chamsa

I'd like to wish everybody a healthy, happy 2008 - a year in where all your wishes come true without hurting eachother.

Tse.

For photos from that time and quotes spoken by "Black Panthers" click here

For the article on which I quote below (A Salute to the Black Panthers), click here


[...]However, from today’s 30-year retrospective, and after engaging in a thorough research of my own, I state without hesitation that the ‘Black Panthers’ were the ground-breaking catalyst for the Mizrahi struggle in Israel. Israel before March 1971 was a different Israel than that of after March 1971. In the former, the economic and cultural oppression was accepted by Mizrahim with submissiveness, except for short rebellious outbursts which were repressed with an iron fist by the government and its Mizrahi collaborators, as in the case of the Wadi Salib Uprising in 1959. [...]

The Black Panthers’ uprising was begun by a group of young, unemployed, dropout residents of the Musrara neighborhood located at the border between East and West Jerusalem - a neighborhood whose Western (Israeli) half came to be as a result of the expulsion of its original Palestinian inhabitants during the War of 1948. Due to its peripheral status at the border with the then Trans-Jordanian side of Jerusalem, the early years of the neighborhood were characterized by issues of daily security,which ended in the wake of the ’67 war, because both the Eastern and Western halves of Jerusalem came beneath Israeli municipal and police control. The neighborhood was then housed by 650 Mizrahi immigrant families, the majority of whom came from North Africa, with a minority coming from Iraq. [...]

The ultimate language of the Black Panthers, for the first time directly attacked the manipulative myth that ‘Security precedes everything’, by which the governments of Mapai [Labor] silenced every protest. They claimed very clearly and directly that a state in which there is such an unequal economic situation of Mizrahim (and of Arabs – as said in certain places, mainly by Bitton and Shemesh) has no right to exist. This was expressed by Martziano’s radical words regarding the division of the cake: “Either the cake will be shared by all or there will be no cake”. [...]

The Black Panthers were also the first to make the connection between the concepts of ‘class’ and ‘ethnic group’. They often compared the way the new Russian immigrants were treated by the absorption authorities (in the early 70s­), with the second generation of Mizrahim who were still living in dire poverty. Thus they added another layer of comparison which previously existed in the collective consciousness– that of the absorption of Ashkenazim, and Mizrahim in the early years of the state. In this way, they completely undermined arguments of ‘Modernization’ and a ‘sociology of Backwardness’, which was based upon cultural rather than class analysis. In this, the Black Panthers preceded the class-oriented sociologists in Israel who appeared not accidentally, only after the era of the Black Panthers became the focus of their research. [...]

The Black Panthers’ greatest achievement was their ability to unmask the issue of the Mizrahim by presenting it as a permanent issue on the political, public and academic agenda in Israel. No one could pretend anymore that the problem was only a matter of ‘subjectivity’ or related to the set of priorities in Mizrahi homes, as Golda Meir once advised: “Let them stop all those family celebrations. Let them learn how to manage their budget rationally. Let them work hard for their rights. They should begin by having smaller families”. From then on it was clear to everyone that the problem exists – though it is continually avoided to be addressed.[...]

....the Panthers prompted a Mizrahi cultural awakening reflective of the cultural oppression of the Mizrahim which began immediately after their first protest and which continued in tandem with the breakdown of Mapai’s hegemony. Initially it was music that blossomed forth, followed by poetry and prose, and above all, academic research. Later came cinematography and the arts. [...]

I would like to emphasize the courage and devotion of the group of youngsters from Musrara who stood up against the forces of oppression and confronted the state headed by Mapai on both the ideological and physical levels. It is sad to note that since the confrontations of the Black Panthers, not one Mizrahi movement has emerged which dared to carry out a direct and brave confrontation with the state.[...]

Black Panthers Founder, Former MK Marciano Dies At 58 - "He always spoke of the poor residents of Jerusalem and never mentiioned his own financial situation"

Sa'adia, respectable, admirable human being, Yedid Nefesh, who's death was hardly mentioned on all of the 3 major tv stations while filth bags like Olmert would probably reach world press coverage, Zichronkha Baruch - May You Rest In Peace...

Tse.

nobody (no not you son lol) can understand what music has brought me, inspired me, encouraged me and shown me the way.... comfort me and was there to be my friend.

Israeli society in the coming days will be pushed to decide what will
become the national bird. Finally, we must address a truly significant question.
But our indecision is hard to comprehend: Of the 10 contestants who made it to the final round, it is clear which is the winning bird, the one who represents
Israeliness in all its glory.
[...]
The bulbul, of course. It suits us because of its name - stolen from the
Arabic like humus and falafel, which became the "Israeli national dish" exported
in our name - and because of its distribution: It is present everywhere in
Israel. It flies in circles and wanders around, but remains local. And also
because of the noise that it generates without interruption.
[...]
And if that is not enough, the bulbul, unlike any other bird, does not
limit itself to chirping and dancing as a form of communication. In other words,
a handshake and polite greeting is not its style. Two bulbuls that meet are so
overcome by affection that they trample each other's heads, touch, taunt each
other, and jump around as if they ate from the same mess kit for years. In
general, the bulbul's posse comes before everything. In veteran couples they
settle on branches of a loquat tree. Representatives of each sex or a pair of
same-sexed bulbuls are typically monogamous, but the important thing is that the gang is all there and that they are never alone.
[...]
Those who object to the choice of the bulbul because of the sexual
innuendos associated with its name (slang for "penis" in Hebrew) are missing the main point. That folksy usage of the unpretentious bird's name to describe the male genital organ proves the extent to which the bird is loved by the masses.
This is not a crude or insulting expletive, but a childish term of affection
that illustrates how Israelis relate to themselves: oversized, pampered infants
forever.
[...]
There is no doubt that the bulbul is ours: loud, quick to anger, lavishing
gregarious affection, and in love with his friends. He makes noise as he brags
to his pals about his exploits, and calls himself affectionate names. He doesn't
stop singing even as he is joyfully robbing fruit from others in true bulbul
style.

By Aviram Golan - Haaretz Com.


Tse.

One of the most beautiful things people here can enjoy without other people letting them pay for it or placing borders to cross are the magnificent skies.

Every Saturday I walk to the beach and each time, like the first time, when arriving there until leaving, I am overwhelmed. Perhaps you would be too if you see things like this.

The beach was my starting point in Israel. I should damn it. I should be angry at it. I thought it was Paradise here and it turned out to be like Hell. But, I can't. I look out over the huge vastness until the water turns into sky, listen to the music the sea is roaring up from his belly and feel the waves rolling towards the sand after having been broken further away on my tired feet, refreshing them... giving them power, stimulating this feeling all the way up all through my body, my mind.... my heart.

For 30 years now I am going to the beach (although not all those years every Saturday, lol) and it feels like I am visiting a friend. One that is always there, that has mood-changes - sometimes angry sometimes calm- but one that will never leave me....

Like music, the sea is my heaven....

(this photo I took last week onn Saturday)

Tse.

=============================


my favorite journalist being the guest of Hamas a couple of years ago (approx.)

it is this reportage that is always in my mind when talking about Hamas, Israel, Fatah etc.

it also makes me feel very sad.

People.....

Tse.

The Palestinian Authority must not recognize Israel as a Jewish state, head of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Shawki Khatib said Friday during a Hadash party annual convention in Nazareth.

I am convinced now that for Arab Israeli leaders this whole schpiel of not wanting to recognize Israel as a Jewish state is nothing more than an absurd game of 'pride & honor" - so childish, so immature and so ridiculous that nobody is even paying attention anymore as to HOW ridiculous this has become.

What is wrong to live as a minority in a State that would provide you better living conditions than any other state around where you would be the majority and is labeled as you would prefer? (that is soon as you are not regarded as a threat to the state anymore).

Nothing. Nothing is wrong with that. I am sure many Arab-Israeli's would prefer to live their private lives in dignity, honor etc. by being able to provide a good life for their families with freedom of speech and expression, worship etc.. However, there come the so-called 'leaders' and indoctrinate them that that is not enough. That that is not good. They should feel humiliated because the state is a Jewish state. No matter their personal lives would be honorable, respectful etc. and represented proportionally.

No, it is not enough there are so many "Muslim" states, "Arab" states around, NO!! These 2 by 2 meters of land must be "Arab" (Or "Muslim" - according to Hamas etc.) as well.

Greedy people always overeat. . . that is what will happen finally. Here is some advise 4'ya from one of my personal "heroes":

Tse.

we are all different kind of nationalities - all different people, but we want peace for the whole world..... we want to have a good time, instead of killing each other.....


AbdelkaderSaadoun tells you what I want,


enjoy,

Tse.

Yep, you got it, yet another pretending to be a so-called "peace" activist while spreading hate. Get to know Desert"Hate". Another populist trying to be famous because of the hate he holds inside of him.

Shouldn't people like him be banned from humanity?

Tell me. I want to hear - why hate is so popular these days that people like him, living comfortably in the most luxurious homes within Israel feel compelled to become 'popular' on the account of other people.



Tell me. Please. I don't understand those haters like him. I really, honestly, don't.


I can just feel nauseous - that's why I stopped reading him a long time ago. Weren't it that he appears on the (famous but treacherous) Sabbah's palestine blog aggregator, I would happily like to pretend those hateful people were non-existent and quite dead.

Tse.

ah, yeah, it goes without saying that he has not published my comments. just like any other chicken that is afraid of the truth disturbing his glorious fame into hate-dom.

***********************************************

2-12-2007

a 'development' :D :D :D

the abovementioned hate-blogger has responded on his own blog. Don't worry DesertHate I don't ever copy from your site at all, and also don't read your blog, but unfortunately you do show up at the Palestinian Blog aggregator and thus I get to see at least a part of it - so far for the mystery of me ever reading your blog (anymore, because in the beginning I wasn't convinced of your ill-will and hatred). So, the following is -to say the very least - completely weird and a lie:

... yet they copy and paste everything I say and post it on their own sites.

Don't get flattered. I will absolutely NEVER post hateful things - and since your site is a hate site, you won't see any quotes from your blog here. (except this one to show the absurdity of your claim). Now go on spreading hate, spoiled yuppie!

Perhaps -one day- you will grow wise and realize that spewing all this hatred to a side you don't feel connected with is just recalling hatred by return. So much for 'peace'.