« My Western friends don’t understand my emotions regarding the Palestinian issue. I have friends whom I deeply respect, belonging to the so-called Western democratic world. I don’t want to reveal their nationality or stigmatize them. I’ve realized that there is a huge gap between me and them concerning the Middle East conflict. Unfortunately, we are not on the same side when it comes to the history of the Middle East conflict.
I have painfully understood that they all adhere to the Zionist thesis. They are blinded by the massacre of the Second World War, which naturally happened in their region, in Europe, so they feel guilty towards Jews in general. They are far from understanding that being Jewish doesn’t necessarily mean being a Zionist. That Zionism is an ideology, a hegemonic and destructive strategy for peoples, and that Palestine is a victim of this excessive and racist doctrine.
Despite the massacre unfolding before our eyes in Gaza, they continue to repeat the same discourse, that Israel has the right to this, Israel has the right to that. But are rights reserved only for Israeli Zionists? Israel, the occupier, defends itself against the terrorism of Palestinian, generally Arab, militants.
I’ve understood that even if I share with them a love for European literature, art, and music, the fault lies in culture and religion. My friends see themselves more in images of Israeli men, women, and children, victims of what they call Palestinian terrorism, and they do not see themselves in the massacre and atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinian children, women, and men. They don’t resemble them, don’t inspire them; the women are veiled, the men bearded, and the children are not white. These people, these victims by the thousands, mean nothing to them. They have the physiognomy of what their media presents to them as terrorists, Islamic fanatics.
The abrupt gap in different cultures is shocking. My friends know and recognize only what their society presents to them as acceptable, bearable. Their culture prevents them from recognizing a genocide, seeing evil and injustice, even when they see thousands of innocent Palestinian victims fall. Even if they know that these people they consider dangerous and fanatical are ultimately victims of occupation. They are imprisoned, deprived of everything, even water and food.
My friends have come to believe, through enduring insidious Zionist propaganda, that the victims of Gaza deserve their fate. Unconsciously and also out of indifference, they truly think that they are subhuman or animals, as the Zionists keep repeating and which is often echoed and tolerated in their mass media.
I’ve also understood that my knowledge of the world is broader than theirs, that I am more cultured and better informed than they are. Their arrogance, often unconscious, irresistibly leads them into the trap of complacency and ignorance. I know everything about them, and they know nothing about me, starting with my culture and my religion. They cannot differentiate because I know their faith, and they are ignorant of mine. They are full of prejudices, and I am open to all cultures, refraining from judgment.
Zionist indoctrination has wreaked havoc in the world; it has divided humanity. There are those who have supremacy and deserve to live dignified lives, and then there is everyone else. Yet, my friends were born in countries of ‘human rights.’ However, they end up believing that these ‘human rights’ do not concern all of humanity, only the part that has money and power—the category with fair skin and light eyes.
God said in the Holy Quran:
وَلَنْ تَرْضَىٰ عَنْكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلَا النَّصَارَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَىٰ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ [١٢٠]
Translation: English
Neither the Jews nor the Christians will ever be satisfied with you until you follow their religion. Say, « Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance. » If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allah no protector or helper. »
Traduction en allemand
« Meine westlichen Freunde verstehen meine Emotionen in Bezug auf das palästinensische Problem nicht. Ich habe Freunde, die ich sehr schätze und die zur sogenannten westlichen demokratischen Welt gehören. Ich möchte weder ihre Nationalität offenlegen noch sie stigmatisieren. Ich habe erkannt, dass es eine riesige Kluft zwischen mir und ihnen in Bezug auf den Nahostkonflikt gibt. Leider sind wir nicht auf der gleichen Seite, wenn es um die Geschichte des Nahostkonflikts geht.
Ich habe schmerzhaft verstanden, dass sie alle der zionistischen These anhängen. Sie sind geblendet durch das Massaker des Zweiten Weltkriegs, das natürlich in ihrer Region, in Europa, stattfand, daher fühlen sie sich gegenüber Juden im Allgemeinen schuldig. Sie sind weit davon entfernt zu verstehen, dass jüdisch sein nicht zwangsläufig bedeutet, Zionist zu sein. Dass Zionismus eine Ideologie, eine hegemoniale und zerstörerische Strategie für Völker ist und dass Palästina Opfer dieser übermäßigen und rassistischen Lehre ist.
Trotz des Massakers, das sich vor unseren Augen im Gazastreifen abspielt, wiederholen sie weiterhin dieselbe Argumentation, dass Israel das Recht dazu hat, Israel hat das Recht dazu. Aber gelten Rechte nur für israelische Zionisten? Israel, der Besatzer, verteidigt sich gegen den Terrorismus palästinensischer, im Allgemeinen arabischer, Militanter.
Ich habe verstanden, dass selbst wenn ich mit ihnen die Liebe zur europäischen Literatur, Kunst und Musik teile, der Fehler in der Kultur und Religion liegt. Meine Freunde sehen sich mehr in Bildern israelischer Männer, Frauen und Kinder, Opfer dessen, was sie als palästinensischen Terrorismus bezeichnen, und sie sehen sich nicht im Massaker und den Gräueltaten, die Israel gegen palästinensische Kinder, Frauen und Männer begeht. Sie gleichen ihnen nicht, inspirieren sie nicht; die Frauen sind verschleiert, die Männer sind bärtig und die Kinder sind nicht weiß. Diese Menschen, diese Opfer zu Tausenden, bedeuten
