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Colonizers are supposed to be experts on the “Divide and Rule”
policy. We have not only read about it in history books, we have
watched it, and lived through it. So it is not surprising at all
that Israel is now putting conditions for resuming negotiations with
the Palestinians after the agreement of reconciliation between Fateh
and Hamas has taken place. What is surprising is that Israel
continues to claim that it has no peace partner, and it cannot resume
negotiations with the PA when there is a split between Fateh and
Hamas. And now that the Palestinians are in the process of
reconciliation, Israel is putting its conditions. It is very clear
that Israel is not interested in peace. It is simply interested in
being left in peace on all the piece of Palestinian land.
From day one of the peace process Israel has not stopped building
settlements and has been continuously creating a new reality on the
ground. The most recent plans for new settlements in the Ramallah
area just proves its arrogance, and its ability to get away with
anything. And now we hear talk about the solution of the century
involving all the region. Just like the peace process was a stepping
stone for Israel to be accepted by the Arab world, these new
initiatives will guarantee the peace of mind that Israel is seeking.
When will the international community live up to its responsibility
and hold the state that it has created accountable for all its
violations of human rights and international law? The latest
absurdities are the various state legislation in the USA, against the
BDS. One of the victims of the Hurricane in Texas could not believe
that for contractors to be able to get Hurricane rebuilding money
in Dickenson, Texas, they must promise they won’t boycott Israel. He
said: “What does Israel or boycotting it have to do with our
disaster? Indeed a sensible question, but little did he realize that
there is no limit to how far the tentacles of Israel can reach.
However, amidst all those absurdities, we were able to enjoy a lovely
and peaceful evening on Friday night at the Dominican Church in
Jerusalem listening to Mozart’s Requiem played by the Palestine Youth
Orchestra of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, with the
Harmonia Vocis Choir from the Lausanne area in Switzerland under the
baton of Julien Laloux. A few Local members of the Magnificat
Franciscan Music school joined the choir as well. And some of the
students of the Arabic Music program at Birzeit University played some
improvisations in between the different sections of the Requiem which
blended beautifully with the atmosphere. The heavenly voices of the
soloists, Zoe Vauconsant Massicotte from Canada, Dima Bawab, a
Palestinian-Jordanian, Marin Yonchev from Plovdiv and Hardmeyer
Raphael from Lausanne added special aura to the concert. We even
forgot that life was not normal outside the gates of the church, and
that the occupation forces were around the corner. The event was the
last of a whole week of cultural activities by the network of the
cultural and art organizations in Jerusalem.
