Tuesday, January 15

Questions for your answers

Mazin Qumsiyeh

Questions for US Citizens, for Israelis, for Arabs
and Muslims (including Palestinians), and for the
rest of the world. These are some of the many, many
questions we ponder (I admit a bias to questions l
eaning towards questioning hypocrisy). I would
like to compile more questions and brief answers
at my website at http://qumsiyeh.com/questionsandanswers/


Please send your questions and brief answers to any
or all questions to me at qumsi001@hotmail.com
Unless you request otherwise, your name will be

included in posting your answer).
FOR US CITIZENS

When Israeli forces murdered US Citizen Rachel
Corrie, what was your reaction (action)?

We learned in 2006 new facts that show convincingly
that Israel's attack on the US Ship in International waters
(USS Liberty) was deliberate and yet our government
under the influence of a foreign lobby refuses to
address it. What is your thought on what you
can do to address this?

When you hear politicians speak about American
citizens, have you ever considered that America is
far larger than the US (incl. North, Central,
and South America)?

Do you believe in politician's promise of
"change"? How did we historically have real
change (civil rights, ending the war on Vietnam,
ending US support for Apartheid South Africa etc)?

When Bush visited Yad Vashem, did anyone point
out to him or to our media in the US that the remains
of the Palestinian village of Deir Yassin, inhabitants
of which were massacred by some of the folks
standing with him in the same building across the valley?

In Bush's stay at King David Hotel, did any one
point out to him that his host, Tzipi Livni belonged
to the same party that bombed it killing scores of
British and Palestinians (Jews, Muslims, and Christians)
and that it was actually her father who
oversaw that terrorist operation?

In Bush's visit to Bethlehem, why did he not call for
dismantling the wall around Bethlehem?
(He did say he looks forward to the day that
there will be a Palestinian state, meaning Bantustan,
without walls and without implementing International law)?

In presidential election in 2004, over 70 million
dollars in donations went to candidates from Jewish
supporters of apartheid Israel. More than 2/3rd went to
the Democratic party (hence Kerry/Edwards just like
Bush/Cheney catered to their demands).
In this election campaign, Zionist controlled media and
large sums of cash mad sure that any candidates who
do not pander to Israel are excluded (e.g. Paul and Kucinich).
Most candidates made more trips to Israel than
they did to Chicago or Detroit. What is left of
the US democracy?

The US Navy now admits (after Iranians released
their own video/audio) that the source of the audio
"threat" against a US ship may not be from Iran.
The US Navy shot down an Iranian civilian airplane in
1988 due to what later became obviously known as
US radar error. Considering the above and the
desire of Zionists for Bush to wage yet another
war for Israel, what is the likelihood of a gulf of Tonkin
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7182637.stm
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011108J.shtml

Considering that a number of scholars are attacked
by Zionist forces in the US and some lost their jobs
because they spoke the truth, what happens after
academic freedom is lost?

Considering that hundreds of detainees in Guantanamou
and elsewhere continue to be held without charge or trial,
what is the status of constitutional protections?
How about even treatments of US residents and
citizens like Dr. Al-Aian?

Do you respect opinions of those who differ
with you politically? Do you work with them in
any collective and democratic way?

If you really care, what have you personally
done to effect a positive change in your/our
collective circumstances?

FOR ISRAELIS

When you travel throughout the land of what
you call Israel, how do you feel about the fact
that 530 Palestinian towns and villages were
depopulated from the landscape that you observe?

How do imagine a life that ignores atrocities
unless they are committed against what you
consider your "people"?

Have you ever used the Zionist mythology terms
of Arab vs. Jew? (Arab is anybody whose mother
tongue is Arabic and that includes members of many
religions including Judaism, Jew is somebody who
believes in Judaism as a religion; there can be no
"Secular Jew" or "Atheist" Jew any more than a
"Secular Christian" or "Atheist Christian")

Aren't all humans created in the image of God
and/or evolved from the same group of primates
in East Africa? If that is the case, do you believe
in notions of chosenness (Chosen by God,
unparalleled suffering of Jews, Am Yisrael
vs Goyim etc)?

When Olmert and Bush speak of the state of Israel
for the Jewish people, what exactly do
you propose to do with the 1.5 million
Palestinians with Israeli citizenship/residency?

Does this also mean that Palestinian
refugees are going to be permanently denied
their Internationally recognized right of return?
If so, how do you think this is compatible with
a stable peace?

When nonviolent resistance to occupation
continues to be repressed violently (as happened
gain this week e.g. in shooting at Bil'in demonstrators),
then what message is that sent to the oppressed/occupied
about value of violent vs non violent resistance?
Why did you and millions of others object?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=387BJWIwOXo
(latest video from Bilin)

Israel withdrew from South Lebanon unilaterally and
under fire (as they also did from Gaza) leaving these
areas in the hands of militants while refusing to
withdraw from areas of the West Bank
(including Jerusalem) that are under a Palestinian
authority considered "moderate" by both
Israeli and US governments. What message
does this send about the value of "negotiations"
between oppressed and oppressor?

Do you support keeping the illegal
settlement in East Jerusalem (e.g. Maale Adumim)
in the Hand of Israel in a two state scenario? If so how
do you reconcile this with International law or
the fact that they are built on the mere 22% of
Palestine that you claim you support for
a Palestinian state?

Do you think Ashkenazi Europeans or North
Americans whose mother tongue is not Hebrew are Semites?

Did you ever call those who support Palestinian
rights "anti-Semites" or "self-hating Jews"?
(Please define Semite and Jew!)

If you really care, what have you personally
done to effect a positive change
in your/our collective circumstances?

FOR ARABS AND MUSLIMS
(INCLUDING PALESTINIANS)


Do you believe all humans deserve equal rights
and responsibilities regardless of sex,
religion or ethnicity?

Have you ever used derogatory terms like
"Abeed" for blacks, "Asfar" for Chinese?

Do you care about the future of fellow citizens of
your countries and the future of citizens of Palestine
and Lebanon (your fellow Arabs and Muslims and
those who are not Arab and/or not Muslims
but fellow citizens)?

What concrete measures have you taken to
alleviate the brutal siege on Gaza (1.5 million
people who are worse than imprisoned but are
literally starved and methodically destroyed)?

Do you want to liberate Palestine?
If so, what does this mean to you and
what have you contributed to that?

Do you respect opinions of those who differ
with you politically? Do you work with them
in any collective and democratic way?

Do you care about AND PRACTICE
democracy and true representation at
your home, at work and in your place of
worship and in your local organizations?

Did you ever challenge elites serving imperial/Zionist
agendas even at a personal expense?

Do you believe that when mistaken, it is OK to
admit the wrong done and apply corrective action or
do you think "losing face" is bad? (For others and
for you personally)

For those in the more wealthy Arab elites who
hire servants (domestically or internationally, do you
pay them appropriate wages, treat them with respect
fairness and honesty?
http://www.hespress.com/?browser=view&EgyxpID=4048

Considering that China is a rising economic and
military power with very different interests than
those of the US, what have you done to get China's
foreign policy to support International law and human
rights vis a vis the key issue of Palestine? BTW China was
always a great supporter of Palestine but this is shifting
as they buy (US) missile and other technologies from Israel.

What have you done to prevent your government
from normalizing with a racist Zionist Israel?

Did you ever buy a product labeled made in Israel
or those made "in Jordan" or "in Egypt" but really is
made in joint Israeli-Egyptian and Israeli-Jordanian
factories owned mostly by those who live on stolen
lands and support the racist Zionist regime?

If you really care, what have you personally
done to effect a positive change in your/our
collective circumstances?

FOR THOSE IN OTHER COUNTRIES

Why do you allow your government
(in so many countries) to bend to the whims of
the (made-in-Israel) US policies?

Why do you continue to use the US dollar,
to buy US and Israeli products, and to do
business as usual with Israeli officials, visitors
and academics? When was the last time you told
them they would not be welcome until they respect
human rights and International law?

Why do you accept humiliating conditions of trade
and politics? Why do you allow erosion of democracy
for moneyed interests (e.g. racist Zionists buying up
media outlets around Europe and Asia)?

Why do you allow US citizens in your country
without visas when the US restricts arrival to the
US from your country to those with Visas (and even
among those discriminate by excluding Muslims, Arabs,
leftists, and any critic of its foreign policy? When was
the last time you challenged a US visitor with
that question?

If you really care, what have you personally
done to effect a positive change in your/our
collective circumstances?

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