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Disintellectualizing the Peace Process

By Tali Shapiro at Jun 02, 2009

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Warning: The following may not be an angry rant, but also couldn't pass as an attempt for journalism by any stretch of the imagination. Please tread carefully as I allow you free entrance into my stream of consciousness.

A definite change has come over me, since I started visiting the West Bank and the rift between my world and the politicians' is widening. There's a distinct difference between all the complex formalities between Netanyahu and Obama, and Clinton and Abbas, and my own relations with the Palestinians and other international activists. While politicians call it "international relations" and formulate strange rituals of courtesy, I find that no matter who I'm addressing, as long as I come in peace, with a smile, our international relations will be just dandy, and any cultural faux pas immediately forgiven (with a smile).

I'd really like to intellectually analyze all the meetings that are happening, lately, in the White House, but really, I've heard this kind of talk before. And though I was very happy to read Clinton be specific ("[Obama] wants to see a stop to settlements — not some settlements, not outposts, not 'natural growth' exceptions..."), I just refuse to celebrate until I read the human rights groups' reports that prove it.

It's probably just the anarchist in me, but it seems the detachment of politicians from "their" people and their interests in furthering their own gain/agendas/values is what brings on these complex situations, in the first place. As demented leaders air-strike civilians (overseas or in the back yard), college students act as human shields for their perceived "enemies", begging an answer to the question "can't we all just get along?"

"Yes we can!" Said Obama, and I find myself perplexed yet again at the grim reality in which I'm being a responsible citizen and getting along, thus furthering peace, while my government sends my children to shoot gas canisters at me. And what does Obama do? He says "stop the settlements". I understand the need to be cautious and not do anything too dramatic, and not offend either side, but quite frankly, my government is criminal. And since when do we kiss the ass of a mass murderer?

This is where the stream diverts to the UN (I know, I know, all you veterans told me- US controls the UN).  All 30 articles of the International Declaration of Human Rights are being violated daily. What was it written for, if you continually allow these violations? If I'm going to have jungle law, than I'd rather have no law at all. If I'm going to have to strategize and formalize every move I make, in order to talk with my neighbors, it's not going to be any wonder we don't get along.

One of the most poignant quotes I've heard about the occupation came out of Michael Palin (bold by me):

"Most depressingly, the policy of West Bank settlements deliberately prevents the people of the area, Jewish or Palestinian, from coming together for any kind of mutual interest or to exchange or discuss their experiences. With human contact virtually forbidden, it's hard to imagine how political change can ever be effected."

That's the point. That's the be-all-end-all of this situation. Had Israelis and Palestinians been able to mingle, this wouldn't happen. My government is extremely good at dividing and conquering. One simple realization came to me,as I was having what can only be referred to as a "spiritual experience": When I sit with my neighbors- eat from their plate, socialize, play music, engage in simple friendly trade, laugh, help in time of need, god-forbid fall in love- I'm doing the one thing my government fears the most- Making peace.

 

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582867

invigorating

By Small, Brian at Jun 03, 2009 01:34 AM

Sounds like some nice bottom-up peace making. Seems like you're enjoying 'solidarity' more than you thought you would. Eating with and spending time with people while sharing a cause feels great, doesn't it? It's not like being in a big group moving in the same direction shouting the same thing like a rock concert out of Pink Floyd's The Wall. It might be what human beings feel the best doing, we belong in 'gangs' or 'tribes' or Howard Zinn's recommendation by way of Kurt Vonnegut, 'a carass.'(official pdf version).

You're doing what Arundhati Roy and Howard Zinn were saying - walking over and rubbing off the lines that divide us. It's beautiful. A more focused search shows that Come September is available right here on Znet too.

Zinn: People's globalization. [Applause] I see the world with chalk lines dividing everybody. And I see us as having the job of, little by little, walking across those?
Roy: And rubbing them off.

.....

ZINN: I think your coming here does that. Not only your writing does that but your coming here and us listening to you and knowing that we are part of a 'carass'. Have any you have read Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle? Kurt Vonnegut is remarkable?this remarkable, interesting, odd mind. In Cat's Cradle he talks about a 'carass'. A carass is when people feel an affinity with one another. They don't know exactly why but it crosses all lines. It crosses national, racial, sexual... it crosses all lines. That's what we depend on.

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Miss_s_clause

Re: invigorating

By Shapiro, Tali at Jun 03, 2009 03:28 AM

Brian,
Since I always feel partially silly in contrived situations of solidarity, the sitting down for a cup of tea part is definitely more my…. Well, cup of tea. In this specific “cause” (feels weird calling it that), it’s doubly important to have the social interaction, as it is the enactment of what should be happening. It’s an act of defiance by default, and I think if some Israelis realized that this is all they have to do, they’d be much more up to the task.

What Zinn said- I think there’s that difference between writing and being there. I’ve been writing all this time. I’ve been talking with Palestinians online, but nothing can compare to just being there and realizing the simplicity of human connections.

And again, thanks for the fascinating links :)

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690589

NOT SUCH A CYNICAL RESPONSE

By Karman, Leen at Jun 02, 2009 17:33 PM
First, there was that big idea. Jewish people longing for the promised land. There is a lot more to say about, but in 1937 there were so many Jews in Palestine that they were an opportunity for the Western powers to look for an agreement with the colonists to secure the interests in oil.
 
Second, there was Nazi Deutschland where a lot of Jews were killed. Some say 6.000.000. When you would suggest that 6.123.456 would be a more accurate number then they would make you a hero. If you could prove that there were only 5.987.654. you would probably end your life in Guantanamo.
As I wrote before, a lot more were killed in World War II, but the Jews made it their party.
No one is allowed to spoil that party. Not because the number is really important. But a lot more than 6.000.000 barrels of oil are going from the Middle East to USA and Western Europe.
These barrels are emptied here, and shipped back, to refill again.
And the Jews got there promised land.
 
What is my point, regarding your question.
 
First of all: there is no peace process.
Of course, you have Blair and Mitchell, and that guy that promised a future, or, if you like so, a future full of promised change - which implies that you can start by changing the direction of change or changing the goal of change from 1 to nearly 0 (which was not that small for starters!).
The process which is going on is the process of common interests - common meaning the G8 saying our interest and a few sheiks supporting such a scheme of reality. If war is undesirable to that scheme, war will be stopped, within short notice. If war is regarded as a necessity, or as a lesser evil, well, let it be.
 
Second. No, I do not think that it is possible that Jews live together with Arabs. Oh yes, you can go to the Westbank and have a good laugh. But do not one moment think that the Western World was not aware of what they were doing when they played the card of Israel. The Jews, with their Christian roots and Western habits in their deepest recesses, didn't like the idea of integration with Arabs. And the American and the British knew! (Israel participates in the Eurovision Song Contest and in the Champions League.)
And, we have to be honest, the Arabs wouldn't have allowed so many Jews to enter the Holy Land.
 
Third, disintellectualizing as you call it, is no option. Because the process was never intellectualized. It has always been the bomb. And a fistful of dollars.
You think Blair and Mitchell are intellectuals. They have a few skills which make them very useful. They serve to make the arms industry happier, by assessing adequate defense budgets.
 
Now, not out of a non existing world full of stupid ideals. Not because of civilization. Just making our skill of being greedy useful. Just starting from a sound and sane cost benefit analysis, I am convinced that they could have made far less stupid decisions than the decisions they have made. In the year of 1937, or 1948, or 1967, or 1973 or ... and so on and so on. Every moment we could have thought about cost and benefits.
 
And never able to think of a way back!
William Hamilton said of mankind: they floundered on from blunder to blunder. And do you know why. Because we think we stand on the shoulders of giants. It's the veneration of our ancestors that is paralyzing us, worship that is stopping us from second thoughts.
We are crawling in the mud. Time and time again.

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Miss_s_clause

Re: NOT SUCH A CYNICAL RESPONSE

By Shapiro, Tali at Jun 03, 2009 03:27 AM

Hey Leen,

I guess I was being sarcastic, as I utter the words “peace process”. And I was reading many analyses (intelligent and otherwise) about the latest meetings. I had absolutely nothing intelligent to say about it, but I did have something emotional to say (thus the title). I think what has become apparent to me is how arbitrary and artificial the situation is. How simply social connections can be made, and really the casual sitting is the ultimate weapon, because the majority of Jews are sure the territories are another country and that its inhabitants want to kill us. There is no option now but to get along, since some of us were unfortunately born here, and some even plan to stay. Better repent for our father’s and our own sins now, or continue on this bloody atrocity.

As for giants - I have respect only for those who have earned it.

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