Your anecdote about addressing the rockets fired at Israel's civilians from Gaza.....and the the reprove "stay on message"....to me it has echoes of the far left anti American radicals of the sixties seventies anti war movement. You keep speaking of "occupation." Israel removed every Jew and every community and made it Judenrein as Hamas demands for all of so called "historic Palestine." AKA Jewish "Palestine" You've been on a journey as is commonly used today and you have suffered enormous loss....if you believe in a peaceful resolution then that is a point from which there is dialog. The disturbers at every instance going back forty years or more " no normalization with Israel" So as with the writers meeting in Israel ....few from abroad will attend so cowed are they by the "Palestinian" activists. NY based playwrights opposed an Israeli leftist play in a series at Lincoln Center. To their shame. Years before this war. In the seventies , Egyptian young woman Sana Hassan wrote a book about the positives of making peace with Israel. I was so buoyed by her book and her thoughts. Sadat wanted her executed. Then he decided she was right.
With all due respect to Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, I am a Jew born and raised in Indonesia.
Yes, the largest Muslim population in the world. We knew what our fate was had we stayed. Making Bibi Netanyahu who is defending his country and his people a war criminal, is highly offensive. You don't have to be a fan, lets call Hamas rape burning of babies lynching of soldiers THE TRUE war criminals. While most Palestinians still Hamas in power, mind boggling.
The worst thing about this article is that its a mirage of a beautiful oasis of respectful coexistence when the reality is that the we humans are forever to wander stuck in the desert of rage and human malevolence led by the very worst of us. "If only" should be our epitaph.
Your conclusion that Westerners are responsible for the oppression and suffering of your people is unbelievably ridiculous. More regurgitated propaganda, dressed up with icing and chocolate sprinkles. Why does Isreal have to defend itself? Why is Isreal a Country ( a Democratic Free Country, by the way)? WTF is the label "Zionist" doing in your rationale? Palestinians are willing to suffer to get what they want, it is true, but what they want is not peace and prosperity. It is eradication of Jews. Don't forget that.
Thank you Ahmed for this heartfelt article about the cluelessness and callousness of the Western pro-Palestinian activists. But isn't the bigger problem, that a large majority of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza seem to support HAMAS's zero-sum-game strategy? Isn't it true that it is HAMAS and its local supporters that lit the fire meant to consume Israel, and the "contribution" of the Western pro-Palestinian activists is merely to add fuel to this fire? Isn't it true that until the Palestinians in Palestine decide that establishing their own state is more important that consuming Israel, whatever happens in the Bay Area or at the Ivy League universities is just a sideshow, with minor impact on the conflict?
So beautiful. I am crying We would love to have peace and tear our hairs at the violence the people in Gaza are forced to endure. I applaud your work and that you are not letting things stop you. Keep going.
Thank you for this piece. I wish more could, as you describe, be for peace and pragmatism, and recognize the common humanity. I'm sorry for your losses.
To the author, first off, condolences for your losses.
Much in this resonated with me.
You wrote: "I’d argue that some aren’t all that interested in the well-being of Palestinians."
This brought me back to a seminal moment in my own thinking. Perhaps 15 years ago, I had just finished an article by a "pro-Palestinian" woman in Washington Post.
In the article, she talked about the need for Palestinians living there to stay focused on the cause. But her words were stark. It was essential that the people living there continue to suffer and fail. I recall my specific thought: Why shouldn't a Palestinian want to fail? Why would anyone be angry if a Palestinian came home and sat in a nice chair and watched a decent TV after doing a good day of useful work? She wanted none of that for Palestinians.
I've never had a friend who wanted me to fail and to suffer. At that moment, my thought process began to evolve and eventually led to this conclusion: Palestinians have the worst "friends" in the world.
The author describes his own similar, albeit far more personal, journey. It is incredibly clear to me these protests, which often glorify hamas and never push for return of hostages, are doing enormous damage to Palestinians. hamas is terrible for Palestinians and holding the hostages has been a complete disaster.
I saw an Israeli soldier who'd come out of Gaza and in his remarks, he casually mentioned how Israelis understood that both the people of Israel and Gaza were pawns in other people's games.
One can ask the question: who has lost more in this war, Israel or Gaza? But that is hamas' goal, that Israel loses more. There is no positive agenda for Palestinians.
The truth is, this conflict never needed to be a zero sum game. In 2023, it became a much greater negative sum game than ever before.
The author seems a rare voice, but ultimately, his IS the way forward. A positive vision for all. There are so many win-win opportunities -- and the protesters see none of this.
I wish Mr. Alkhatib well in getting this message out. The one thing for certain, the protesters he sees -- they are not his friends. They've never been his friends. And hopefully, he will never be someone else's pawn.
"It often feels like Palestinians have become pawns for activists" , they / you are pawns of activists , of Hamas , of Iran this is the truth of the problem , and this is by there design . Palestinians are the actors in a real life play , the very very sad part, is the death of your people of your family members , I'm so sorry for it all !
Keep up the fight. The activists will hopefully wake up and realize that Israel is not going away and that a 2 state solution is the only solution. In negotiating, no one gets everything they want, but you need a starting point.
I like the airport idea, too bad it didn't fly (no pun intended).
Your anecdote about addressing the rockets fired at Israel's civilians from Gaza.....and the the reprove "stay on message"....to me it has echoes of the far left anti American radicals of the sixties seventies anti war movement. You keep speaking of "occupation." Israel removed every Jew and every community and made it Judenrein as Hamas demands for all of so called "historic Palestine." AKA Jewish "Palestine" You've been on a journey as is commonly used today and you have suffered enormous loss....if you believe in a peaceful resolution then that is a point from which there is dialog. The disturbers at every instance going back forty years or more " no normalization with Israel" So as with the writers meeting in Israel ....few from abroad will attend so cowed are they by the "Palestinian" activists. NY based playwrights opposed an Israeli leftist play in a series at Lincoln Center. To their shame. Years before this war. In the seventies , Egyptian young woman Sana Hassan wrote a book about the positives of making peace with Israel. I was so buoyed by her book and her thoughts. Sadat wanted her executed. Then he decided she was right.
With all due respect to Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, I am a Jew born and raised in Indonesia.
Yes, the largest Muslim population in the world. We knew what our fate was had we stayed. Making Bibi Netanyahu who is defending his country and his people a war criminal, is highly offensive. You don't have to be a fan, lets call Hamas rape burning of babies lynching of soldiers THE TRUE war criminals. While most Palestinians still Hamas in power, mind boggling.
The worst thing about this article is that its a mirage of a beautiful oasis of respectful coexistence when the reality is that the we humans are forever to wander stuck in the desert of rage and human malevolence led by the very worst of us. "If only" should be our epitaph.
Your conclusion that Westerners are responsible for the oppression and suffering of your people is unbelievably ridiculous. More regurgitated propaganda, dressed up with icing and chocolate sprinkles. Why does Isreal have to defend itself? Why is Isreal a Country ( a Democratic Free Country, by the way)? WTF is the label "Zionist" doing in your rationale? Palestinians are willing to suffer to get what they want, it is true, but what they want is not peace and prosperity. It is eradication of Jews. Don't forget that.
Dreck.
Jerk
Rude
I’m so sorry for your losses, Ahmed. Thank you for writing this and for not letting these tragedies turn you into a hateful person.
Just figuring out that Palestinians are Muslim’s favorite cannon fodder? That term has been used to describe Palestinians for years.
Thank you for the clarity of your piece, for sharing your mourning.
Thank you Ahmed for this heartfelt article about the cluelessness and callousness of the Western pro-Palestinian activists. But isn't the bigger problem, that a large majority of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza seem to support HAMAS's zero-sum-game strategy? Isn't it true that it is HAMAS and its local supporters that lit the fire meant to consume Israel, and the "contribution" of the Western pro-Palestinian activists is merely to add fuel to this fire? Isn't it true that until the Palestinians in Palestine decide that establishing their own state is more important that consuming Israel, whatever happens in the Bay Area or at the Ivy League universities is just a sideshow, with minor impact on the conflict?
So beautiful. I am crying We would love to have peace and tear our hairs at the violence the people in Gaza are forced to endure. I applaud your work and that you are not letting things stop you. Keep going.
Great article. Prayers for you/family/friends and your continued efforts to bring peace!
Thank you for this piece. I wish more could, as you describe, be for peace and pragmatism, and recognize the common humanity. I'm sorry for your losses.
To the author, first off, condolences for your losses.
Much in this resonated with me.
You wrote: "I’d argue that some aren’t all that interested in the well-being of Palestinians."
This brought me back to a seminal moment in my own thinking. Perhaps 15 years ago, I had just finished an article by a "pro-Palestinian" woman in Washington Post.
In the article, she talked about the need for Palestinians living there to stay focused on the cause. But her words were stark. It was essential that the people living there continue to suffer and fail. I recall my specific thought: Why shouldn't a Palestinian want to fail? Why would anyone be angry if a Palestinian came home and sat in a nice chair and watched a decent TV after doing a good day of useful work? She wanted none of that for Palestinians.
I've never had a friend who wanted me to fail and to suffer. At that moment, my thought process began to evolve and eventually led to this conclusion: Palestinians have the worst "friends" in the world.
The author describes his own similar, albeit far more personal, journey. It is incredibly clear to me these protests, which often glorify hamas and never push for return of hostages, are doing enormous damage to Palestinians. hamas is terrible for Palestinians and holding the hostages has been a complete disaster.
I saw an Israeli soldier who'd come out of Gaza and in his remarks, he casually mentioned how Israelis understood that both the people of Israel and Gaza were pawns in other people's games.
One can ask the question: who has lost more in this war, Israel or Gaza? But that is hamas' goal, that Israel loses more. There is no positive agenda for Palestinians.
The truth is, this conflict never needed to be a zero sum game. In 2023, it became a much greater negative sum game than ever before.
The author seems a rare voice, but ultimately, his IS the way forward. A positive vision for all. There are so many win-win opportunities -- and the protesters see none of this.
I wish Mr. Alkhatib well in getting this message out. The one thing for certain, the protesters he sees -- they are not his friends. They've never been his friends. And hopefully, he will never be someone else's pawn.
"It often feels like Palestinians have become pawns for activists" , they / you are pawns of activists , of Hamas , of Iran this is the truth of the problem , and this is by there design . Palestinians are the actors in a real life play , the very very sad part, is the death of your people of your family members , I'm so sorry for it all !
Ahmed,
You are a brave young man. I mourn your loses.
Keep up the fight. The activists will hopefully wake up and realize that Israel is not going away and that a 2 state solution is the only solution. In negotiating, no one gets everything they want, but you need a starting point.
I like the airport idea, too bad it didn't fly (no pun intended).
Good piece. We need more people like this on both sides to achieve lasting peace in the region.