Why Recognizing a Palestinian State would Benefit U.S.

CAUTION: This blog post will likely offend everyone with an opinion on this matter. 

With the upcoming Palestinian bid to the United Nations to become a state there has been much talk over the almost certain NO vote that will be cast by the United States. Now years ago I would have probably agreed with a "no" vote in this issue, but recent events have led me to think otherwise. They are the following:

1. The Floatilla Raid- During an attempted aid delivery from Turkey to Palestine, members of the Israeli military attacked civilians aboard the vessel in international waters. Nine people were killed and the attack was unprovoked (the people were also unarmed.) One of these was a Turkish-American. An AMERICAN! Has Israel gotten so far out of our control that they can get away with murdering Americans now? And that these were unarmed civilians in INTERNATIONAL waters? This was a catastrophic mistake made by the Israeli government which infuriated the Turkish government and strained relations near to a breaking point.

2.  Murder of Egyptian Soldiers-  A few weeks ago, the Israeli mistakenly killed some Egyptian soldiers. During the "Arab Spring" not only could you find Egyptian flags all around, but also Palestinian flags. They were then sold in Tahrir square alongside Libyan rebel flags...Palestine, despite the Egyptian government's relationship with Israel has always been a sensitive issue. But once their own soldiers were killed, Egypt, fresh off of a revolution where emotions and tensions still remain high, was furious. In retaliation, protesters tore down the wall around the Israeli embassy, broke into the building and tossed out several documents. Israel, unfortunately has isolated itself...now it's two strongest allies in the region, Egypt and Turkey, are vocally opposing them.

3. Security Improvement- As long as Palestine is not a sovereign nation it proves to be a threat. Here's why...Naturally, all Palestinians are not terrorists, but as we all know HAMAS operates from within the territories. One of the Middle East's and HAMAS' main qualms is that Palestine has been denied statehood. If they reach statehood, sure residents in the region will have to find something else to complain and hate us about, but it'll take them a long time to find something legitimate.

4. Israel is Prepared- Should the Palestinian State start a war or prove ineffective in stymieing its various anti-Israel groups, Israel is ready for them. And this time it will not be a bullying tactic or a slamming shut of the border...it will be a legitimate altercation and legal action recognized by the international community. Israel will no longer be thought of as a bully or aggressor but as a nation protecting its internationally recognized (well some of them) borders. Palestine will never have the ...I understand that the Israelis would rather deal with the Palestinians unilaterally but really they're running out of options and quite frankly intensifying the anger of everyone around them, friend and foe alike.


Does recognizing Palestine really affect U.S.?
My answer is no. Whatever issues would stem from recognizing Palestine as a state would have been their anyway, only worse because there would be no place for international dialogue to resolve those issues. This should not affect the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, because Israel basically has no other powerful allies and cannot afford to turn its back on the U.S. in resentment.

Furthermore, I live overseas and I am an American. There are thousands if not millions of other Americans living abroad teaching English, as Peace Corps volunteers, on military installations throughout the world and in school studying abroad, like me. Tensions are already in the Middle East and a "no" vote will only increase anti-American sentiment and endanger we expatriates. I lived in the Middle East during the Arab Spring and the killing of Osama bin Laden. Those things went without violent consequence and in the case of the revolutions they were even glad to have the Western support against their dictators. A "no" vote will not go without violence. Although the rest of the world and especially the Middle East expect the U.S. to vote no on this issue, the region is sensitive and reactionary at the moment. A "no" vote will simply stir up those emotions again and ake things a little less safer for me and my colleagues living abroad.

Little Known Facts (2): The Arab Slave Trade

As my previous post discusses, I recently did a bit of research on the Barbary Corsairs (North African Pirates). This, plus a conversation with my new classmate Alex who is originally from Eritrea, led me to do further research on the lesser known Arab Slave Trade.


You might be interested to know that the Arab Slave Trade preceded the European and American Slave Trades by about 700 years. It was wider spread and though there are discrepancies int he figures, there may have been three times the African slaves sold during the Arab Slave Trade than the European/American Slave Trade. Slaves were taken, mostly from East Africa, to places as far as Iran, India, the Arabian Gulf and even China. (Note: I was especially shocked to learn that I have been to three of the major North African port cities where slaves were sold and sent as cargo to meet the demands of the Middle East and South Asia, which are Cairo, Marrakech and Aswan. I had no idea that these places where I'd spent so much of my time were actually central hubs to supplying such an abysmal institutional practice)

According to one source, slaves taken over to India eventually revolted against their owners and took power in Bengal in the late 1400's. Instances such as these continued throughout the world...I also came across research about Arab-African perceptions of one another. Most Arab (and European) perceptions of Africans were negative, because most of them believed that Africans were of an inferior race. This is in direct opposition to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad in Islam, but it still exists even today. I saw a variety of reasons for this belief...some biblical, saying that the son of Noah, Ham, was cursed by being black and that the Africans were his descendants. Others claimed that it was because of, oddly enough, the physical features of having a "flat nose and kinky hair". Then a third, was because of the practices of animistic religion and other seemingly foreign concepts that led the outsiders to believe that the Africans were vile, corrupt, barbaric, ignorant, incapable of comprehension, uncultured, and prone to sexual promiscuity etc.

I then came across one of the few Arab travelers who actually visited West and East Africa. Rather than relying on hearsay, Amazigh (Berber) historian Ibn Battuta conducted his own research and the notes of his travels depict a very different pictures of Africans and Sub-Saharan Africa from the 1300's. He stated that the some of the cities in Africa were some of the most beautiful that he'd seen and that their craftmanship and architectural skills were impressive. Below are quotes from his notes.

"[The people of Mombasa in Kenya] are a religious people, trustworthy and righteous. Their mosques are made of wood, expertly built."

"Ibn Battuta was also impressed with aspects of the Mali Empire of West Africa, which he visited in 1352, writing that the people there:

'...possess some admirable qualities. They are seldom unjust, and have a greater abhorrence of injustice than any other people. There is complete security in their country. Neither traveler nor inhabitant in it has anything to fear from robbers or men of violence.'

—Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354

"In addition, he wrote many other positive comments on the people of the Mali Empire, including the following"^:

'I met the qadi of Malli... he is a black, has been on a pilgrimage, and is a noble person with good qualities of character... I met the interpreter Dugha, a noble black and a leader of theirs... They performed their duty towards me [as a guest] most perfectly; may God bless and reward them for their good deeds!'

'Another of [the Malli blacks'] good qualities is their concern for learning the sublime Qur'an by heart...One day I passed a handsome youth from them dressed in fine clothes and on his feet was a heavy chain. I said to the man who was with me, 'What has this youth done -- has he killed someone?' The youth heard my remark and laughed. It was told me, 'He has been chained so that he will learn the Qu'ran by heart.'

'[the people of Iwalatan in West Africa] were generous to me and entertained me...and as for their women -- they are extremely beautiful and are more important than the men...'

So, in summary, Ibn Battuta found the Africans in both West and East Africa to be noble people, religious people whom hated violence, inequality and unfairness. They were well dressed people who took pride in themselves and were committed to their religions. They had cities, states and empires instead of huts,as is depicted in today's cinema and history. They had governments, not anarchy. The sexes were egalitarian, especially in comparison to Europe and the Middle East at the time and the people's hospitality deeply moved Ibn Battuta.

This is what Africa was really like. This is what the African people were like before Colonization. Researchers say that the difference between Ibn Battuta's experience and the hearsay of those who had never been was that the Africans may have spread negative rumors in order to keep out potential invaders. Perhaps this is where many of the negative stereotypes and assumptions originated. Maybe they just stuck over time.

Nevertheless, I am greatly appreciative of Ibn Battuta for providing a more accurate historical depiction of what Africa was like back when my ancestors were still on the continent. It makes me feel like I am a little closer to home.

Little Known Facts: Pirate History and European Slavery

Years ago the hit song "Take Me Out" by the Scottish group Franz Ferdinand became intensely popular. Though some of the lyrics were incomprehensible, the songs military-esque rhythm and repetitive chorus made the song an instant sensation. A particular sentence in the first verse is what I always wondered about but never understood. It seems that the singer says "I'm just a cross-path" or "I'm just a cross-hair", so I looked up the lyrics and indeed they said "I'm just a cross-hair" whatever that means. But then, while scanning for books to use for my comprehensive examination I found one titled "A Nest of Corsairs". Aha! I thought. That must be what the true lyric says. I didn't know what a Corsair was so I visited my popular internet encyclopedia source and looked up Corsairs and the Barbary Coast came up on the screen.

Now I have studied piracy on the Barbary coast for some time now, but I never felt the need to read the specifics such as names and what not. Here's a brief recap on the history...


The Barbary Coast pirates (North Africans) interrupted trade routes in the Mediterranean in order to kidnap merchants and sailors from Western Europe and enslave them or request huge ransoms from the European governments for their release. This occurred for hundreds of years and men and women of European origin were captured and held at the will and whim of their Arab and Berber captors.

Later, upon the United States of America's new-found independence, Americans continued their supply routes through the Mediterranean in order to get supplies from Europe and beyond. Several hundred of these Americans were also taken captive and forced to work as servants and concubines until the American government could pay for their release. These captives would be released and return to the U.S. as the primary endorsers of the emancipation of black slaves in America. (the Abolitionists)

The American government suspected that the British (still bitter about the recent loss of their colony) were secretly funding the Barbary pirates in order to interrupt American trade and shipping. The result was the start of the U.S. Navy, which would, of course, later become the most powerful navy in the world. A treaty was made with the Kingdom of Morocco in order to assert that they would no longer take part in the activity against the U.S., thus Morocco became the first nation to officially recognize the United States as a sovereign nation. This created a lasting friendship that continues to this day. On the other hand, the Algerian government made no such agreement. The piracy continued for decades until the French invaded Algeria in the early 1800's.


Another primary item that I found especially riveting was that the Corsairs were pirates with names startlingly similar to cinematic pirates that we all have come to know and love. One is Barbarossa, (there were actually 4 Barbarossa brothers) also known as Red Beard. His name is also extraordinarily similar to Captain Barbossa in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. The next was a pirate named Captain Jack Ward, who never traveled to the Caribbean apparently, but held quite a similar resume to that of Captain Jack Sparrow, the main "prantagonist" from the "Pirates" series.

Not all of the Corsairs were Arab or Amazigh (Berber)..many were European. On the other hand, many of the slaves and servants taken into captivity were Europeans. It truly captivates and amazes me how our fiction becomes our history, our history becomes our fiction, and we remember only what we wish to and forget what is necessary to remember...

AUC Protesters tear down American Flag on Campus

AUC protesters tear down American flag on campus

The excitement and idiocy continues. Now, as the following article from Al Masry al Youm states, the protests on campus have gotten out of control. Apparently in addition to the ripped down American flag at the AMERICAN University in Cairo, rumor has it that our university President Dr. Lisa Anderson had water bottles thrown at her as she exited talks. Personally, I think this says a lot about the so-called elite of Egypt. 

First, I think it shows plainly that this revolution is in trouble. If these rich sons and daughters of businessmen and politicians cannot contain themselves, how can a country of 80 million with a 40% illiteracy rate? Second, it has occurred to me that when we had a male as President of the University things didn't get so out of hand during strikes and sit-ins...personally I find this to be blatant discrimination and the way the protesters have been treating, speaking to and refusing to negotiate with Dr. Anderson is totally disrespectful. Thirdly, tearing down an American flag at an American institution? Why? Not only have they alienated the international students now, but they have also fragmented their own movement with this move. 

Again, I find this incredibly disrespectful as an American. I don't go around tearing down Egyptian flags every time something happens to me in Egypt that I don't like. If I did, they wouldn't have any flags left, believe me! They say that the administration cannot treat Egyptians like dogs...tres dramatique...I guess they forgot that the school isn't just for them.

AUC protesters tear down American flag on campus

Basant Zain-eddine

Fri, 16/09/2011 - 16:53

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Photographed by Nada Badawy

 

Student and worker protesters at the American University in Cairo (AUC) further escalated their demonstration on Thursday by taking down the American flag on campus, as they continue protesting the policies of the university administration and university President Lisa Anderson.

The protesters issued a statement on Friday that harshly criticized the way the university has negotiated, and denied rumors that a protesting student had assaulted the university president.

The protesters have decided to continue their open-ended sit-in before they discuss further steps for escalation.

The students and workers tore down the American flag, which had been raised beside the Egyptian one, in protest against a campus security officer who allegedly assaulted Ahmed Ezzat, vice president of the university student union, following a protester meeting with Anderson.

The demonstrators demanded Anderson apologize for ignoring their demands or else leave the university, claiming that Anderson did not respect them. They said she described their meeting as "ridiculous," and told them she did not have time to listen to "such absurdities."

Student Khaled Zekry said protesters did not burn or rip the flag after taking it down, adding that Ahmed Alaa, president of student union, handed over the flag intact to the director of the services and facilities department.

The Guardian newspaper described the protest as an extension of the education protest movements which started in Egypt this week. 

The newspaper also mentioned that the AUC students pay tuition fees eight times the average Egyptian annual income, adding that they belong to the country's elite and are raised to be its future economic and political leaders.

This reputation has begun to collapse since last Sunday, though, after the students began protesting the increased cost of university parking and directing criticism at the university administration, the newspaper added.

The Guardian quoted teacher Moataz Shawky as saying, "We cannot let [the administration] treat the Egyptians like dogs." 

Shawky demanded that the university administration respond to the students, also accusing it of allowing snipers to shoot at Tahrir demonstrators from university buildings during the revolution.

In the sarchastic words of my colleague Adam... "Why don't we give this Syria thing a try?"

Things are about to get very interesting... This is an article from The Guardian news agency written today. The military on Egypt is an important institution that has been in place for the entirety of Egypt's history as a sovereign nation, especially during the past century. Only a few short months ago, the army was greeted with flowers, kisses and, of course, cups of tea when they replaced police forces on the streets of Cairo. Following this takeover and the stepping down of then President Hosni Mubarak, a twitter message congratulated Egypt for it's successful and peaceful revolution. It also darkly warned Egypt not to "let the military entrench itself", signed, love Pakistan. 

 

The protestors' success was the result of the military's siding with them during the revolution. Had they not done this, perhaps a situation more like Syria would have occurred (and still be occurring). It has been nearly eight months since the revolution began, yet many in Egypt believe that the political process is not taking place quickly enough. There are still weekly protests in Tahrir square following Friday prayers, and sometimes these protests are more violent than others.

An example of this was shown this past weekend during a night of violence and vandalism when the wall around the Israeli Embassy was torn down by protesters. The following news article describes the consequences caused by that night and the action that the military has proposed to take. In light of this, perhaps the Egyptian people will appreciate all that the military has done for them and be more patient... After all Rome wasn't built in a day and Europe took nearly 200 years to stabilize after revolution. I suppose that the age of fast-food, microwaves, and instant messaging has even affected the capacity of the third world's patience for change. I thought it was just U.S.

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/12/egypt-live-rounds-protest-crackdown

Egypt threatens to use live rounds in security crackdown

Interim military regime says it will open fire to protect buildings after Israeli embassy in Cairo was attacked

• Jack Shenker in Cairo
• guardian.co.uk, Monday 12 September 2011 13.05 BST
• Article history

Anti-riot police take position at the police academy during the trial of former president Hosni Mubarak, in Cairo. Photograph: Khaled Elfiqi/EPA
Egyptian authorities have detained a further 92 people and vowed to use live ammunition to protect key buildings following the storming of the Israeli embassy last week, which left three protesters dead and provoked the worst crisis in Israel-Egypt relations for a generation. "We won't allow anyone to attack the interior ministry or any police station," the interior minister, Mansour al-Essawy, told state TV. "According to the law, we will resist … If there is a danger to a building or those present inside the building, we will confront with bullets." The latest crackdown brings the total number of arrests from Friday's protests to 130, and comes as Turkey's prime minister prepares to fly into the Egyptian capital on Monday night, to begin a four-day tour of north Africa. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is embroiled in his own diplomatic row with Israel over the killing of pro-Palestinian Turkish activists by Israeli soldiers on the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara aid flotilla ship last year, will address the Arab League on Tuesday. He is expected to outline Turkey's new "regional foreign policy vision", promoting closer ties with revolutionary Arab countries and sidelining their one-time ally Israel. The trip will involve high-level talks with the de facto Egyptian leader, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, and the interim prime minister, Essam Sharaf, with discussions focused on the forthcoming Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN, which both countries support, and the development of closer business links between the two nations. Turkey's trade with the Arab world has increased six-fold under Erdogan's rule – an indication of the country's shifting diplomatic and economic priorities in the Middle East. Erdogan's rhetoric is likely to resonate strongly in post-Mubarak Egypt, where anger has been mounting in recent weeks over Israel's blockade of Gaza and a recent border incident that left six Egyptian soldiers dead at the hands of Israeli military forces. The latest developments have left Egypt's military junta in a tricky position, as it seeks to appease public anger while reassuring foreign allies that it will carry on meeting its international obligations under the Camp David peace treaty with Israel. Friday's clashes in and around the Israeli embassy come at a critical time for Egypt, as the trial of the former president Hosni Mubarak gathers pace and preparations continue for the country's first democratic elections in November. On Sunday, Tantawi rejected a summons to give evidence at Mubarak's court case, claiming he was too busy dealing with the ongoing security situation in the capital. Tantawi is now scheduled to attend the trial in late September, along with several other key witnesses including Mubarak's former spy chief and vice-president, Omar Suleiman, the army's chief of staff, Sami Anan, and the current and former interior ministers. The judge has declared that testimony will be given in private, with television cameras barred from the courtroom. Meanwhile, the separate trial of 25 former regime stalwarts on the charge of organising February's "battle of the camel" assault on Tahrir Square has begun. The incident on 2 February, which took place at the height of the anti-Mubarak uprising and provided some of the revolution's most memorable images, saw pro-Mubarak thugs on horses and camels armed with rods and maces charging protesters, and capped one of the bloodiest days of this year's dramatic political upheaval. An official report into the attack accused Safwat el-Sherif, a senior figure in Mubarak's ruling NDP party, of organising the assault. Sherif and his fellow defendants have denied all the charges against them.

Annual AUC Strike: Rage against the Machine

AUC Students Strike against University in Opposition to Tuition Increase
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65MKeXzs8HA&feature=share

It has been a somewhat disappointing, yet interesting start to the school year. Students and workers are protesting together against the university's sharp tuition hike and the extraordinarily low pay that workers receive. Normally I would side with the protesters, however, I feel that the true root of this is that everyone in this country has been bitten by the protest bug.


One thing you should note about the students of my university is this... Most of these kids are rich. They're millionaires. They are the sons and daughters of the richest businessmen in Egypt, as well as prominent politicians. Their tuition comes from their parents. They don't have jobs, they don't need loans. They drive flashy vehicles, carry Fendi and Prada purses and play on their Blackberry's all day. Most don't take their education seriously whatsoever, thus I find it difficult to feel pity for them. The strike took place in front of the largest building on campus, hence, blocking my way to class. I noticed that they ha a lot of signage stating their demands. When I say signage...I mean expensive color posters printed...hundreds of them. Also there are gigantic colored banners hanging from the rooftops of the large campus buildings. Interesting that they paid all of this money for signage and transportation to the university only to strike AGAINST the university.

(Sidenote: Their strike has also only been conducted in Arabic. This doesn't really allow the international students to get involved.)

Last September there were similar strikes against the pay cut that the university attempted to hand the security guards and janitorial staff. The cut was sliced down to a mere 600 Egyptian Pounds per month, which is equivalent to 100 dollars. Yes, one hundred dollars was supposed to feed the families of these workers. The university then raised the pay to 1,100 Egyptian Pounds per month, which is nearer to two hundred dollars. Doesn't sound like much? Apparently the average doctor and lawyer make 500 Egyptian Pounds per month. Hence, this strike was both very needed and successful.

Much like that strike, however, there were negative consequences on the campus. The non-International students at the university find it impossible to empty their garbage into a trashcan once they have completed their meals...hence the cafeteria is covered with wrappers, half-eaten burgers and other debris from McDonald's. It looked like an advertisement for a McDonald's-specific landfill....horrible. The restrooms have not fared much better, since the janitorial staff is on strike.

Reports of student violence against security guards and vandalism have surfaced and the campus has greatly been disrupted although our classes are continuing. Only time will tell how long this strike (which has become an annual occurrence) will end.