Yesterday on CNN the Israeli ambassador to the US tried to lump all Muslims together with a common purpose of terrorizing humanity. He said that we (as in everyone else but Muslims) in Gaza are fighting a war against terrorism just like the hotel bombings in Mumbai. For the record, there is as much in common with a Pakistani Muslim and an Arab Muslim as there is in common between an Italian Catholic and an American Protestant. In general they have the same religion but both pairs don’t speak the same language and definitely don’t come from the same historical and political background. But I guess the ambassador at least acknowledges that the ignorant west has made some progress since he didn’t say we are all against the orientals.
What does Intifada mean? The news networks use these terms and non-Arabic speakers assume they mean kill all Jews or Bomb everyone for the hell of it when it really means shake off as in shaking off the occupation of Palestine by Israel. I remember reading a comment once written by an American Christian woman where she was showing her support for Israel and she wrote that she’s read about Muslims and how lying is part of our religion and we call that hudna. What?! I’m a born and bred Muslim and the only thing that I’ve been taught about lying is that it is haram (prohibited) and children are always told that if you lie you go to hell. And hudna means truce, so where’s the link?
An average American’s experience of so called Islamic terrorism is 9/11 and 15 of the 19 involved were Saudis. The way it is depicted in the media is that those Saudis just out of the blue grew pure hatred towards the US and decided that they would sacrifice their lives (many of which were promising) to succumb to that hatred. Yes I know Americans are infamous for their arrogance and self-centeredness but come on we don’t care that much about them. What pushed those Saudis to do such a thing is the USA’s unwavering commitment and support for Israel. A commitment that has supplied Israel with billions of dollars worth of army supplies to conduct an ethnic cleansing of Palestine. And Palestine matters to Saudi in the same way that Texas matters to Kansas. Just a little more than a century ago we were one country under Ottoman rule.
To learn more you can watch this video. The whole thing is essential in understanding the Middle-East crisis but if you don’t have to time then start watching from minute 51:20 to learn about the USA’s role in the crisis.
Saudiwoman's Weblog 
Your assumptions about “all Americans” or “the Avergage American”; are the same assumptions you state the west has about “all Muslims”. At some point we need to stop lumping every one together. YES, the news media is skewed in the USA. That is not the fault of American’s; the media information is controlled by Zionist owned television networks. Just as the media is censored here. For example, the news you get out of Europe (the west) is different than what is seen and reported in the USA (the west). I know this for a fact, as I have resided in Europe as well.
Please remember…the USA is HUGE…and all those so-called red states in the middle are full of those who want to keep status quo (and let’s face it…some of those people can be a little ignorant, i.e. “Joe the Plumber”; but that is by know means all of them)…kinda like in the KSA in the the Eastern Province and the West Coast is a little bit more relaxed than the parts in the middle (i.e. Riyadh)
NOT all American’s are “anti-muslim” or lacking in critical thinking skills when it comes to what is presented to us on the news. Please know that a news agency shows about 1 minute of footage for every 60 minutes of footage actually shot (this is an average); they choose what to show the American people, not the American people.
Just like you think all American’s support Israel…because of the lack of news coverage stating otherwise…there are those in America who think all Muslim’s support terrorism…because of the lack of news coverage stating otherwise.
I myself am American, and I have a few friends, good friends, who are Palestinians, and have written my disgust over Israel’s action on my blog (http://blackchickinsaudi.blogspot.com/2008/12/i-hate-to-be-bigoted-but.html), and I’m working on a screenplay with a Palestinian friend to bring his play to the big screen (http://blackchickinsaudi.blogspot.com/2008/11/al-nakba.html); we’re in development now.
So, just as you have no control over your government; what they choose to say, who they choose to suppport (because you don’t even have the right to protect in the KSA);…the American’s really have no control over their government as well, but we do protest…and there are protests against these attacks (and not just by American Muslims; as I am not Muslim), there were protests against the war in Iraq and even with those protests; we couldn’t stop the invasion.
Your post smacks a little of racism madam. You say Pakistani and Indian as though they are of a lesser species. They certainly are good enough to do your shitwork.
Karima that is just a projection of your own perceptions and ideas. I’m definitely not racist and there was nothing in my post that implied that I think less of Indians and Pakistanis. I only stated a fact that we do not speak the same language and that the bombers of the Mumbai hotels were completely different in their motives than the 9/11 bombers of New York.
Very surprised to hear all above mentioned from Muslim. You might received good education which distinct you from “simple Muslims”.
Well, there is something I would love to add to your post.
Firstly, there is absolutely no secret that without United States the State of Israel is not more than nothing;
Secondly, there is nothing in common between two definitions “a Jew” and “a Zionist”. It is like “to be Arab” and “to be Muslim”.
Zionism is a secular movement. Judaism is a “faith”, “believe”, or “way of life”.
It is a big topic, but what is in common for both Zionism and Judaism is that Judaism took a tramp on Zionism movement just to touch, to smell, to pray, to … in the Land of Israel where, following Judaism teaching, all Jews will be gathered not WHEN MESSIAH (Messiah) COME. That is why Jews who observe Judaism do not interfere with any kind of Zionism. Some of them even deny existence of Israel – radical movements. But most of the ordinary Jews who live in the Holy Land just epitomize some kind of silent opposition to secular Jews. They live separately from “unbeliever Jews” studying Torah all day long and praying to One G-d.
Maybe one day I will make a post on this subject.
I would like to apologize for a typo I made in my previous comment.
I missed two words” “earlier then”. So please read sentence as follows:
…following Judaism teaching, all Jews will be gathered not <> WHEN MESSIAH (Messiah) COME…
Saudiwoman,
I am American and I thank you for posting this. I am so deeply saddened by all the anger, greed, and self-righteousness that allows for the atrocities that we see in our world today. Whether Jew, Muslim, or Christian, we are to love one another and to love God. I do not understand where killing ever enters the equation.
It takes a courage to write such a fair judgment of this touchy situation. Education is everything, and my sincerest wish is that, “i wish Americans knew more about history”, and why things are the way they are.
Israelis are generally nice people who are yearning for the right to peacefully coexist, but it seems to me that the ‘powers that be’ are always eager to find an excuse to test their latest techy arsenal. What justifies the death of children? Not once, but almost every day?
Post on sister, Post on!
Great post!! Eye opener
Very good post, sister! Fi Sabil Allah!
As a woman, mother, sister, daughter and wife I have a very hard time watching any war. Everyone seems to have an opinion on why or what is taking place in Gaza. From what I see it is over occupation. I also see that America is funding the war by giving to the Israelis. America has allies and I understand that, I just find such confusion with this. America needs to intervene as a super power when there are injustices but a land dispute seems trivial. Why can’t Israel and Palestine just live together? Perhaps I’m simple but I don’t understand why killing for a title of land is worth it. Children being killed on both sides for land. Why can’t they work it out? Talk and live together. I don’t know, I don’t understand. I’m merely wishing for world peace. No more name calling, rock throwing or killing.
Hi,
I would like to know the “origin” of this video, I would like to use it as one of my by references, I am doing a research project on how Palestinians have been given a social stigma and how the media mediates this and reinforces this stigma on behalf of the “in groups”… if you have any more clips similar to this I would be very grateful if you could direct me to them..
wa alaikum salam
um maryam