the power of peace “processing”

The power of peace “processing.”

I cannot but think of how wasted the last twenty years of peace industry have been. Two decades of manipulating what should end up in a conflict resolution into a normalization of a conflict that its end is what we are witnessing at this moment. Hatred, as never felt and seen in the history of the occupation itself.

Something inside me is contented to what is happening; knowing well that content is not the proper word. But somehow there is a relief inside me that is connected to the identification of the situation. We have been living in the long term waiting to erupt situation. With all the ugliness that is taking place, we are living the truthfulness of the situation, which is this ugly status.

There is nothing worse than reaching a state where you lose your sense of remorse to the other, enjoying the misery of the rival with awaited joy and compassion. Revenge is a curse that is inflicted on all of us here, Palestinians specifically.

For the Israelis, it may be different; they got used to living in a harsh life after our entire end is their meaning of being. The lesser Palestinians to deal with, the more stability to the Israeli existence.

The last days have been just about the reactions of both sides. It is not about the grieve, the sadness, the pain of losing more lives. It is just about how each team should feel.

Palestinians are being drawn to more anger as if there is a need to fill in vengeful feelings in what seems the only satisfactory method to the oppressing situation.

Israel uses more force, and Palestinians wait for a new revenge in a new primary, first self-destructive manner.

It is a situation that lacks leadership with proper common sense from both directions. What is happening in the Israeli society is a result of Netanyahu’s hate policies and arrogance that is showing its results now.

On the Palestinian side, the absence of a Palestinian leadership discourse, mainly by Abu Mazen, that addresses the feelings of the people is a major factor in the deterioration of the sense of hope in the Palestinian situation.

Palestinians are passionate people by nature. It is Arab, Mediterranean, and tribal, whatever it is. It is emotions that drive people here. When Abu Mazen lacks this sense of reaction with his people each time we encounter a misery, and we see him popping with a compassionate speech to the Israelis in their times of grieve, it only makes our anger as people grow.

I was comparing the two leaders in the last few days. Youssef was killed, and not a single word of condemnation was heard from Abu Mazen, whereas, he quickly made an announcement condemning the murder of the Israeli worshippers. If Abu Mazen were handling the situation right, if he cared first to the grieves of his people first, his condemnation of the murder of the Israelis would have been less criticized.

Netanyahu, however, as usual, took the opportunity to condemn Palestinians and their leadership, and admittedly, he did ask his people, whom he provoked to the maximum in July asking them to react, which resulted at the beginning of this vicious cycle of hate crimes; he asked them not to take law into their hands.

While Netanyahu tries to calm his people verbally, he announces that he will allow settlers to be armed … is this news? He also announces that dozens of Jewish residential units will also be built in East Jerusalem? Is this also news?

He promises more force on Palestinians. It is News that we Palestinians don’t know where would it lead. But is it new? No, it is not.

The Palestinian leadership discourse by Abu Mazen is, however, while doing well in being diplomatic, and probably sincerely condemning the attack on the Israelis in the synagogue, which should happen. He continues to fail the expectations of his people, as I mentioned earlier, the Palestinians need leadership that embraces them. We are treated like unwanted children from a second marriage.

We saw Abu Mazen rushing to condemn the killing of the Israelis, but why didn’t he to the least condemn the demolishing of the houses of the families who are as innocent as those killed in the synagogue? We are experiencing a disappointing absence in any supporting Palestinian leadership discourse from one side, and any support by that leadership from the other hand, on the contrary, it is suppressive when possible. In the case of Jerusalem and Jerusalemites, people are just left with the brutal force of yet more increase oppression of the Israeli government.

I want to leave with a final thought that may be my next reflection (if not a new disaster erupts); Netanyahu and Israelis are not asking why is all this deterioration taking place in Jerusalem. The eternal united city of Israel.Jerusalemites who should supposedly kneel with gratitude to the better democracy and modernity of Israel. Not in the West Bank?