to the peace process between Israel and Palestine stems from their inability to look at their own policies critically. And those of us living in America have really messed up security for Israel and hope for Palestinians. We need to take responsibility for our thoughtless stand on issues.President Obama blew an opportunity of millennium for Jews to be who they want to be; a just people, and the Palestinians by denying them justice through veto at the United Nations.
Israelis and Palestinians don't need the duplicity from the Hagees, Gingrichs, Santorums, Perrys, Boltons, Ahmedinejads or Abudullahs and their shallow words. They need sincerity to deliver security to Israelis and Justice to the Palestinians, one cannot happen without the other.
It is time to quit blaming and start finding solutions. Damn it, the leaders ought to be ashamed of themselves; if they cannot look in the eyes of Palestinian and Israeli Children and commit to give them a better life, they should not be the leaders. The leaders need to learn that, they cannot have peace and security when they keep threatening others around them, period. Both sides are doing exactly opposite of what they really want; security and justice to them respectively.
Until we can see our own faults, peace for both people becomes a forlorn hope. The burden to find solutions falls on all of us, but particularly Jews, Muslims and Christians.
Staying away from each other will not contribute towards peace-making that the communities so deserve. The monster among us was a sad situation of people taking advantage through mis-information. We have to come together without conditions and learn each others concerns and clarify mis-information and together find solutions. If we don't, then who will?
Israel
Jews have a need to be understood and be acknowledged of their eternal security needs, not the military, but mental security where they can put their guards down and live their life in peace.
Palestine
Palestinians have a need to be understood. They have suffered immeasurably, no human should be stripped of his or her hope and dignity; hope to have a family, work and own a house and call a place their homeland.
U.S.A.
Our presidents need to seriously look at what works. They need to have the vision for peace. They must understand that it may be going against the general opinion and must take bold steps and produce peace for the people of Israel and Palestine. It will save lives and brings peace to them and takes a burden off us.
We need to be above reproach and seek justice for one and all. We must protect Israel, our ally; however, if that protection is based on injustice to either Palestinians or the Jews, our integrity becomes questionable and we must deliver justice to the Palestinians people. We do carry the burden of guilt for messing up their lives.
Mighty empires can crush the weak for a short term; in the long run every one goes down the tube. We cannot rob anyone and live with a good conscience.
The fear of being hounded prevents people from speaking the truth, the need to be lauded keeps people from expressing honestly what is on their mind. It is these people that are not good for Israel or Palestine.
Thank God for blessing me with the ability to see the good and bad things in others without judgment.
If I say hateful things about Muslims and Jews, funds will pour in a hurry, what a shame! And that is the precise problem, everyone is after money. Neither the trumpeters for Israel nor drummers for the Palestinians really care about them, they cash in and run.
This blog has a few selected articles including my own writings. The hardliner Palestinians and Israelis lose their sights and of course attack me. I believe God is with me, as I have nothing to gain from anyone but do the right thing. I have toyed with the idea of going there and leading a sensible movement to bring about a positive change.
All I ask of you is simply this; when you hear voice that talk about revenge, retaliation, annihilation or blame, please appeal to them to join you in mitigating conflicts and nurturing goodwill to find comfort for all. This attitude has at least a chance of bringing goodness to them than aggravating the situation and making life difficult. If we cannot do good for an Israeli and a Palestinian child, let's not do any harm either.
I will continue do my work, if it makes sense to a handful of people; I have done my share of Tikkun in the world and I can rest in peace, tying the loose ends of my life, just as my mother did.
part 1 - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/israel-and-palestine-moving-forward_b_1258261.html
part 2 - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/commitment-to-israelpales_b_1263793.html
part 3 - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/commitment-to-israelpalestine_b_1263803.html
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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, and cohesive societies. www.ProfessionalSpeakerMikeGhouse.com and current articles at www.TheGhousediary.com
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