Hind Speaks At The
Bob Ramsay
Luncheon
September 20, Ramsay Luncheon in Toronto.
My daughter Nousha attended a special camp
in Maine this past summer called The Seeds of Piece. / Its purpose: to bring
kids from all over the world including Israel, Palestine and other Arab
countries together to learn how to resolve conflicts—and debate issues—
Right in the midst of this summer exercise, the Hezbollah/Israel war started.
Imagine the shattering impact this must have had on these young kids,
At one point, my daughter called me, asking, “Do you think there is still hope
for peace?
It was an especially heartbreaking for me, because like everyone in the region,
my whole life seems to have been defined by this angry/ violent / confrontation.
And I have worked, hard, to bridge the gap between the two sides. At the time, I
could not really tell my daughter that peace was possible.
But it started me thinking about what was lost in this recent conflict. Well,
first off, there were no winners.
Copyright 2007 © All rights reserved. Designed By: Mays Domat
Are
there ever any winners in war? WAR”?
SO THE QUESTION I BRING TO THIS MEETING THIS AFTERNOON IS THIS, “WHO LOST MOST
IN THE HEZBOLLAH/ISRAEL
From my point of view the biggest loser in the recent Middle East conflict
between Israel and the Hezbollah were those of us in the region who have been
campaigning, sometimes under quite dangerous conditions, for the creation of a
truly open, secular, pluralist—and, yes, democratic—civil society in the various
countries of the region.
The liberal Arab consensus has been badly shaken by the rise of the
fundamentalist Islamicist / represented by the Hezbollah, in Lebanon, the Hamas,
in Palestine,
The Muslim Brotherhood, in Egypt and Jordan, the radical Shiite and Sunnis
insurgents, in Iraq—and the looming presence of Iran, which could be the
template for “new” regimes in the regions unless things change quickly.
Another big loser is the United States, which is supposedly the “patron” of
democratic reform in the Middle East/ but whose policies in the region have been
truly counterproductive to achieving this goal.
This list of failed US policymaking is long/ but includes
The war in Iraq, its unconditional support of Israel,
Its ham-fisted response to the brutalization of the Lebanese people in the
recent Hezbollah/Israel conflict, and its unconditional support of repressive
autocratic regimes in the region—Egypt, Saudi Arabia, to cite just two examples/
—when it suits American strategic interests.
Without exception / the policy choices of the US Administration have done
nothing but undermine progressive liberal opinion in the region/ which the US
should be trying to help not hinder.
Never before in my memory has the US government been held in such low repute /
by almost all elements within Arab society.
Ironically/ the US has succeeded in creating unity where there was none before.
Between the religious and the secular. Between the Shia and the Sunni. Between
the “westernized” elites and the more traditional Arab Street.
All/ now strongly oppose—and resent--US interference in the internal affairs of
the Arab world.
Perhaps for the first time in the modern history of the region, all players, on
both sides/ of the conflict—the US and Israel, the Hezbollah, Iran, Syria,
etc--seem to be working in concert to destroy any hope of true democratic
reform.
What a tragedy for those of us who yearn for a more open, inclusive, secular
democratic society in the Arab world.
Other possible big losers/ are the present day autocracies in Egypt, Saudi,
Jordan, / all of which are supposedly pro-western and pro-US. But, increasingly,
most of them are found “guilty by association” by larger and larger numbers on
the Arab Street.
Like the corrupted Fatah, which have flirted too closely with the US, many of
these regimes could easily be replaced by more fundamentalist Islamicist
regimes.
Who is to blame for this state of affairs? Well, for starters, those of us in
the liberal democratic West who have done very little to pressure these
autocratic regimes to permit the evolution of a civil society. When it suits his
interest, George W. Bush complained bitterly about the Sadaam dictatorship in
Iraq. And, still, complains about the autocratic regime in Damascus. But what
about the autocracies in Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which the US supports?
Not a peep. Double standard? You bet.
Still/ despite much opposition from the ruling groups in places like Syria,
Egypt, Jordan/ and without much help from our friends in the West/ groups
promoting democratic reform and civil society have been active in these
countries. But much OUR work is now in danger of being totally sidelined by the
popularity of the Hezbollah and other religious extremists
Just how popular Sayed Hassan Nezrallah has become can be captured in a little
story about the teenage son of a great friend of mine.
This young man is the son of a prominent westernized Christian family; he likes
to smoke, drink, go clubbing, all activities which would be severely
circumscribed in a more Muslim Syria. Nonetheless/ he recently told his mother
he plans to have five sons and name them all Sayed Hassan Nezrallah. That should
be confusing around the dining room table in a few years. But when asked why he
supports a man whose policies are so at odds with his own “westernized”
“Christian” values, he says, simply,
“I am sick of the corruption in this country and sick of leaders who build
palaces and villas instead of schools and hospital. Nezrallah looks after the
people, not himself.”
As you can imagine, it is difficult to argue with such logic. And it makes me
worry that those of us who promote democratic secularism in the region are in
danger of losing the next generation.
Finally, the last big loser is Israel, itself. Its belief in “force majeur” as
the only way to contain the Palestinians, in particular, and the Arabs, in
general, will not succeed.
They have lost the sympathy and support of much of the Western world.
They have lost the support of those of us in the region that yearn for peace
with Israel—and even see the intensely democratic Israeli state as a model for
political reform in our own countries.
For years there have been many in the Arab world—many more than most people in
the West would imagine—who have strongly believed that “normalization” of
relations could be the essential catalyst for economic renewal and real
political reform in the Arab world. Can you imagine what level of prosperity
might emerge if such famously entrepreneurial peoples as the Israeli, the
Lebanese and even the Syrians worked together.
Right now, all of that seems like a shattered dream. Why? Because the Israeli
leadership in Tel Aviv believed the kidnapping of two soldiers—and remember
These men were soldiers—merited the wholesale destruction of a country’s
infrastructure
And the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians on both sides of the border.
“Disproportionate” is a word, which just barely captures the misguided nature of
the military and political response of the Israeli government.
If they had limited their attacks to the Hezbollah, then much of the world would
have understood. But they over-reacted, killing and wounding thousands of
civilians—as the radical elements within the Middle East knew they would.
Like many in the region, I believe Nezrallah was intent “on pushing Israel’s
buttons” to achieve the results he desired: first, shaming Israel in the eyes of
the world and, second, undermining secular and democratic reformers within the
Arab society.
Personally, I have spent a good part of the last five years working for the
peaceful accommodation of the Israeli and Arab peoples. What remains, right now,
is resignation and despair.
This mood will pass with others like me, that peace will be achieved for one
simple reason.
Without the support of liberal progressive elements within the Arab world,
Israel can never expect to receive the recognition in the region that it covets.
And if that does not happen, all of us, Jews and Arabs, will be forced to stay
on this terrible treadmill of death, destruction and violence until eventually
there is unimaginable disaster.
SO IF MANY HAVE LOST IN THIS WAR, HAVE ANY IMPORTANT LESSONS BEEN LEARNED. WHAT
IS TO BE DONE NOW, GOING FORWARD?
The US, in particular, and the western world, in general, must re-examine their
Middle East policy in its entirety.
Instead of giving Israel a blank cheque, the US and its western allies must
actively promote constructive, viable solutions. They should, quickly, expedite
a plan that will give the Palestinian people the internationally recognized
right to self-rule.
SO, FIRST OFF,
I BELIEVE ISRAEL SHOULD UNILATERALLY WITHDRAW FROM ALL OCCUPIED ARAB LANDS and
retreat to the 1967 border Then —actively work for the creation of a viable
Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.
Simply put, Israel’s belief that its security will be guaranteed by keeping the
Palestinians/ prisoners in their own land/ will not work.
What it does achieve is this: more hatred, more frustration, and more violence.
It literally produced the “culture of the suicide bomber.” What do these people
have to lose? They have no country, no economy, no jobs, no future. For goodness
sakes, they cannot even move from one village to another without being harassed
and bullied by armed Israelis. This, in the land, which the international
community, through the United Nations, said is theirs.
So, again, I encourage the Israeli government to be bold statesmanlike and seize
the initiative—in a positive way. All other political issues—Jerusalem, right of
return, reparations, etc.—can be resolved AFTER a Palestinian state is
functioning.
Next, I would also encourage backward-thinking elements within Palestine,
including the new Hamas government, to show similar courage. Recognize Israel
NOW. Take a leap of faith and imagine the prosperity that will accrue to
countries, Israel and Palestine, when these two intensely clever peoples work
together.
I also believe the US and the other western powers, including Canada, must
exercise all their leverage over Israel and Palestine to help engineer the
two-state solution, immediately.
Justice for the Palestinians is Priority Number One.
Security for the Israeli is also Priority Number One.
If one simple truth has emerged from three generations of conflict in the region
it is this: Occupying Arab lands will not ensure Israel’s security. AND IT NEVER
WILL.
Is any of this possible? Am I an optimist? I think not. I believe a unilateral
Israeli withdrawal might work because history has shown that bold actions often
pay big dividends.
For centuries Protestant England occupied—and dominated—Catholic Ireland and it
too created a culture of hatred and hostility, much like the Middle East today.
But the English, after one too many bloody encounters in the years before and
after the First World War, left Ireland.
Relations between the Irish and English did not become warm and cozy overnight
but, But today, Ireland, the United Kingdom enjoy very good relations.
And let me leave you with one last lesson from history about the positive
consequences of bold actions. In the dying days of the Cold War, President
Reagan traveled to Berlin and challenged Soviet leader Gorbachev to, “TARE DOWN
THAT WALL.”
Showing real courage, / the Soviet leader did just that. And sixty years of
Russian occupation of most of Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Ukraine ended,
peacefully
So do I believe the Jews and Arabs, Israel and its neighbours can live in peace?
Absolutely. But bold action must be taken quickly before dark, regressive,
repressive forces in the region gain more power and prestige. There is no time
to waste.
So if I had the opportunity to talk to the Israeli Prime Minister, right now, I
would say, TAR DOWN THAT WALL AND LEAVE THE WEST BANK AND GAZA.
And if I had a similar opportunity to meet with the head of the Hammas, I would
say, RECOGNIZE ISRAEL NOW AND EMBRACE YOUR JEWISH BROTHERS.
If such events come to pass, I am confident that the friendships my daughter
made with Israeli kids this summer in Maine will be lifelong and, in her
lifetime, she will travel back and forth between Damascus and Tel Aviv like
Londoners now travel to Dublin for the weekend.
Thank you
Hind Aboud Kabawat
Joseph Young and Associates
20 Cumberland Street
Toronto, Ont.
(416)969-8887 Office
(416) 271-4004 Mobile- North America
094-24-24-26 Mobile-Middle East
www.hindkabawat.com
