More Absurdities

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.