THANK YOU TO ISRAEL FOR GIVING US PALESTINE

Israel’s “Operation Cast Lead” Gift To Us
Guest Post by SIOBHÁN:

Israel's GREAT Victory! This is for all those people worldwide who support Palestine and the Palestinian people. Today I have been thinking about Palestine, remembering the 28 days of sheer evil that fell upon hundreds of innocent civilians. Evilness that attempted to wipe out and punish an entire population of human beings, right before our very eyes we watched. Nameless and faceless human beings who dress differently than us, who live far away from us, in another country, in another place, of another religion, of another culture, of another race.

Distant people we did not know. That is how it was, but all that has now changed. Israel has done us a great deed. They have single-handedly given so many new people the pleasure and grace of knowing Palestine and the Palestinian people. Israel’s plan was to divide and separate us, instill fear and suspicion into us, because Palestinians may appear to be different than us. All the while hiding the fact that it is Zionists who are in support of Israel’s aggression that are the ones who are truly different than we are.

I can only speak of my little world, but I know this wonderful gift has taken place around the world as well as in my own little town, so many people, people you’d never expect, from the very old, to the very young, have all become obsessed with getting to know Palestine and it’s people. It may sound strange to the ear, when you hear someone with an Irish accent , more accustomed to saying the phrase “So it is” after a sentence, but who now at times add the phrase “Inshallah” an Arabic word which means "God willing" after a sentence instead. We are uniting, not dividing. Young people listening to Palestinian hip hop and rap music. Young people wearing Palestinian scarves. And it does not stop there; I am amazed at the conversations and level of understanding and solidarity shown to Palestine, from all walks of life and all ages here. Although this does not really surprise me, given Ireland’s long fight for equality, freedom and justice. But still, yet another generation have grown to love and sympathise with Palestine. This is good. I have witnessed this take place in other countries and online as well. Blogs springing up all over the world, crying out at a human level, regardless of one's culture or religion, united against the suffering of the Palestinian people. The writers on this blog have met so many different people all around the world, from many different countries and many different cultures. This is Israel's victory, they have been victorious in uniting us, not dividing us. We have ALL been united.

And inside Palestine, many Irish have visited and been much surprised to see the well practiced attempts at important Irish phrases. To hear the famous Irish phrase “Tiocfaidh Ar La” which means “Our Day Will Come” spoken in an Arabic accent is simply joyful to the ear. We are uniting, not dividing. Thank you Israel for bringing us together. Thank you for creating some good, within all the evilness you inflicted.

So my message to Israel today is this: Despite your stockpile of weapons, despite your ability to control the media, despite your arm twisting of our politicians, despite your well trained Hasbara department, despite your ability to get away with murder, despite all you are capable of, despite all your power, and all you have done to sway us, and all you have done to divide and alienate us from Palestine, YOU have failed. The great Israeli victory that has taken place is not what Israel had planned. Instead of dividing us they have united us. And unite us they did, and we will never be divided again.

Having said that, although our lands may look different, our culture may be different, our dress may be different, our language may be different, our faces may be different, we celebrate this! We do not FEAR it as you wish us to! And we are unafraid of accepting, acknowledging and respecting the small cultural and religious differences we may have with our Palestinian brothers and sisters, those small cultural differences do not amount to anything, for a Blessing of love in any language and in any religion is STILL a blessing to be received. And it is with this sentiment that I wish to bestow the following 1 minute and 34 second Very Old, very traditional, not well known Blessing called "My Wish For You" to all those who stand strong with the Palestinian people around the world and to Palestine itself This is to ALL of you: The words are printed within the video



My wish for you

I wish you not a path devoid of clouds,
nor a life on a bed of roses,
Not that you might never need regret,
nor that you should never feel pain.
No, that is not my wish for you.

My wish for you is:
That you might be brave in times of trial,
when others lay crosses upon your shoulders.
When mountains must be climbed
and chasms are to be crossed,
When hope can scarce shine through.

That every gift God/Allah gave you might grow with you
and let you give your gift of joy to all who care for you.
That you may always have a friend who is worth that name,
whom you can trust and who helps you in times of sadness,
Who will defy the storms of daily life at your side.

One more wish I have for you:
That in every hour of joy and pain
you may feel God/Allah close to you.
This is my wish for you and for all who care for you.
This is my hope for you now and forever.

-- anonymous Irish blessing