The FT
6 January 2009
Re: Jihad guy photo
[Hamas faces a share of the blame, T Buck, 5 jan 2009]
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da9b89b0-db53-11dd-be53-000077b07658.html
Sir,
I continue to laud the FT for its fair exposition of the facts so often conveniently eclipsed about Hamas, its activities, support for it, assassinations of its leaders, and more.
I will point out one fairly inconsequential detail.
The fighter in the photo represents Islamic Jihad, not Hamas.
Neither would mind the mixup, and even the name of the group looks similar in Arabic, with some of the letters hidden on the left [Quds Brigades, for Jihad, looks like the beginning of Qassam Brigades, for Hamas]. But you can tell by the tell-tale Jihad logo with a map of Palestine between the two fists. Hamas’s logo has evolved in time, though.
In any case, the photo gives valuable sociological information.
1. It is a professional photo, clearly posed, perhaps to be used for a martyr poster in that eventuality.
2. He is married so he has strong commitments to life on this earth, and to protecting his community, especially those in need most, such as women and children.
3. He is young and handsome – note the fine eyebrows and beautiful eyes, quite a contrast to the quizzical smirk in the photo accompanying Edward Luce’s lucid comment about “no presidents whatsoever” on the same page [Bush stops short of condemnation, 6 jan 2009].
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4dccc074-db91-11dd-be53-000077b07658.html
4. He is courageous. He braves the colossal metal behemoths and superior technical weaponry of the heavily-helmeted occupying army, while he is bareheaded but for thin nylon.
Just a few observations.
Annie Higgins
Chicago
07 January 2009
Letter to FT: One State, 6 jan 2009
The FT
6 January 2009
Re: One State
Letter: Powerful case for one-state solution, Prof Ure, 6 jan 2009]
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3084c7c8-db91-11dd-be53-000077b07658.html
Sir,
Professor John Ure is convincing, that there is “a powerful case for [the] one-state solution,” as articulated by Edward Said. This was the one point where my contrarian self found its nature in response to the Gaza gamble leader of the day before; however that piece was so true to so many realities and needs, that I felt I could keep mum on this. I do feel, however, that politics eventually follows the logic of human life. This may seem overly hopeful, but I think it is ultimately practical. Humans are not so clearly divided as politics, or governing authorities, try to make them. For instance, during one of the periods of repeated house to house searches in Balata Refugee Camp in Nablus, a resident received daily phonecalls from her Jewish Israeli employer, checking on her and expressing grief over her government’s actions. Ties like this outlast political tangles. Another example: in better times, Jewish Israelis would visit a coworker’s family in Jenin Refugee Camp, and this coworker was a political leader with a militant group. Both hosts and guests see farther than their governments, and their governments may eventually reach the level of human cooperation of their people.
While the small everyday individual transactions may seem insignificant to the larger picture, I feel that these little dots will eventually redefine the picture itself.
The one-state idea needs time to take form in peoples’ imaginations, even as an impossibility, before it can be considered as a possible possibility. Thank you for giving it space as a response to the leader, which surely received many varied responses.
Also thank you for this lovely photo of Edward Said, a fitting tribute to him, and quite a contrast to the ‘no presidents whatsoever’ image on an earlier page!
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4dccc074-db91-11dd-be53-000077b07658.html
Annie Higgins
Chicago
6 January 2009
Re: One State
Letter: Powerful case for one-state solution, Prof Ure, 6 jan 2009]
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3084c7c8-db91-11dd-be53-000077b07658.html
Sir,
Professor John Ure is convincing, that there is “a powerful case for [the] one-state solution,” as articulated by Edward Said. This was the one point where my contrarian self found its nature in response to the Gaza gamble leader of the day before; however that piece was so true to so many realities and needs, that I felt I could keep mum on this. I do feel, however, that politics eventually follows the logic of human life. This may seem overly hopeful, but I think it is ultimately practical. Humans are not so clearly divided as politics, or governing authorities, try to make them. For instance, during one of the periods of repeated house to house searches in Balata Refugee Camp in Nablus, a resident received daily phonecalls from her Jewish Israeli employer, checking on her and expressing grief over her government’s actions. Ties like this outlast political tangles. Another example: in better times, Jewish Israelis would visit a coworker’s family in Jenin Refugee Camp, and this coworker was a political leader with a militant group. Both hosts and guests see farther than their governments, and their governments may eventually reach the level of human cooperation of their people.
While the small everyday individual transactions may seem insignificant to the larger picture, I feel that these little dots will eventually redefine the picture itself.
The one-state idea needs time to take form in peoples’ imaginations, even as an impossibility, before it can be considered as a possible possibility. Thank you for giving it space as a response to the leader, which surely received many varied responses.
Also thank you for this lovely photo of Edward Said, a fitting tribute to him, and quite a contrast to the ‘no presidents whatsoever’ image on an earlier page!
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4dccc074-db91-11dd-be53-000077b07658.html
Annie Higgins
Chicago
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