Tuesday, October 5, 2010

a broken heart..and a hope that refuses to die

hello everybody.
it has been a while since I've written.
i am actually writing under the saddest of circumstances.
you all know Israel and Palestine are in the midst of peace talks. yes, peace talks. sounds like a joke, doesn't it? it's incredible. so many years of dreaming and waiting and here we are in the midst of direct talks: why does it all feel so dull?

well, obviously: we have been disappointed and disillusioned so many times, it seems none of us can muster even the slightest bit of enthusiasm. we have become hardened by our sad reality,our hope has reduced itself to a tiny trickle...it seems hallucinatory to think that under the existing circumstances, any progress can be made...
and yet....??
who knows?? the tiny dream naggingly persists...

one thing is for sure: the extremists on both sides will do their very best to destroy what is being built. they thrive on fear, hatred and suspicion. they are vampires, lurking the dark nights of our lives, sucking the fresh blood of hope from the bodies of our children.yes, i know that's graphic and jolting, but no understatement is in order where these monsters are concerned.
we witnessed Lieberman's bleek speech at the UN (yes, words are as destructive as bombs),the shooting of the Jewish family in the territories, the burning and defiling of mosques by settlers, we see the devilish joy in the eyes of those eager to continue the "building" in the settlements, that "building" which is actually a guise for destruction and hopelessness...and all in the name og god, of course, as always.

and now, another bitter anecdote to add to the growing list of atrocities.

i have a good friend, an amazing man. i cannot disclose his name, so a snot to endanger him forther.
he is a Palestinian peace activist who has dedicated his life to working with young people in Gaza and offering an alternative to the hate-driven terrorist organizations who suck in the youth and recruit them for acts of violence and suicide.
this man is a man of principles. a man of peace. dedicated to building bridges, to deepening understanding. a man a valour.

when hamas took over Gaza, his life was in danger. he escaped , with the help of his Israeli friends and colleagues, to ramallah, just hours before they came for him. he and his immediate family now live in ramallah, where he continues his peace activity.

but.... his brother and mother were left behind.

a few weeks ago his brother was arrested by hamas and thrown into prison.
through great efforts, a red-cross representative was allowed to visit him, and reported that he was alive, but nothing more.

a few days ago, hamas made the news public:
40 people, whose names were listed, had been arrested and imprisoned, accused of collaborating with Israel.

they are to be given a "fair trial", and executed.

my friend's brother was on the list.

since then, his mother has stopped taking her medicine, eating or drinking. she has no reason to live.
my friend is on the verge of physical and mental collapse.

he, and all of us, are helpless in the face of such cruelty, such madness, such sinister atrocity.

and all for what?
for revenge? for a public display of power? to remind Abbas whose boss?? to tamper with the Peace talks? to make sure terror continues to reign supreme???

yes, all of the above.
yes, god above, all in your name.


i am disgusted, appalled and nauseous.
i do not want to think what my friend is going through (he is not answering the phone)

if there is a god up there, (which i highly doubt), this would be a good time to show some of that merciful etc etc he or she is attributed with.

as for you, "brave" leaders of Israel and Palestine....work it out already!!!! if he is do die, let it not be in vain!!!!!!

with my deepest wish for better days,
a heartbroken Noa

11 comments:

  1. Very sad news. We are with you! Please don’t give up! Israel and Palestine needs you. Me too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Noa.
    I send you my love though the net...I start to write you my deep feeling and I finally I send you just my love because every things have been writing and a better way and with my poor English!!!
    To be strong with love that the only way to survived today.
    God is dead killed by the same one who says they love him.
    Killed by love… Let’s think about it...
    Massada

    ReplyDelete
  3. My heart is broken too. I know that is hard to understand all these violence acts. But somehow God knows everything. All in this earth is just the beginning. Your friend will be fine. Enjoy your music gift. Be always in peace.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Peace is the answer, with peace words are possible, only with words peace is possible.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dearest Noa, a story like this and one falls silent ... is a deadly silence somehow ... I want to hope, I want to speak up, I want to pray ... I promised someone to do so and to never give up hope ... love love love, Josephine

    ReplyDelete
  6. It is horrible Noa to read all this. I was in Israel 11 years ago , before the second Intifada and before there was a wall between Israelien territory and the West Bank / Gaza. I had such a good time during those 3 months. Met wonderfull Israelien and Arabic/palestinian people . I saw their dreams and hopes and at that time possitive lifestyle.
    It saddens me so much when I hear and see how things have become worse and worse during the last years. It really brings me to tears sometimes . I know that behind the kibbutz where I stayed now stands a great wall , hard to imagine when you live in Europe.
    What else can I do then keep hoping that once that beautifull country Israel , which supposted to be a land of hope and freedom for so many people ,will make that dream come true .
    I pray to what ever higher spirit for your friend and his family .
    With Love Annet

    ReplyDelete
  7. It saddends me so much to read all this , will this beautifull land off hope and dreams , what it a very long time ago supposed to be , ever make this dream come true for all people who live in it .
    I pray for your friend and his family to whatever higher spirit for mercy and common sence .
    Shalom Annet

    ReplyDelete
  8. I recently attended a Conference here in New York about the EU and its position concerning the Peace Talks.
    It's all the usual blah-blah, we're always left disillusioned, but thank god, never hopeless.
    I'm very sorry for your friend and his family, my thoughts and prayers are with them.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wishing your friend's family a miracle and a saving from Hama-s and in any case, all the best. It's really a devastating news to hear, especially since you mention someone personally and not nameless victims (who are already sad enough to hear of).
    On the other hand, I highly doubt that G-d is to be made responsable for the crimes humans plan an work out, in whatever name possible. It's not that He owns us anything (the last thing would be interventio in our free will); but rather that we owe Him everything (starting and ending with our souls and everything in between).

    Somehow, it might be a relief for your friend and his family to be re-assured once again what noble souls his mother and brother are. In case they die. What we don't hope.
    How are they?

    Please don't take my comment as an offence, in case you thought of doing so.

    Kol tuv
    CHaya
    isrealreflection.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. You have touched me deeply, I have given up many years ago, dreaming of peace...which will never come ! My heart and soul are with you all, may your friend and his family find peace and mercy, where there is love there is light, only universal love and compassion will cure everything...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Noa, there must be something we can do to help your friend!!! and thus to make a statement regarding the total of the peace proces!!! To all who read this: let us start an awareness action. All our drops will add to the small stream that starts the river, flowing to the sea of change. Who sends me a message as a start of this? I'll add Noa's message above and we'll simply distribute! COME ON!

    Tom,
    Tom@magilcchi.nl

    ReplyDelete