It is an understatement to say that we live in a disturbed world. We are constantly disturbed by what we hear and read. We become more perplexed when government officials go out of line with reason or responsibility to take side without benefit to furthering peace in the world. Even worse when it is biased, it causes hardship.
These are some of the thoughts that come to the minds of readers around the world when they read objections by a member of a western Foreign Office to a visit by a female citizen of that country to Israel and Palestine.
They considered her visit on a diplomatic passport to meet the president of the Palestinian state a breach and prejudice of privileges. Others who are known to have lost “care” for the peoples of Palestine called on her husband to distance himself from his wife. In so doing they are not only instrumental in supporting the devastation of Palestine families but the family of one of their citizens.
If the shoe were on the other foot this would have been considered anti-Semitic. Not to forget that the Arabs are the real Semites.
The other “ethnic group” is partially Semitic and mostly European. This is for the record and hopefully the West can correct its records and refrain from obliterating ethnic origins.
The lady in question, is accused of “understanding” the motivations of Palestinian suicide bombers. But the comments in the letter from her husband, to the minister of the Western country that his wife also condemned such suicide attacks in her interview were deleted from the broadcast.
This clarification which can be verified did not go well with the director of the Anti Defamation League who considered the clarification from the husband to “give credence” to her actions. The Anti Defamation League “will take some further action to make its concerns heard”.
For the Western Governments and America not to raise a finger on this issue is no big news. But for the Arab media to keep silent is tragic. For the Arab media to keep quiet and not to report or declare a stand for the lady who is condemned for her effort to broker peace is a big shame.
It illustrates their dependency on Western reporting that understandably overlooks our side of the stories. The Palestinians right to decent existence is slaughtered not only by their enemy who robbed them of all their rights but also by many wrong actions and inactions by their brothers in the twenty Arab states and sleeping Arab media.
On behalf of the silent Arab majority whose hearts bleed for their Palestine brothers and their stolen land, a vote of thanks and appreciation to the wife and husband who high-lighted the bias of the West and asked from the lady and her husband, forgiveness for the sleeping Arab media.
As far as the twenty two Arab states: we are totally speechless.
Arab News Features 20 January 2003