Viewpoint: I'm Palestinian - but where am I from?

[Gerald]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15682672

Note: 12 November 2011 Last updated at 01:00 GMT

[Skybird]

Palestinians as a separate people or ethnicity do not exist. They are Arabs. Most of the people living in the "Palestinian" territories today, have moved there from their Arab places of birth in neighbouring nations: Jordan, Egypt, Syria - the vast, the overwhelming majority of them, seen that way, are migrants to the place.

It is often given the impression the Palestinians were a different, a separate ethnicity, race, people or culture. They are not. They are simply Arabs.

It is as artifical a concept as is Esperanto an artifical language that is anything but a natural european language. As an idea, it is a weapon intended to make the West fall back away from the region and it's support for Israel. Clever, I admit.

[jumpy]

There was a guy interviewed on the bbc world service the other night, he was palestinian/arab living in israel. He was a young chap, a musician.
He said he was shunned by all sides - by israel because he was not israeli, by the arabs because he lived in israel... so no job, no solidarity, no advancement of his musical career.
I wonder how many are like him, with no political or religious agenda (or so it seemed from the way he spoke) who fall through the cracks of the 'holy land'?

[MH]

Originally Posted by jumpy

- by israel because he was not israeli, by the arabs because he lived in israel...

He also could be one of those that can blame just about everything but not himself or his attitude.
Ask yourself how many Israeli Arabs live here better life than most Arabs in ME and much better than Jews.
If he is good talented musician there should should not be a problem to make living for him... but probably there are thousands like him.
How many Jewish musicians hardly make it in a market of 6m people?

I'm not saying that everything is GOOD and nice...there is a lot of mistrust involved but Israeli Arabs as community don't make it easy for themselves.

[Skybird]

Question is why do several hundred thousand Arabs prefer to live in Israel, nevertheless?

Is it because the better job chances than in their home countries?

Or is it because there is more freedom and media choice than in their home countries?

Or the better medical care?

Better material comfort and wealth?

Law and order?

Could it be they can make more income in Israel, than in their home nations?

Is it maybe because Israel is the most advanced and preferrable place in the whole region, and the most free and stable one?

[jumpy]

Originally Posted by MH

He also could be one of those that can blame just about everything but not himself or his attitude.
Ask yourself how many Israeli Arabs live here better life than most Arabs in ME and much better than Jews.
If he is good talented musician there should should not be a problem to make living for him... but probably there are thousands like him.
How many Jewish musicians hardly make it in a market of 6m people?

I'm not saying that everything is GOOD and nice...there is a lot of mistrust involved but Israeli Arabs as community don't make it easy for themselves.

Took it at face value, fella. He certainly didn't sound like your typical jew hating arab, far from it - he seemed to not really think of himself as having any ties to a community. But then that sentiment can go both ways, which I think was his point. Getting gigs here and there is not a means to earn a living (as I know all too well) scoring a recording deal is the way to go, but because of the question of 'which faction do you hold allegiance to?' he found many doors slammed in his face. I guess he made a basic living by other means. But it's not easy to follow your goals when others (including those who are supposed to be 'your own kind') view you with mistrust and suspicion. I guess it's easy to fall foul of others prejudice when you don't have any hate of your own. But that's true for many individuals everywhere.

I'd say if he had the drive to follow his music as far as he could, then it doesn't sound much like he was just sitting around, bleating on about how unfair everyone is and doing nothing about it.

[MH]

Originally Posted by jumpy

Took it at face value, fella. He certainly didn't sound like your typical jew hating arab, far from it - he seemed to not really think of himself as having any ties to a community. But then that sentiment can go both ways, which I think was his point. Getting gigs here and there is not a means to earn a living (as I know all too well) scoring a recording deal is the way to go, but because of the question of 'which faction do you hold allegiance to?' he found many doors slammed in his face. I guess he made a basic living by other means. But it's not easy to follow your goals when others (including those who are supposed to be 'your own kind') view you with mistrust and suspicion. I guess it's easy to fall foul of others prejudice when you don't have any hate of your own. But that's true for many individuals everywhere.

I'd say if he had the drive to follow his music as far as he could, then it doesn't sound much like he was just sitting around, bleating on about how unfair everyone is and doing nothing about it.

I did not say he is typical "my Jew hating Arab"-my views on the issue are little bit beyond that...
Israeli Arabs are in category of "not here not there" by their own making.
In many cases the intentional neutrality or sometimes hostility which they show about national issues is the problem.
In short-when in comes to obligation or law or taking stand for the state they are Arabs and we all must be sensitive about it.
When it comes to the rights they want to be equal in every way....they are equal under law but can come across all sorts of attitude from people.
How Israeli is supposed to view Israeli Arabs when their political leaders/parliament members used to visit Syria or Libya to beg for many or sanctions on Israel...for example...

The few ones that do national service or come from villages that are known to help Israel in war of independence may be regarded as traitors by others...
The problem is that there are too few of those and too many of "neutral" ones and some hostile ones.



There are others non Muslim local minorities in Israel which ideologically decided to be Israelis with all the cons and pros that don't have this problems....but they are traitors too...