"because it makes us look better.... next to them"
the men humilated at checkpoints, the detained minor,the torture prisoners- their suffering is infinite, it is endless, as the sffering of abducted Baloch people, as raped Iranian jailed protesters, as starving north koreans, as slaughtered syrians.
That is the excuse i usualy encounter
whenever I try to reason with myself how I
whenever I try to reason with myself how I
, as an Israeli looking up human right campaigns and
information about anti-occupation/ opression movements around the world.
Quite often, Hasbara ( Pro- Zionist propoganda )
uses examples from different countries trying to prove that others are "worse than us"
and that at some places cracking down on opposition movements is more "brutal" and violent.
3 main arguements can be easily used against that approach:
first:
Cruelty doesn't set up milestones to follow.
Cruelty doesn't set up milestones to follow.
The fact that other places are "worse"
is not something that should aspire us "to be like them".
Being listed at the bad company of North Korea, Syria, Kurdistan,
Balochistan,
West Papua, Sri Lanka
Balochistan,
West Papua, Sri Lanka
is not something to be proud of by any way.
second :
Pain is not not mesured by numbers, statistcs.
Pain is not not mesured by numbers, statistcs.
Pain isn't relative. Every man is a planet of its own,
and the pain of a refugee that exiled from his land,
the pain of a family who had their home demolished or
a villager that his land expropriated,
the pain of a child who was accidently shot by our
so-moral army,
of the student who can't leave Gaza for studies,
the manufacturer who can't export his good,
 |
| Child crying at Gaza |
No place for relativity of thing that do not stack,
quantitites become irrelevant and immoral.
Third: Unless we watch out and be on guard we might soon become more and like
"those horrible places" I've mentioned before. To be shocked by "what's happening here and there" might drive us to be more active and do more in attempt to prevent those atrocities.
"those horrible places" I've mentioned before. To be shocked by "what's happening here and there" might drive us to be more active and do more in attempt to prevent those atrocities.
It is sadly true that occupation is not "unique" phenomenon to Israel.
Iran and Pakistan are occupying the Kurdish people ,
Indonesia is occupying west Papua but unless we take action against domestic apartheid and occupation at home we lose our right to say anything about whatever happens "there".
If we speak out against others without deeply looking at ourselves and acting for change,
than we are guilty of being double standards.
But to care, to feel solidarity is only human and sometimes inevitable.
With recognition that my stand & ability to influence is decreased by me being part of colonialist, oppressive apartheid regime I can't do much for "those horrible places" but listen, share, and hope that one day Palestine will be free, so we can have room to do more "for those other places".
Iran and Pakistan are occupying the Kurdish people ,
Indonesia is occupying west Papua but unless we take action against domestic apartheid and occupation at home we lose our right to say anything about whatever happens "there".
If we speak out against others without deeply looking at ourselves and acting for change,
than we are guilty of being double standards.
But to care, to feel solidarity is only human and sometimes inevitable.
With recognition that my stand & ability to influence is decreased by me being part of colonialist, oppressive apartheid regime I can't do much for "those horrible places" but listen, share, and hope that one day Palestine will be free, so we can have room to do more "for those other places".
