Nikki Haley is a Nuisance!

As an American, I am pissed off at Nikki, the shameless American Ambassador to the United Nations. If other nations hate us, you can see why? She is the reason for my country to be resented around the world. She is also one of the three reasons why the Israeli government is hated and Isolated by the world; the other two are Netanyahu and Trump.

I boldly stand with Israel, Jews, and Judaism. It’s been my stance since I came into public life some 25 years ago, but not at the cost of Justice to the Palestinians. Justice is justice! If we screw one to support the other, our integrity becomes questionable and it is not justice by any means. Ultimately, injustice to one is an injustice to all as Martin Luther King had said, it will envelop even the ones who consider themselves more privileged than the Palestinians. In the end, everyone suffers and lives in apprehensions.
Look at the world record since the United Nations came into being. All the justice-oriented nations, 95% of them, have supported the resolutions for a just settlement for the Palestinians. Who violates them all the times? It is the leadership of Israel, not the Israelis or Jews, but the crooked leadership. Check out the violations.

On the issue of illegal settlements, forceful occupation, daily oppression, ethnic cleansing (not the Israelis, but the leaders) of the Palestinians. It is doing to Palestinians what was done to them during Holocaust.

192 Nations of the world voted one way, and about five nations went against it, and the US invariably vetoes such resolutions. It amounts to slapping in the face of the 192 countries, why would they not resent Israel or even us?

In this embarrassing video, On top of that, she has the balls to tell other nations that she will know who did not support her, screw her, ten countries voted against, and then she Vetoes it in behalf of us, the Americans?

Did we give her that Permission? Even the moderate Jewish Americans don’t like to see resentment built towards Israel, their eternal home. Average humans want peace, extremists like Nikki wants chaos.

Her actions will increase resentment towards Israel and the United States, and the right wingers conveniently label it as Anti-Semitism, which it is not. It is an utter disregard for the 95% of the nations and is not Anti-Semitism.

Who is she pleasing? I am sure the moderate Israelis are laughing out loud at her stupidity.
Several videos have been removed from Facebook, if you have any in regards to this vote, please share

HOLOCAUST AND THE MUSLIM GUY

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/holocaust-and-the-muslim-_b_4629509.html

Video:

Israel Palestine Conflict - a refreshed summary

Please review the following summary and share your differences and support for a possible solution in the comment section. If we want sustainable solutions, we have to include the views of all people affected by the decisions. No matter how powerful we are, we cannot impose our solutions on others. Indeed, we are more responsible for the continuance of the conflict than Israelis and the Palestinians.

We recklessly meddled in handling this conflict, and shame on all the three peoples (American, Palestinian and Israelis) to keep passing the buck to the next generation. Shame on us for giving apprehension, insecurities, and injustice to the new generation. What will they think of us? Gutless, useless people that who kept blaming each other rather than finding solutions?  Maybe they should sue us all for screwing up their lives, maybe it will be a paradigm to hold the politician-criminals for not forging and nurturing harmony. We need a drastic change in our policies. A few links are included at the bottom to ponder.

A summary of the issues;

Israel Palestine conflict is not going on for thousands of years, it is new, and began with the Balfour declaration in 1917. For the Jewish immigrants, mainly the survivors of the Holocaust, it was a battle for survival, and for the Palestinians, it was a battle to live in their own homes against forcible evictions.

The leadership of the western nations had the arrogance to believe that their solutions were the best and imposed it on others. They were rooted in disrespect for the culture of other people. Even though they talked about equal rights, deep down they believed they are more privileged than the others.

The Colonist left a mess while departing from their colonies. They did that with India and Pakistan, and they have done it in the Middle East. We cannot blame them after 70 years; we have to blame the current regimes that are aggravating the conflicts and passing the misery on to the next generation.

I support Israel and a homeland for Jews; who have been deprived of the sense of security throughout their history. The Jewish people, in general, want nothing but safety, but their political leadership is doing everything to keep them from having it. It is wrong for the administration of Israel to do unto Palestinians, what was done to them.

Security to Israelis and justice to the Palestinians are interdependent, and one will not happen without the other.

Jews have a need to be understood and be acknowledged for their eternal security needs, not the military, but mental security where they can put their guards down and live their lives in peace, and without apprehension or fear of the others. 

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. We (Americans and Israelis) have stripped them of their basic human rights.  

As Americans, we need to be above reproach and seek justice for one and all. We need a Martin Luther King kind of individual to free us from the suppressed guilt we would be carrying in our hearts and minds towards both the people.

The policies of the current Israeli leadership will continue to be a source of insecurities for Israelis in the long haul unless Israel is willing to cleanse the land with the Palestinians, which they have attempted repeatedly but subtly. What they did in Gaza is shameful and the greater shame is our (US) silence. 

This week the UN passed the resolutions to void the Jerusalem as Capital of Israel. 128 nations including our allies and only seven countries reluctantly voted against it, since they live off our aid. Over the last 70 years, 95% of the community of nations vote one way, and about 4% of countries vote the other way, and usually, our representative in the United Nations vetoes that vote. It is like slapping in the face of 190 some nations and letting them know that their vote is worthless. It results in resentment towards America, and Israel for getting away with injustice.  That resentment is wrongfully called Anti-Semitism. We must condemn real Anti-Semitism with all our hearts, minds and might, but not the resentment.

Israel is isolated in the community of nations and national put up with it because of her ally United States, she cannot stand on her own until there is regime change.  Israeli can win the world if they obey the international laws, not build the settlement and remove that tear down that damned wall. On the other hand, Palestinians can win in the community of nations if they can stop sending their useless rockets into Israel. They have suffered, some more suffering from non-violence will make it easy for them their freedom and justice. It is sad both sides are raising abnormal humans, who are bloodthirsty and revengeful. 

What can we do?

The most important thing to do is to welcome a bold conversation and listen to each other's point of view without interruptions. If we can gather up the courage to listen to the crap from both sides, and when they exhaust it all, human side of their issues will come to the fore which we can handle.

Peace should not be dictated to the weak, it should be earned by treating them as equals. It is in the interests of Israel to seek long-term security.  We need to quit blaming the Palestinians for their rockets, and understand that they live in open prisons, they cannot go to a hospital, the children harassed, their homes are forcibly taken and bulldozed, their land is taken, and settlements are built in violation of all civility. If the United States gave the Palestinians 3 Billion dollars worth of bombers and tanks a year,  they would not be throwing rocks at the Israeli soldiers or sending useless rockets into Israeli civilian townships. 

What can they do, the world did not do anything for them for 70 years but blame. The only thing they can do is throw rocks at the oppressors or commit suicide as the proud Jewish people did at Masada. As Americans we need to respect human dignity, whether Palestinians “behave” or not, we have the responsibility to do the right thing. Injustice to one will create ripples and affect all of us one way or the other.

Secondly, we need to demand that parties sit down and come out with a solution, we have that right, and we should tie our $3 billion a year donation to Israel to bring peace. If you cannot make peace, you don’t get our support. I hope we value righteousness over politics. The dominant party is always in the position to negotiate peace provided they don’t look down upon the weak. Both the American and Israeli leaders need to shelve the arrogance of superiority over the Palestinians, if we can treat, feel and act as equals, all of us will have peace and security. That is the bottom line.

Finally, we need to hold a conference, and I will be happy to organize one to find solutions. We are competent people, and we can do it. I am a part of Israeli Palestinian Federation and have written extensively on the topic at http://www.IsraelPalestineDialogue.com

I suggest that we ask Netanyahu and Abbas to visit at least a dozen children a week of the other populations, look them in their eyes and promise them, that they can hope for a better future and assure them that they are not their villains.

We need to take a firm stand on one state or two state solutions, if it is one state, we the people who stand for human rights, need to encourage it to be an authentic democracy and not  give more privileges to one group over the other, that is not democracy and will not survive in the long haul anyway. 

Mighty empires can crush the weak for a short term; in the long run, everyone goes down the tube. We cannot rob anyone and live with a good conscience.

Finally, what will we answer our Grandchildren for passing the problem to them? I am sure they will ask if we did not dare to do so.

Religious Scriptures are a part of the problem

Part of the issue of the Israel Palestine conflict is based on misinterpreted sacred scriptures, and the other parts of the equation are security and justice.

All of us have reduced God’s wisdom to be bigoted, discriminative, and partial. Is this our God? Jesus is not going to hurry up and come down on the earth until the Israeli politicians kill all the Jews and Muslims. The Son of God is not in the business of terrorizing people. What kind of promise is that where God rewards massacring of the people? What kind of God is that who rejects others and accepts only one religion? These are serious flaws in our understanding of religions for thousands of years; it is time to correct these errors in our understanding of the Just God.

Is this God happy that we have killed 58 people in Gaza in the latest bout of ethnic cleansing, wounded hundreds, and continue to shoot the unarmed? Is this what Jesus wants to come down on the earth again, on the blood of the Palestinians? 

Take a look at the following misinterpretations of the verses, and let me know if God could have said something like that. May I suggest you to say what is right, rather than pleasing a ‘few’ Pastors, Imams, Rabbis, Pundits or religious men.

A few Jews believe that they are the chosen people. A few Christians believe Jesus’ arrival will wipe out everyone but Christianity. A few Muslims think Islam is the only religion acceptable to God. A few Hindus, Sikhs and others have similar arrogant attitudes that they are the best, scientific or the oldest and wisest. Indeed, none of the religions are wrong; the flaw is in our understanding.

God is not a little guy; God is the creator. Should we reduce his words of wisdom to the narrow, exclusive claims as in above?

Knock off Religion from Israel Palestine Conflict

As we start applying common sense to understand the deeper meaning of these verses, maybe we can knock off the religious aspect from the conflict and focus on the land aspect, which may be more comfortable. No one is more privileged than others, and no one is more than equal.
Religions are always used and abused to suit one’s greed. Indeed, all of us have reduced God’s wisdom to be bigoted, discriminative, and partial. Is this really our God?

As we chose representatives to govern us on our terms, we need to appoint a reformatted God that cares for every human and guide us.

Thanks to America, more and more religions are moving towards their central values, which are a common denominator of beneficence, and thanks to each group for chiseling out the fluff. America will eventually have its own version of Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Shinto, Paganism, Zoroastrianism, Tao, Dao, Wicca, and others. Judaism and Christianity have already established reformed versions, others are working on it. I clearly see that.

The author is President of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

Increase in Anti-Semitism is the doing of Netanyahu and Trump
israel-palestine-dialogue.blogspot.com/2018/06/anti-semitism-is-augmented-by-netanyahu.html

Nikki Haley is the new Nuisance in the Middle East Process http://israel-palestine-dialogue.blogspot.com/2018/06/nikki-haley-is-nuisance.html

Holocaust and the Muslim Guy 
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/holocaust-and-the-muslim-_b_4629509.html#es_share_ended

Standing up for Jews - need to update the work since 2012
http://standingupforothers.blogspot.com/2012/02/standing-up-with-jews.html

To be Jewish is to be just, their security needs stripped them of justice 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WA2NlDU-LM

What do we do at the Center for Pluralism

Pluralism is an attitude of “Respecting the otherness of others” and “accepting the God-given the uniqueness of each one of us.” You are who you are, and I am who I am, neither one of us has to compromise the uniqueness of our faith, race, culture, nationality, and language.

Our purpose is to acknowledge the differences and live with least conflicts. Pluralism News is the weekly publication of the Center for Pluralism. You can access this anytime through www.PluralismNews.com. We will be happy to speak to your congregation, students, friends. We can conduct a workshop in building a cohesive community, workplace or society. Pluralism does not mean compromise or appeasement; it is simply a development of an attitude for living with others with least conflicts. Please email to Mike@CenterforPluralism.com

Mike Ghouse
Center for Pluralism
Washington, DC
(214) 325-1916- Cell
(202) 290-3560 -Office

Mike@CenterforPluralism.com
www.CenterforPluralism.com
www.PluralismNews.com

Paper on Israel Palestine Conflict

Paper on Israel Palestine Conflict

The following papers were presented to Ambassador Brownback; Securing Safe Zones for Refugees, Religious freedom and prosperity of a nation, State Departments’ visitors’ program, Religious freedom in India and now this one on Israel Palestine conflict.

Thanks to Al-Bilad Daily News for publishing this at http://www.albiladdailyeng.com/paper-israel-palestine-conflict/

I will be talking about this next week, if you have suggestions, please share, a lot has been written about it at http://www.IsraelPalestineDialogue.com

Please visit www.RamadanNews.com – everything you wanted to know about Ramadan is here!

A summary of the issues;

Israel Palestine conflict is not going on for thousands of years, it is new, and began with the Balfour declaration in 1917. The actual flare-up started in 1948 with the creation of Israel. For the Jewish immigrants, mainly the survivors of Holocaust, it was a battle for survival, and for the Palestinians, it was a battle to live in their own homes against forcible evictions.

The leadership of the western nations had the arrogance to believe that their solutions were the best and imposed it on others. They were rooted in disrespect for the culture of other people. Even though they talked about equal rights, deep down they believed they are more privileged than the others.

The Colonist left a mess while departing from their colonies. They did that with India and Pakistan, and they have done it in the Middle East. We cannot blame them after 70 years; we have to blame the current regimes that are aggravating the conflicts and passing the misery on to the next generation.

I support Israel and a homeland for Jews; they have been deprived of the sense of security throughout their history. The Jewish people, in general, want nothing but safety, but their political leadership is doing everything to keep them from having it. It is wrong for the administration of Israel to do unto Palestinians, what was done to them.

Security to Israelis and justice to the Palestinians are interdependent, and one will not happen without the other.

Jews have a need to be understood and be acknowledged for their eternal security needs, not the military, but mental security where they can put their guards down and live their lives in peace.

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.

As Americans, we need to be above reproach and seek justice for one and all.

The policies of the current Israeli leadership will continue to be a source of insecurities for Israelis in the long haul unless Israel is willing to annihilate the Palestinians, which they have attempted repeatedly.

This week the UN passed the resolutions to void the Jerusalem as Capital of Israel. 128 nations including our allies voted, and only seven countries reluctantly voted against it, since they live off our aid. Over the last 70 years, 95% of the community of nations vote one way, and about 4% of countries vote the other way, and usually, our representative in the United Nations vetoes that vote. It is like slapping on the face of 190 some nations and letting them know that their vote is worthless. It results in resentment towards America, and Israel. That resentment is wrongfully called Anti-Semitism. We must condemn real Anti-Semitism with all our hearts, minds and might, but not the anger.

What can we do?

First, we need to quit blaming the Palestinians for their rockets, and understand that they live in open prisons, they cannot go to a hospital, the children harassed, their homes are forcibly taken and bulldozed, their land is taken, and settlements are built in violation of all civility.

What can they do, the world did not do anything for them for 70 years but blame. The only thing they can do is throw rocks at the oppressors or commit suicide as the proud Jewish people did at Masada. As Americans we need to respect human dignity, whether Palestinians “behave” or not, we have the responsibility to do the right thing. Injustice to one will create ripples and affect all of us one way or the other.

Secondly, we need to demand that parties sit down and come out with a solution, we have that right, and we should tie our $3 billion a year donations to bring peace. If you cannot make peace, you don’t get our support. I hope we value righteousness over politics. The dominant party is always in the position to negotiate peace provided they don’t look down upon the weak. Both the American and Israeli leaders need to shelve the arrogance of superiority over the Palestinians, if we can treat, feel and act as equals, all of us will have peace and security. That is the bottom line.

Finally, we need to hold a conference, and I will be happy to organize one to find solutions. We are competent people, and we can do it. I am a part of Israeli Palestinian Federation and have written extensively on the topic at http://www.IsraelPalestineDialogue.com

Request to NGO’s –
Support this initiative.

Request to the Ambassador/ DOS

Commission a survey to see what Americans want, and represent their interest at the United Nations. The study must also include responses from the Jewish Americans.

I suggest that we ask Netanyahu and Abbas to visit at least a dozen children a week of the other populations, look them in their eyes and promise them, that they can hope for a better future and assure them that they are not their villains.

We need to take a firm stand on one state or two state solutions, if it is one state, we the people who stand for human rights, need to encourage it to be an authentic democracy and not have more privileges to one group over the other.

Mighty empires can crush the weak for a short term; in the long run, everyone goes down the tube. We cannot rob anyone and live with a good conscience.

Finally, what will we answer our Grandchildren for passing the problem to them? I am sure they will ask if we did not dare to do so.

Religious Scriptures are a part of the problem

Part of the issue of the Israel Palestine conflict is based on misinterpreted sacred scriptures, and the other parts of the equation are security and justice.

All of us have reduced God’s wisdom to be bigoted, discriminative, and partial. Is this our God? Jesus is not going to hurry up and come down on the earth until the Israeli politicians kill all the Jews and Muslims. The Son of God is not in the business of terrorizing people. What kind of promise is that where God rewards massacring of the people? What kind of God is that who rejects others and accepts only one religion? These are serious flaws in our understanding of religions for thousands of years; it is time to correct these errors in our understanding of the Just God.

Is this God happy that we have killed 58 people in Gaza in the latest bout of ethnic cleansing, wounded hundreds, and continue to shoot the unarmed?

Take a look at the following misinterpretations of the verses, and let me know if God could have said something like that. May I suggest you to say what is right, rather than pleasing a ‘few’ Pastors, Imams, Rabbis, Pundits or religious men.

A few Jews believe that they are the chosen people. A few Christians believe Jesus’ arrival will wipe out everyone but Christianity. A few Muslims think Islam is the only religion acceptable to God. A few Hindus, Sikhs and others have similar arrogant attitudes that they are the best, scientific or the oldest and wisest. Indeed, none of the religions are wrong; the flaw is in our understanding.

God is not a little guy; God is the creator. Should we reduce his words of wisdom to the narrow, exclusive claims as in above?

Knock off Religion from Israel Palestine Conflict

As we start applying common sense to understand the deeper meaning of these verses, maybe we can knock off the religious aspect from the conflict and focus on the land aspect, which may be more comfortable. No one is more privileged than others, and no one is more than equal.
Religions are always used and abused to suit one’s greed. Indeed, all of us have reduced God’s wisdom to be bigoted, discriminative, and partial. Is this really our God?

As we chose representatives to govern us on our terms, we need to appoint a reformatted God that cares for every human and guide us.

Thanks to America, more and more religions are moving towards their central values, which are a common denominator of beneficence, and thanks to each group for chiseling out the fluff. America will eventually have its own version of Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Shinto, Paganism, Zoroastrianism, Tao, Dao, Wicca, and others. Judaism and Christianity have already established reformed versions, others are working on it. I clearly see that.

Your precise comments will be selected to go into the report.

The author is President of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

# # #

What do we do at the Center for Pluralism

Pluralism is an attitude of “Respecting the otherness of others” and “accepting the God-given the uniqueness of each one of us.” You are who you are, and I am who I am, neither one of us has to compromise the uniqueness of our faith, race, culture, nationality, and language.

Our purpose is to acknowledge the differences and live with least conflicts. Pluralism News is the weekly publication of the Center for Pluralism. You can access this anytime through www.PluralismNews.com. We will be happy to speak to your congregation, students, friends. We can conduct a workshop in building a cohesive community, workplace or society. Pluralism does not mean compromise or appeasement; it is simply a development of an attitude for living with others with least conflicts. Please email to Mike@CenterforPluralism.com

DONATEAll this work takes time and effort. We are a non-profit organization and your donations are appreciated. Please donate http://centerforpluralism.com/donate/

Thank you,

Mike

Mike Ghouse
Center for Pluralism
Washington, DC
(214) 325-1916- Cell
(202) 290-3560 -Office

Mike@CenterforPluralism.com
www.CenterforPluralism.com
www.PluralismNews.com

The United States should recognize the state of Palestine

Published at www.IsraelPalestineDialogue.com

On September 19, 2011 - I published a video urging President Obama, you must vote YES NOW for Palestinian Statehood. There are some very thoughtful ideas reflected in this video, that only moderate Jews can understand.

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNYmI6MlhZw&feature=related

Mike Ghouse
# # #

Courtesy of Washington Post 

By Matthew Duss and Michael A. Cohen March 27

Matthew Duss is president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. Michael A. Cohen is a fellow at the Century Foundation.

The Israeli-Palestinian peace process — the one that is supposed to end with a two-state solution — is on life support. Both sides in the conflict have made their share of missteps, but Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, all but pulled the plug earlier this month by pledging during his reelection campaign that Palestine would never become a state on his watch. He reaffirmed the sentiment even as he dialed back the rhetoric after the vote. This position runs directly counter to U.S. national security goals.

A two-state solution has been an American policy for nearly two decades. In a 2002 speech, George W. Bush became the first president to explicitly call for the creation of an economically sustainable, demilitarized Palestinian state. “The establishment of the state of Palestine is long overdue,” he said in 2008. “The Palestinian people deserve it. And it will enhance the stability of the region. And it will contribute to the security of the people of Israel.” Today, virtually all American politicians, on both sides of the aisle, publicly support this outcome. But with Netanyahu standing in its way, how can the United States advance this goal?

By recognizing the state of Palestine.

This is not about punishing Israel; it’s about protecting U.S. national security. Recognizing Palestine would, by helping the two-state cause, address a key source of resentment toward the United States, making it easier for American policymakers to pursue other priorities in the Middle East, such as preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon, defeating the Islamic State and strengthening regional security partnerships. It would ease dealings with governments in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which often agree with Israel’s regional strategy but revile its treatment of Palestinians. It would signal to the Israelis — and their neighbors — that the United States will act in its own interests, even when those interests conflict with a close ally’s views. And it would strengthen the Jewish homeland’s security (a long-standing U.S. national interest), as many in Israel’s security establishment understand.

Recognizing Palestine would also address a persistent foreign policy problem: the divide between America’s official policy of support for Palestinian statehood and its continued support for an Israeli government that deliberately impedes that goal.

Netanyahu, while paying lip service to the two-state solution, has relentlessly worked to undermine it during his three terms as prime minister — and not just by expanding settlements, violently suppressing unarmed protests and exacerbating the divisions between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. He has offered no hope to the Palestinians. No wonder Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas began asking other countries, and the United Nations, to recognize Palestine after a previous round of talks collapsed in 2010. Now that Netanyahu has admitted publicly what many already believed — that he’ll never play midwife to Palestine — it’s clear that if Washington wants to achieve this goal, it must seek another route.

The only way to end this conflict, presidents from both parties have arguedfor decades, is through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. That’s why U.S. officials have opposed unilateral measures, such as Palestinian-backed U.N. Security Council resolutions condemning Israeli settlements or efforts to join international organizations. But the path of direct talks is closed off, at least while Netanyahu remains in power: Palestinians are not going to sit down with an Israeli prime minister who campaigns on a rejection of their foundational demand. As one American official told us last fall, “There is not a Palestinian alive who believes that there is any hope for political negotiation with Netanyahu.” At a news conference Tuesday, President Obama said much the same: “What we can’t do is pretend that there’s a possibility of something that’s not there. . . . For the sake of our own credibility, I think we have to be able to be honest about that.”

Given this reality, it is pointless for the United States to initiate yet another round of talks that will accomplish nothing. But the Israelis and the Palestinians will eventually have to return to direct talks to negotiate issues such as national borders, dividing Jerusalem, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, the future of Israeli settlements and joint security arrangements. Recognizing Palestine now would lay the groundwork for those future negotiations. It would be an object lesson for Israelis about the costs of continued recalcitrance, and it would ensure that the United States plays a more effective role as a broker in talks by diminishing the dramatic power asymmetry that has bedeviled the peace process.

In some ways, recognition of Palestine would look awfully like an American seal of approval for Abbas and his actions. This is problematic, because he, too, has at times been a obstinate partner in the peace process. According to U.S. officials, he “shut down” when Obama presented him with a framework for future negotiations in the Oval Office in March 2014. He hasdragged his feet on a deal in which Palestinian Authority security forces would take control of Gaza’s crossing points, a prerequisite for desperately needed relief and reconstruction in the territory. And in the 11th year of a four-year presidential term, he has not taken any serious steps to prepare Palestinians for national elections — even though this was an ostensible goal of his party’s reconciliation agreement last year with Hamas, the extremist group that rules Gaza.

Elections are particularly important because Abbas is a weak and embattled president. Any enduring agreement with Israel will require a Palestinian leader who is credible and legitimate. Recognizing Palestine would signal to its electorate that diplomacy (which Abbas favors) clearly works better than violence (which Hamas favors), serving as a powerful campaign argument for moderate Palestinian politicians.

Until then, in exchange for this diplomatic victory, the United States should require the Palestinian leadership to deal with a number of issues — the transfer of security authority in the Gaza Strip, an end to the crackdown on civil society in the West Bank, preparations for elections — while also making clear that international pressure on Israel cannot replace the hard bargaining and painful compromises that negotiations toward a final settlement require.

Obama: Palestinian state unlikely after Netanyahu's comments(1:57)

President Obama said Tuesday that it's difficult to envision how a Palestinian state could be formed following Netanyahu's negative comments during his re-election campaign. (Reuters)

None of this would affect America’s commitment to Israeli security. Washington should continue to ensure Israel’s military edge and deepen U.S. coordination with the country’s security establishment. The Hamas government in Gaza is a daily reminder that peace is a risky venture for Israelis. They must be secure in the knowledge that the United States has their back. The United States should also press Arab states to edge toward more open discussions with Israel, reiterating the promise of full normalization contained in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. This would reinforce to Israel the massive upside of a two-state solution.

In the end, recognizing Palestine would be both good for U.S. national security and consistent with basic American foreign policy values: support for self-determination and independence. Indeed, it was precisely these values that informed the U.S. decision to recognize Israel as an independent state in 1948. The past few years have seen millions of Arab citizens demonstrating, and sometimes giving their lives, for their rights and freedoms. We should join the 130 countries that already recognize Palestine, signaling that we share and support those goals for everyone, everywhere.

Twitter: @mattduss

What if Netanyahu becomes the Prime Minister?

What if Netanyahu becomes the Prime Minister?  www.IsraelPalestineDialogue.com 

Note - things turned 180 since them, and new article will be published by Friday, but we will retain this - Mike Ghouse

The world is encouraged with the chances of a new centrist government in Israel. We hope they will be instrumental in laying a solid foundation for long term security for the people of Israel, and serve uncompromising justice for the Palestinians. Both people deserve peace and security, and they should feel home by dropping their guards and feel safer like babies in their mothers lap.

The newly elected Israeli Parties will make the right decision in choosing their New Prime Minister. I am a supporter of Israel and long to see them all live in harmony.  Peace is a necessity for prosperity, and no one will have peace if others around them don’t.   

Israel has lots of friends. They have not become anti-Semite as Netanyahu likes to propagandize. They simply see Netanyahu as a rogue and oppose Netanyahuism rather than Israel, the world is not against the aspirations of the Jewish people, or Judaism. With the new centrist government things will get remarkably better for all parties; Israel, Palestine, Iran, US and the World.

Exit polls have indicated 27 seats for Likud and Zionist Union each. The right wing, left wing and centrist parties play a crucial role in determining the Prime Minister; Netanyahu can still become the PM, if he changes his position like a chameleon, in that case, it is bad news for the Israelis, hopelessness for the Palestinians, a mess for Iranians and a worse situation for the United States.

He is capable of scaring the devil out of Israelis to put the pressure on parties to advance his name for the Prime Ministership.  Then the people of Israel under duress would have chosen chaos, rather than peace. The dream of Jewish people to have a homeland where they felt safe, secure and live without guards will be shattered.

When he said, there will not be a Palestinian state; he has essentially declared a war on the Palestinian Christians and Palestinian Muslims. Hamas can rightfully point to the world and ask what they should do? Of course, they will not ask, they have no reason to trust us or the others.

The State of Israel can absorb all the Palestinians as “equal citizens” – apartheid should have no place in this world. The Palestinians are now challenged to fight back or opt for Masada – i.e., commit suicide rather than burn in Israeli phosphorus bombs (When Jews were pushed to the corner by Romans, they opted to commit suicide rather than surrender).  Can anyone trust the world to stand by the oppressed, or they are on their own.

Hamas has already claimed that they were right about him, and that makes us wrong from the beginning. It is a clarion call to the people of Israel to reject this man Netanyahu and his evil designs.

What about the world? Netanyahu has boldly spat on the disgraceful faces of 161 (out of 166) Nations at the United Nations by rejecting their resolutions to stop the settlements, time and again. He even slapped VP Joe Biden by funding for more settlements when the VP visited Israel, and now he has declared there will not be a Palestine. This is not the way to build nations.

Shouldn’t the world take action and bring justice to the people of Palestine and save Israel from the clutches of Netanyahu. 

161 Nations of the world feel rejected, and their opinion and resolutions are blatantly discarded by Netanyahu, and that is turning into resentment towards the violator. Indeed, it is really anti-Netanyahuism, rather than Anti-Semitism as he likes to paint, and claim to become the savior of the Jewish people and invite them to abandon those rotten countries in Europe and join him in Israel.

He is driven by chaos, and will unilaterally go to war with Iran, dragging the US into his war. It is the same guy who had lied twice about Iraq and now he has another one on Iran. He has also alienated American Jews; a majority of them do not support his take on Iran.

America will be weakened severely; it will wipe us out, and will be worse than the loss of 43 Million jobs, homes and business closures, divorces, budget deficits that the previous president left.   

Solution

The 161 Nations may consider a resolution, that Netanyahu, the current Prime Minister is in direct violation of the world community in establishing Palestine, and unless the Israeli people through their parties choose a Prime Minister who can sit among the civilized nations of the world, and who can respect life liberty and pursuit of the happiness of the Palestinian people, the resolution will stand in place. The resolution calls for pulling the ambassadors out of Israel and sending Israeli ambassadors back to their homes.

The only language bullies like Netanyahu understand is direct threats of isolating him. In a nutshell, Netanyahu is not good for Israel, Palestinians, Iran, the United States or the world. He is the new Saddam Husain who will not hesitate gassing the Palestinians and will alienate Israel further among the nations.

About me: 
I am deeply committed to building cohesive societies, and have an equal commitment to Jews as with the people of other faiths. <1> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/holocaust-and-the-muslim-_b_4629509.html#es_share_ended  <2>  http://israel-palestine-dialogue.blogspot.com/2012/02/about-israel-palestine.html  <3> http://standingupforothers.blogspot.com/2012/02/standing-up-with-jews.html  
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Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism, Islam, India, Israel-Palestine, Politics and other issues of the day. He is a human rights activist, and his book standing up for others will be out soon | He is producing a full feature film " Sacred" to be released on 9/11 and a documentary "Americans together" for a July 4 release.  He is a frequent guest commentator on Fox News and syndicated Talk Radio shows and a writer at major news papers including Dallas Morning News and Huffington Post. All about him is listed in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com - Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.  

Israel cared the Arab Child; the Palestinian Mom wants him to be a terrorist.

I watched the subject video, and observed several minutes of silence to absorb the pain of the Palestinian woman in the 7 minutes video, and it took me nearly an hour to gather myself to write about it, as I promised my friend Paul Goldstein, that I will write my commentary about it. I hope my Jewish friends see another point of view.

Israel cared the Arab Child; the Palestinian Mom wants him to be a terrorist.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKtWPMW9PSA

My only hope is for us to understand each other, and go beyond the words we hear.

I am quoting a scene from my article that has been very influential in my outlook at the down and depressed. I am making one of the most important points of my life about this woman’s attitude and hope and pray that you get to see that point.

“Holocaust and the Muslim guy” at Huffington post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/holocaust-and-the-muslim-_b_4629509.html

When I was ten years old, I read just about every book my mother read. She was indeed a voracious reader on religion and social sciences; however, I was banned from reading certain books, and one of them was "Eichmann 60 lakh Yahudiyon ka Katil" in Urdu language. That is Eichmann, the killer of 6 Million Jews. My mother insisted that I was a kid and I should not read the book, she was protective of her child. However, I was able to sneak in and see a few horrible pictures which had shut me down for the next 44 years of my life.

The picture (not this picture) continues to influence me; it is about betrayal of a people. A group of Jews were shoved in front of a ditch and then were shot into the pit. The looks of helplessness on their faces, as if looking at me and saying, "you are not going to do anything about it?" They were not complaining, but with all humility endured the betrayal from the entire world, it has been a difficult picture for me.

For the next 44 years of my life, I was not able to see the WWII movies with scenes from holocaust on the screen. I would turn the TV off and go into silence for a while, just could not get over the idea how people can do that to other people. There was fear in me, fear to witness that betrayal.

They never begged any one to save their life and just stared into the spaces even without complaining. I am sure the lost faith in God as well. I have held them in very high esteem for the dignified death they faced.

You know the story of Masada; they would rather die than surrender and get humiliated. Did they care what the world thought of them? There are innumerable examples of these acts of dignity.

In my college days, I shared my notes with a few friends to copy the answers on their exam papers, I was caught red handed and was taken to the principal’s office.  My “friends” did not even bother to stop by and ask about me. That betrayal and humility reminded me of the betrayal, the Jews felt in front of that ditch.

Paul, that image strengthens my commitment to human rights. I have lost many friends for my stand, and a lot of income, but I am willing to lose it all but will not back out from speaking for the rights of people. I may be one of the dignified martyrs of Masada being reincarnated.  By the way, those of you who don’t know me, I have stood up for all people with no exception including Jews - http://standingupforothers.blogspot.com/2012/02/standing-up-with-jews.html

This lady’s assertion that “death is normal” that “she will send her child back again as a suicide bomber” “death does not frighten us” enlivened that image of Jews at the ditch. She may have been the soul from Masada.

 What have we done as a civilized society to get her to that point? It is the hopelessness of living a normal life.  I saw so much pain in her; she did not see any point in sharing further, what for? Instead of understanding her, we are going after religion, easy way out to blame someone and running away from the responsibility.

She had given up on you and I, she has given up on Palestinians, Jews, Americans and the world, shame on us.  I can forgive those “few” Israelis who are in pain themselves and want to inflict pain on others as if it will relieve them. 

I do not like suicide bombers or any one who destroys life of others, if they claim to do it in the name of religion, it is merely an excuse that we should not be gullible to buy. Islam forbids suicide and killing others unless it is in self defense. 

I am not supporting this woman's attitude either, all I am doing is seeing her point of view to learn and formulate policies to alleviate the root cause, if we can.

I am ashamed of me, you and others, and the world at large whose prejudice against Palestinians. Perhaps justifiable for their rocket attacks, suicide bombing and biased behavior – even though they have endured living in humility for 30 years without terrorism, the world did not care and did not do a thing about them. But when they resorted to terrorism in 1971, we blamed them and attempted to annihilate them.  It is as if telling the humiliated woman who just got raped, that she deserved it.

Our formulated bias has stripped a sense of justice in us, and that is not healthy for a normal society.  If we justify one prejudice, we are approving other prejudices against us.  It is time to be human and don’t push others to this point.

Please enlighten me otherwise.

A few comments following my postings, only those who authorized to post.

 

Mike Ghouse Maor Shapira 

No I don't like suicide bombers at all and I condemn them, it is against Islam. But should we not understand why people do what they do?

You have a choice to believe what suits you, but if you are serious about finding answers, see a different point of view, and finding solutions instead of blaming "ideology"? All of us choose

 

 

Mike Ghouse Maor, you have a right to draw your own conclusions. There is always a few bad apples among all people. Muslims have them, Jewish have them, Christians, Hindus and all other have them. We all have to find answers through seeing and hearing each other.

 

John Fredrickson The concession must be made that most of the suicide bombings or terrorist acts that are happening around the globe are done by Islamic extremists. What really hasn't been said or mentioned though, is the fact that a lot of these extremists have targeted Muslims themselves, in fact I'll go as far as saying the majority of suicide bombings that happen have been against Muslims

 

Pierre Henri Huot I have read the post and the comments that followed. I had seen and shared the video on this woman in the hospital. I felt uneasy from the start of this post.. As though this post is a trap, having as its goal to condemn one side to the benefit of the other side under the control of who made the post. I am Jewish. I feel like staying out. Not because I don't have strong views on what this Palestinian woman says: such views are horrendous for me. But because I feel discussing the mental state of this woman or the religious incitement to having her views (the first set of questions) are not topics we are -- and certainly not I --- equipped to talk about.

Establishing a proper evaluation of this woman's mental state requires a professional psychologist or psychiatrist who would have to meet with her in person over some time, and analysing how people are incited to having such views calls for some factual knowledge of the community she lives in. I feel also we are even less qualified to discuss the second set of questions about Sharia Law, Jihad, and the concept of death in Islam. There may be two exceptions to discussing these last questions, our two Muslims members. I would simply refer our group to two approaches to human development, that of Integral Spirituality (philosopher Ken Wilber) and of Spiral Dynamics (Don Beck, co-creator). Each views human beings going through various levels of conscience and development that show up in unique ways.

The higher the broader, the lower the narrower. At a low level, it is standard to want the death of any perceived outsider(s) to one's group. It basically has nothing to do with one's religion. The low level of exclusive consciousness brings about a seclusive view of life. The medical staff (assuming they are Jewish Israelis, and in as much as we know their real individual views about Palestinians, Muslims, and Arabs and about treating them and about treating this boy and woman's child) that looks after this woman's son are at a higher level of consciousness than she is (if what she says represents her real views and is not a smoke screen protecting her from reprisals; she knows she is being filmed and will be seen and heard and her son wil be known too).

The real issue in my view has nothing to do with Islam or Judaism. Nothing to do with being Israeli or Palestinian. I have seen such medical care from both camps. I have also seen such deadly wish from both. I would like to state that I live in a family where we are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist, and that I have friends of other religions too. I have no desire or intention to go about entrapping any individual or any one community in 'my view of you is this and I am right and you are as I said and especially wrong.' With this, I intend to stay out of this debate as much as I am capable of.

 

Paul Goldstein Thank you for your interesting perspective, Mike. I agree with a good deal of it (though not necessarily every detail).

If a comprehensive peace in the region is ever to become a reality, it will be essential to bring together diverse perspectives from peace-seeking moderates of differing religious outlooks, nationalities, and ethnicities. It is important to listen to ideas from people of other backgrounds - ideas which may not be the same as our own - and come up with mutually acceptable solutions to bridge conflict and build for a peaceful future.

Maor, just to address the question of Norway: I stand on my statements. Though I don't live in Oslo (where most Norwegian Muslims live), I do follow national developments closely. The article you posted refers to the views of one extremist Muslim - so extreme that he was convicted of public anti-Semitism - and as the article notes, his ideas are opposed by other Muslims in the country. One extremist does not represent a community. This man's anti-gay campaign has not garnered any significant support or publicity.

I have personally known a number of Muslims in Norway, and the views of that particular extremist cannot be regarded as the norm. There are sadly also a few extremist Jews in Norway who are fiercely anti-Muslim and/or anti-Arab. They are the exception, and their views are not accepted by the mainstream of the Jewish community. The same is true for a few extremist Muslims - their views are not the norm in the Norwegian Muslim community. I prefer to look at what can be accomplished by accentuating the positive, ignoring the extremists, and bringing people together to help shape a more peaceful and accepting future for all.

 

 

Mike Ghouse Paul, Maor, John and Pierre, thanks for expanding the range of understanding on the issue. We should always be truthful in these matters for the sake of clarity. We differ and I see where we do and how can we learn to respect the otherness of others? If we can do it, others can do it too. 

If you guys permit me, I will include your comments verbatim after the article link. If I don't have the permission, I will not included it. Thanks

 

John Fredrickson You have my permission

 

Maor Shapira Please don't include my comments.

 

Paul Goldstein You have permission to include my comments.

 

Pierre Henri Huot Mike, you have my permission. I have modified my previous comment so as to stand more on its own and hopefully corrected all of its linguistic errors. Could you provide me with the link so that I know which article you are referring to?

 

Thomas Frederick Schwartz I would argue that whatever brought this woman to where she is, is less important than the fact that she is such a horrible parent that her child should be taken from her and raised in a loving home. It would obviously be better for the child.

 

Paul Goldstein I'm quite sure the child would NOT be taken from her in the United States. Social authorities require physical (or reliable eyewitness) evidence in the here and now to act, based on how a parent has been treating their child in real life at this time. Mere words about what a parent may plan to do years ahead in the future would not be sufficient reason to take a child away.
Perhaps social authorities may follow up at intervals if they are sufficiently concerned, but I doubt any court would enforce an order to take a child away based on a parent's expressed plans for the distant future.

Thank you

Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916 text/talk
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   Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism at work place, politics, religion, society, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, food and foreign policy. He is a staunch defender of human rights and his book standing up for others will be out soon, and a movie "Americans together" is in the making.  He is a frequent guest commentator on Fox News and syndicated Talk Radio shows and a writer at major news papers including Dallas Morning News and Huffington Post. All about him is listed in 63 links atwww.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com and 10 other blogs. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.