Palestine to New Zealand: Allah Yihdeek

The other day I posted a letter from David White of HAMILTON, New Zealand (not Auckland as earlier reported), telling the Palestinians to "get real".

Today I received a less than receptive reply from Israa Alkam from "Al Quds, Palestine" (which others might call Jerusalem, Israel)

I must begin by telling you that when i read your letter, i didnt even want to finish it from the disgust i felt. Then i thought, why should i be angry at you then u come from a country that i forgot even existed and has no idea or has ever experienced what really happens here in Palestine. How would you feel if u woke up in the middle of the night hearing bombs and machine guns so close to ur home and feeling so helpless that u start to cry just from the noise? How would it be like if u couldnt go to school for weeks at a time or when u could go to school there was no point of going because the teachers werent there? Or when your going home and you pass by the checkpoints your heart starts to pound faster and faster because they strip search people who they feel like no matter what age or gender u are or even worse they might return u back, then where would u go? Im actually one of the lucky people that live here and all this happened to me. So imagine what the people in Ramallah, Nablus, or Jenen had to go through. Let me tell u something, they call the Jews "settlers" for a reason (settlers: One who settles in a new region). If this is their land, how come the majority of the Jews started to come only when they were kicked out of Germany, Poland, and other European countries? What, did they all of a sudden remember that they were the "chosen people"? I read letters from Americans themselves (Chris Meyer, David Dukes, people u should read about) saying that the Palestinians were here first, it doesnt take a genius to know this, obviously u didnt pay attention in History class. This Intifadah itself started from Sharon wanting to come in the Aqsa Mosque, not from a suicide bombing or anything else. He knew that tension from the Arabs would arise, but why should he care, hes protected. If u guys think that suicide bombings is terror then what do u call murdering people in their homes and on the streets and destroying homes? All this so called "terror" is from Sharon killing Palestinians from left and right, and you people dont expect us to defend ourselves? Then u said something about seeing Arab kids carrying weapons, WHAT WEAPONS? ROCKS? The Jewish settlers can all have guns, what are the Arabs suppose to protect themselves with? At the checkpoints, all of them are my age, half my height, and handling weapons that they can barely carry. You think these teenagers are capable of fighting? The day of the Sept. 11 attack, the reason why everyone was so happy is because Bush is always on the news giving speeches supporting Sharon and his actions, and also of course because the U.S. supplies them with weapons, which is a known fact. You expect us to feel sorrow for America now? Let me tell you a little something about the suicide bombers, they all have one thing in common....theyre all sick of just sitting down and watching thier friends and families die. The Jews put curfews on us only allowing a certain time to get out of your house, they close the checkpoints so all of a sudden they expect us to find a new home, they enter our houses as they please, they literally make it a living hell for us. This is what u call wanting peace? Even before this Intifadah started, there was checkpoints everywhere, most people werent allowed to go to Jerusalem, they demolished the homes of people that werent allowed to build because its now "Jewish land". I dont want Jews to die, and most Palestinians dont either, we just want them to go back where they came from. I wouldnt mind Jews living here either, but when they do this to us, it doesnt make me want them to live here. Its easy for you to say good things about them, maybe one day they'll decide to take over New Zealand, then well see if u think so well about them. Theyre building settlements everyday, nothing is stopping them, they surround Palestinian homes and make it impossible to have a normal life. This is not called wanting peace. I was born and raised in Dallas, and im proud and happy to be in Palestine now and i dont consider myself an American citizen anymore. As far as im concerned you have no right to speak about the issues of Palestine or Israel since u have not been here. Take one look at the buildings of Tel Aviv and compare them to those of Jenen, its obvious to see who the victims are this time, I guess history does repeat itself. You might think im just a dumb little kid, hey i am 17 not 71, but i do know and see the truth, and it doesnt take an "intellectual" person for that. Thanks to the "suffering" Jews i had the worst senior year anyone could have and havent seen and read so much b.s. than i have in these 2 years being here. Trust me your support is not needed, its not going to make the Jews stronger or the Palestinians any weaker, and as the Palestinians say, "bidnash ijmeeltak". If u want my advice go read the Quran thoroughly and learn why they WERE called the chosen people. Allah yihdeek, thats all i can say.

I. Alkam/ Al-QUDS, PALESTINE

Well, Israa, I understand that you're living in a war zone and life is miserable for both Palestinians and Jews. The question is, what actions can you take that will lead to the most attractive outcome for you and your people? I think part of what David White was saying was that blowing yourselves up in Israeli supermarkets in order to make the Jews "go back to where they came from" is not likely to improve your situation. If you focus instead on allowing the Israelis to live in peace in their part of the land while you focus on building a civil society in your part of the land, you too can have buildings in Jenin that are at least as nice as those in Tel Aviv.

May peace be with you.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at June 23, 2002 06:23 PM