Israeli-Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh visits Drexel
Hannah Alexander
Issue date: 10/23/09 Section: Ed-Op
"We Israeli-Arabs are fighting for integration, not separation," Toameh said.
So while all the hype focuses on the need for peace, what Israel really needs to do is focus on the relations between the Israeli-Arabs and the Israeli Jews. That is damage that can be repaired, that can change within Israeli society. As for the Palestinians, without a partner for peace, Israel has no choice but to wait and according to Toameh "there is no harm in waiting."
Within the media there is a lot of controversy on the Jewish settlements that still remain within the West Bank. Many believe that if Israel were to pull these Jewish settlements out, Abbas would be more compelled toward a peace process. But Toameh pointed something very important out regarding this issue: If the Israel Defense Forces altogether pick up and leave the West Bank, Abbas's administration of the Fatah party would collapse.
"Their own people despise them and their corruption," Toameh said.
Furthermore, what Toameh made very clear is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not about the Jewish settlements of the West Bank, the checkpoints between Israel and the Palestinian territories or the bad economic situation that most Palestinians live in. It all comes down to the fact that there is an extremist Islamic movement that refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, that teaches its children to blow themselves up to kill others in the name of Jihad and that uses the media as a weapon to rally followers around their cause.
This extremist movement has literally brainwashed children into believing they will fulfill their life's duty if they carry out a suicide bombing. Unfortunately, many Palestinian children do not receive the kind of education we did-while we were reading Dr. Seuss books and learning the times tables, these children were learning how to strap a bomb under their clothing. Furthermore, account after account of terrorist actions has created an extremely negative and unfair view of Muslims across the world.
"We have to be careful about what we read in the media," Toameh said.
That is advice that we should all listen to-just because something gets published doesn't mean it's the truth. From the media we do not simply receive the truth but various versions of that truth. Therefore, it's imperative that we be careful and take everything for what it's actually worth. Just like how a photo of a model in a fashion magazine is edited, tweaked and altered, so is a news story.
Hannah Alexander is a pre-junior majoring in communication. She can be reached at op-ed@thetriangle.org.
So while all the hype focuses on the need for peace, what Israel really needs to do is focus on the relations between the Israeli-Arabs and the Israeli Jews. That is damage that can be repaired, that can change within Israeli society. As for the Palestinians, without a partner for peace, Israel has no choice but to wait and according to Toameh "there is no harm in waiting."
Within the media there is a lot of controversy on the Jewish settlements that still remain within the West Bank. Many believe that if Israel were to pull these Jewish settlements out, Abbas would be more compelled toward a peace process. But Toameh pointed something very important out regarding this issue: If the Israel Defense Forces altogether pick up and leave the West Bank, Abbas's administration of the Fatah party would collapse.
"Their own people despise them and their corruption," Toameh said.
Furthermore, what Toameh made very clear is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not about the Jewish settlements of the West Bank, the checkpoints between Israel and the Palestinian territories or the bad economic situation that most Palestinians live in. It all comes down to the fact that there is an extremist Islamic movement that refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, that teaches its children to blow themselves up to kill others in the name of Jihad and that uses the media as a weapon to rally followers around their cause.
This extremist movement has literally brainwashed children into believing they will fulfill their life's duty if they carry out a suicide bombing. Unfortunately, many Palestinian children do not receive the kind of education we did-while we were reading Dr. Seuss books and learning the times tables, these children were learning how to strap a bomb under their clothing. Furthermore, account after account of terrorist actions has created an extremely negative and unfair view of Muslims across the world.
"We have to be careful about what we read in the media," Toameh said.
That is advice that we should all listen to-just because something gets published doesn't mean it's the truth. From the media we do not simply receive the truth but various versions of that truth. Therefore, it's imperative that we be careful and take everything for what it's actually worth. Just like how a photo of a model in a fashion magazine is edited, tweaked and altered, so is a news story.
Hannah Alexander is a pre-junior majoring in communication. She can be reached at op-ed@thetriangle.org.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Mikaere
posted 10/24/09 @ 3:05 AM EST
Maybe Toameh or others listening to him should go see for themselves--if Israel ever stops blockading the people of Gaza who made the mistake of electing a group who are not corrupt and who Israel can't buy off. (Continued…)
Elkanah
posted 10/25/09 @ 7:31 AM EST
How refreshing to read an articloe by a thinking person! Keep up the good work!
Labhras
posted 10/27/09 @ 5:54 PM EST
this guy must have been paid off by the Zionists.
Or he has never set foot in Israel as an Arab.
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