Margaret Atwood, one of the most prominent poets, essayist, author and critic of modern times penned this touching piece for the left wing Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Margaret postulates the most glaring injustices of modern times; Palestinians have been ejected and displaced from their own homes. They have been made homeless in their own ancestral lands. Israel, in its paranoia to keep itself established, has increasingly dehumanized and mistreated the already hapless Palestinians. In order to ensure its survival at any cost, Israel is dehumanizing the people who have lived on the land for centuries that constitute modern day Israel. For Israel to exist, an independent Palestine must exist. Otherwise Israeli paranoia will likely consume itself.
There are signs that world opinion is shifting against the state of Israel. Even many thoughtful Jews are aghast at the heavy handed attitude that Israel has demonstrated by collectively debasing Palestinians and Arabs to a sub-human level. We say enough of the blockade of Gaza; this blockade is killing children and leaving a beleaguered community nothing to hope or live for. Israel must stop the humanitarian crisis that is in play at Gaza for the last few years.
As Margaret puts it eloquently: “Child-killing in Gaza? Killing aid-bringers on ships in international waters? Civilians malnourished thanks to the blockade? Forbidding writing paper? Forbidding pizza? How petty and vindictive! Is pizza is a tool of terrorists? Would most Canadians agree? And am I a tool of terrorists for saying this? I think not”.
(AZW)
Until Palestine has its own ‘legitimized’ state within its internationally recognized borders, the Shadow will remain.
By Margaret Atwood
Published on June 02, 2010
The Moment
The moment when, after many years
of hard work and a long voyage,
you stand in the centre of your room,
house, half-acre, square mile, island, country,
knowing at last how you got there,
and say, I own this,
Pak Tea House 