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The
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Stabs
Youth
by Juman
Khweis
Maryam
Ghaben, a Palestinian mother filled with
sorrow says, "I feel for the Israeli
mothers who lost children to Palestinian
bombs." Like the multitude of lacerated
victims of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, Maryam's loved ones were
murdered by an exploding tank shell.
Arnold Roth, an Israeli father of six,
yearns for philanthropy because his 15
year old daughter, Malka, was murdered by
a suicide bomber. Because of Zionism, I
believe that a two state solution is
virtually impossible. Ignorant people on
both sides act childish because they
believe Palestine or Israel is their
"homeland." This opinion is pure nonsense
because a mono-cultural state cannot
prosper. What message is the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict conveying to
youth, such as myself?
Moreover,
Israeli Zionism, a spiteful movement
dedicated to taking land through plunder
for vast Jewish settlement, contradicts
"give more than you receive." Palestinians
and Israelis against Zionism are not
allowed peaceful, non-violent lives.
Indeed, Zionism creates mental, emotional,
and social annihilation among youth. For
example, Roa Salameh, a 12 year old
Palestinian, wants to slaughter innocent
Israeli civilians through suicide bombing,
which saddens me. As Zionists annex land
to Israel, youth worldwide recognize the
contradiction: Receive more than you give?
Heartbreakingly, Zionists have obviously
misconstrued the value of "give more than
you receive" because they "receive" land,
and in return, "give" hardship to society.
I, an Arab-Palestinian, question how a two
state solution is feasible when Zionists
are raiding land and being
self-centered.
Furthermore,
as youngsters we are taught that "sharing
is caring," but selfish Israelis and
Palestinians who believe Israel/Palestine
is their "homeland" are demolishing and
detracting from this idea. Nobody on Earth
has the right to claim a "homeland"
because they did not create it. Native
Americans claiming America as their
homeland, and consequently deporting
Americans of other ethnicities, would be
similar to the Israeli/Palestinian
scenario--outrageous! Sharing plays a
major role in human interaction. Sensible,
mature Israelis and Palestinians are
deprived of this value due to edacious
people creating a world of cultural
seclusion.
Lastly,
diversity is our alternative oxygen; in
fact, cultural interaction has contributed
to food, dance, clothing, holiday
traditions, music, etc. Without a
multi-cultural world people, including me,
would undeniably have difficulty bonding
and sharing. Due to the unfortunate greed
of certain Palestinians and Israelis, the
peace doves on both sides cannot end this
venomous chapter of war. Clearly, the
lacking key ingredient is cultural/racial
tolerance. Open minded Israelis and
Palestinians know that connection is a
necessity for peace. For fifty consecutive
years, stubborn Palestinians and Israelis
have been transmitting this erroneous
message to youth: cultural interaction is
unimportant and inferior to
wealth.
In
conclusion, I witness Israelis and
Palestinians heading the wrong way down a
one way street. Zionism is a deceitful
route because it is supposed to establish
stable lives for Jews but instead creates
hatred between Israelis and Palestinians.
Unfortunatley, Zionists "receive" more
than they "give." Israelis and
Palestinians who do not want to share
their so called "homeland" disrupt the
cycle of sharing. Heterogeneity allows
cultural interaction, but the desire for a
mono-cultural state stanches the flow of
this interaction. Because this horrendous
conflict has continued for over fifty
years, youth are unable to extricate
themselves from a pool brimming with
contradiction, hypocrisy, greed, and
violence.
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