Thursday, August 19, 2010

My letter to Al-Ahram RE Franklin Lamb Disemboweling the right of return

RE: Franklin Lamb Disemboweling the right of return
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2010/1012/re8.htm

Dear Editor,

Today, 19 August 2010, the United Nations celebrates World Humanitarian Day, an opportunity to pay tribute to humanitarian workers the world over: According to UNWRA's web report UNRWA Celebrates World Humanitarian Day "The day seeks to increase public awareness about humanitarian work and the importance of international co-operation. It also commemorates humanitarian personnel who have lost their lives in delivering responses, and those who work to promote the humanitarian cause." http://www.unrwa.org/etemplate.php?id=778

Please note the key phrase in that statement.. . "the importance of international co-operation."

The right of return is a reasonable right- and a universal basic human right clearly affirmed by international law. People world wide (regardless of race, religion, or nationality) should simply support this basic human right
(regardless of race, religion, or nationality.)

Depicting Israel's refusal to respect this basic human right as a war between "US- Israel" and Arabs and Muslims, or however you want to help define the supposed "clash of civilizations" confuses the issue, and very much undermines potential sympathy for the very real plight of the Palestinians.

International co-operation is crucial in order to once and for all end the Israel/Palestine conflict and the very real suffering of countless innocent and increasingly vulnerable people.

Palestinian refugees need as many options as possible. Palestinians should not be forced to remain in impoverished refugee camps. Palestinians need to be free to move on collectively and individually: Free to return to what is now Israel to become Israeli if that is what some want- or free to relocate to help build a sovereign Palestinian nation-state living in peace alongside Israel.... or free simply to live elsewhere.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

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