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Saturday, September 17, 2011

Help Build A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land

sent via congress.org
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?id=3181&letter_id=7346526036&content_dir=congressorg

Subject: Help Build A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land

Dear Congress...etc,

The day might soon come when we should stop providing aid and support to Palestinians- but we are not there yet.

The men, women and children of Palestine still very much need American charity and foreign aid to survive, in hopes that they might be able to build a sovereign and secure nation state to live in peace and security alongside Israel:

Remember the Golden Rule. Treat people the way that you would want to be treated.

We need a Golden Rule Peace to once and for all stop the hate filled rhetoric, religious extremism, terror and cynicism which has been creating an escalation of divisiveness, bigotry, brutality, and obstructive stances.

Invest in and be part of a Golden Rule end to the conflict and a Golden Rule future for the Holy Land.

A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land, and a Golden Rule future for both Israel and Palestine will most certainly usher in a Golden Rule Age of diplomacy, dignity, decency, compassion, real justice, and true security where all people have a chance to be valued and productive citizens working together as equals- regardless of supposed race, religion or nationality.

A fully secular two state solution to once and for all end the Israel/Palestine conflict really is a very good investment- for everyone's sake.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES

MORE NOTES

ATFP Resources on September UN Initiative: An extensive set of resources on a possible Palestinian UN initiative in September, covering Palestinian and pro-Palestinian, Israeli, American, Arab, European and other international perspectives, as well as general news items. This resource list is in chronological order within each category, beginning with the most recent items, and will be updated daily. The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP)

Refugees, Borders & Jerusalem...

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

The Golden Rule

Growing Gardens for Palestine

A Palestine To Return To

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

My online comment to the Washington Post RE Palestinian despair for peace by Dr. Hussein Ibish

RE: Palestinian despair for peace by Dr. Hussein Ibish, Senior Fellow, American Task Force on Palestine
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2009/11/palestinian_despair_for_peace.html

Dear Editor,

Thank you for publishing this informative article on Palestine by Dr. Hussein Ibish, Senior Fellow, American Task Force on Palestine. We need to be noticing Palestine- and the very real plight of the Palestinians.

Today I saw an inspiring new campaign led by Karen Armstrong and Archbishop Desmond Tutu - a worldwide campaign "Charter for Compassion" urging all people to live by the golden rule. Applying "the golden rule" would result in a world of kindness and understanding: I think it is clear that the very real plight of the Palestinians needs our compassion and all our best efforts to help bring about a just and lasting peace.

"The Golden Rule requires that we use empathy -- moral imagination -- to put ourselves in others' shoes. We should act toward them as we would want them to act toward us." http://charterforcompassion.org/learn

We need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine, a Golden Rule Peace firmly grounded in full respect for international law and basic human rights- and a golden rule guide to calming down the conversation rather than inflaming bigotry, extremism and despair.

I very much agree that supporting the institution building program proposed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad "could enact a dynamic, unilateral, nonviolent and constructive resistance to the occupation, creating the necessary framework for Palestinian independence, and constituting a dramatic transformation of the strategic environment in favor of both Palestinian interests and the prospects for peace."... and I am glad that there is an American Task Force on Palestine, with scholars busy trying to be a bridge between 'us' and 'them'.

Thanks again for publishing Ibish's thoughtful article.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

Compassion unites the world's faiths- By Karen Armstrong and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Special to CNN

Rediscovering the Golden Rule VIDEO on ccn.com

http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/11/10/armstrong.tutu.charter.compassion/index.html

Editor's note: Karen Armstrong is a former Roman Catholic nun who has written more than 20 books about common themes in Islam, Judaism and Christianity, including "The Bible: A Biography." She received the 2008 TED Prize. Archbishop Desmond Tutu received the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for opposing apartheid in South Africa. Since 1988 Tutu has been chancellor of the University of the Western Cape in Bellville, South Africa.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Karen Armstrong's wish upon winning TED prize was for a charter for compassion
She and Desmond Tutu say all faiths share belief in compassion
Applying "the golden rule" would result in a world of kindness and understanding, they say
The "Charter for Compassion" will be unveiled in Washington November 12

(CNN) -- We have called on the world to sign up to a Charter for Compassion.

Compassion is the principled determination to put ourselves into the place of the other and it lies at the heart of all truly religious and ethical systems.

The charter, which will be unveiled Thursday, November 12, has been composed by leading thinkers in many different faiths. Thousands of people have contributed to it online. It is a cooperative effort to restore compassion to the center of religious, moral and political life. Why is this so important?

One of the most urgent tasks of our generation is to build a global community, where men and women of all races, nations and ideologies can live together in peace.

Religion, which should be making a major contribution to this endeavor, is often seen as part of the problem. All too often the voices of extremism seem to drown those that speak of kindness, forbearance and mutual respect. Yet the founders of every single one of the great traditions recoiled from the violence of their time and tried to replace it with an ethic of compassion.

The great sages who promoted the Golden Rule were nearly all living during periods of history like our own. They argued that a truly compassionate ethic served people's best interests and made good practical sense.

When the Bible commands that we "love" the foreigner, it was not speaking of emotional tenderness: in Leviticus, "love" was a legal term: It was used in international treaties, when two kings would promise to give each other practical support, help and loyalty, and look out for each other's best interests. In our global world, everybody has become our neighbor, and the Golden Rule has become an urgent necessity.

When asked by a pagan to sum up the whole of Jewish teaching while he stood on one leg, Rabbi Hillel, the older contemporary of Jesus, replied: "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the Torah -- and everything else is only commentary." His Holiness the Dalai Lama put it even more succinctly when he said: "My religion is kindness."

These traditions have also pointed out that it is not sufficient to confine our benevolence to those we find congenial -- to our own ethnic, national or ideological group. We must have what one of the Chinese sages called jian ai, "concern for everybody." If practiced assiduously -- "all day and every day," as Confucius enjoined -- we begin to appreciate our profound interdependence and become fully humane.

We come at this issue from different perspectives. I, Karen, was a Roman Catholic nun for seven years, from the age of 17 to 24. After that, I turned away from religion but came back to it after a series of career disasters -- when I was invited to make some TV programs for Channel 4, which was just opening up in the United Kingdom. The more I studied religious traditions that were different from my own, the more I had to revise my views on faith in general.

I started to study Judaism and Islam, and found that these faiths both offered a perspective on religion that was different from the somewhat parochial Catholicism of my childhood but which really resonated with me. I no longer see any of the great faith traditions, eastern and western, as superior to any of the others.

Each has its own particular genius and each its particular flaws. Every single one of the faiths regards compassion and the Golden Rule as the litmus test of true spirituality and sees it as one of the main ways in which we come into relation with the transcendence that we call God, Nirvana, Brahman or Tao.

In 2008, I was honored to receive the TED Prize, which consists of money, but more importantly, a wish for a better world the TED organization will help you to realize. I knew at once what I wanted to do and TED helped refine it. The result was a Charter that would restore compassion to its central place in religious and moral life.

If we wish to create a viable world order, we must try to implement the Golden Rule globally, treating all peoples, even those who seem far removed from us, as we would wish to be treated ourselves. We must strive for a global democracy, in which everybody, not only the rich and powerful, has a voice and which takes everybody's needs and aspirations with the utmost seriousness and respect.

Today we are all bound together, electronically, economically and politically, as never before. Our financial markets are inextricably connected: When one falls, there is a ripple effect worldwide. What happens in Afghanistan or Iraq today may well have repercussions tomorrow in New York or London.

Our world has become dangerously polarized and many of our policies -- political, economic, financial and environmental -- seem no longer sustainable. We have a choice. We can either choose the aggressive and exclusive tendencies that have developed in practically all religious and secular traditions or we can cultivate those that speak of compassion, empathy, respect and an impartial "concern for everybody."

The Charter for Compassion is not simply a statement of principle. It is above all a summons to creative, practical and sustained action to meet the political, moral, religious, social and cultural problems of our time. You can find out how you and your community can participate in the launch and in the ongoing effort to build a fair, just and compassionate world on our Web site: charterforcompassion.org.

We cannot afford to be paralyzed by global suffering. We have the power to work together energetically for the well-being of humanity, and counter the despairing extremism of our time. Many of us have experienced the power of compassion in our own lives. We know how a single act of kindness and empathy can turn a life around. History also shows that the action of just a few individuals can make all the difference. In a world that seems spinning out of control, we need such action now.

The Charter is a summons to action and includes directives about how to implement the Golden Rule. There can be no detailed directives; everybody will have to see how to do this in his or her particular sphere: in the media, in study, teaching, parenting, business, or politics.

The launch is only the beginning of the journey -- not the end.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Karen Armstrong and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

From Growing Gardens for Palestine: We need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine

Growing Gardens for Palestine

We need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine

Garden of Gethsemane "Following the Last Supper, Jesus withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples to pray. It was here that he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot with a kiss. The garden itself is approximately 2000 years old, filled with olive trees and is the largest site that has been identified as Gethsemane." BBC News Religon & Ethics In pictures Jerusalem

On Jerusalem
Worldfocus interview with Hussein Ibish, a senior fellow at the American Task Force for Palestine, a non-profit dedicated to a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Originally from Beirut, Ibish is the former Washington D.C. correspondent for Lebanon’s Daily Star and current author of IbishBlog.

Hussein Ibish: "The cultural, religious and political importance of the holy places means that Jerusalem is central to both populations. Both sides are becoming increasingly influenced by right-wing religious rhetoric. The conflict is transforming from an ethnic struggle over land and power in a small area — into a religious struggle between bearded fanatics on both sides about the will of God and holy places.

The Old City of Jerusalem requires a creative solution and the unique formula like the Vatican City. It can’t be the exclusive preserve of any of the religious or ethnic groups. A unique formula has to be found. But it’s not beyond the wit of man to come up with a solution for this, because the national interests of all parties require it."

We do indeed need creative solutions- and kind solutions ASAP to help stop conflict and the destruction of Palestine.

Life Prevails by Ismail Shammout: Palestine The Exodus and the Odyssey
Oil painting, 1999, 165X200 cm.

The Israeli occupation was oppressive and ruthless. But we struggled to survive, to assert our presence, to preserve our traditions, and sustain our dreams. Life went on. Happy and sad occasions continued to be observed and celebrated in traditional Palestinian custom. And children multiplied …

"In Gaza, the blockade remains firmly in place, with all its adverse consequences for humanitarian access, for normal life and for the recovery and reconstruction effort. As always in these situations, civilians with no affiliation to armed groups or political parties, bear the brunt. The number of ‘abject poor’ among refugees has tripled in the last year to 300,000. Stunted growth among children, a consequence of chronic malnutrition, is making an appearance. The psychological damage to both adults and children is immeasurable, and it is apparent that the indiscriminate effects of the blockade serve only to swell the ranks of militants and the radicalized.

Conditions in the West Bank are similarly dire. The web of physical obstacles - some 592 currently - restricts Palestinian social interaction and denies access to economic opportunities and to resources such as land and water. Settlement construction and settler violence, land confiscation, house demolitions and evictions (including in East Jerusalem) and other violations of human rights are rife.

The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory constrain UNRWA’s protection, humanitarian and human development activities and make our operations more expensive at a time when our resources are severely limited." UNWRA's Commissioner-General

This dire situation is bound to go from bad to worse.

There is however hope that a just and lasting peace can be built by all the many people who understand the crucial importance of ending the Israel/Palestine conflict.

The Arab Peace Initiative clearly outlines what needs to be done:

Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the council:

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

Is Palestine Worth Fighting For...a poem by Anne Selden Annab

Is Palestine Worth Fighting For

As in the inner jihad-
the struggle to see
and think clearly
to speak honestly
gently...

To know horror- and betrayal
but to speak of hope

To shape revenge
into living well
being kind
to all you encounter

To find borders
for words and ideas
so that our quest for decency
dignity, and peace
might be known
as Palestine

Palestinian children release balloons during an event organized by the UNICEF to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009. Twenty years after the U.N. adopted a treaty guaranteeing children's rights, fewer youngsters are dying and more are going to school, but an estimated 1 billion children still lack services essential to their survival and development, UNICEF said Thursday. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In trying to help Palestine I think the Golden Rule and compassion for all involved is crucial... as is full respect for basic human rights including but not limited to the Palestinian refugees inalienable, legal, moral and natural right to return to original homes and lands.

Not all Palestinian refugees will want to be Israeli, and the Palestinian refugees really should not be pawns for political or religious war. These are people, human beings- men, women and children who need freedom & justice- and that includes the freedom to leave to find greener pastures... and good jobs.

When return becomes a reality many, perhaps even most, will want citizenship in a place called Palestine, with the freedom to go visit family and friends where ever they might be.

Some Palestinians will want to relocate far away from the scene of so much misery and suffering. I very much hope that America welcomes in as many Palestinian refugees as possible.

"The Golden Rule requires that we use empathy -- moral imagination -- to put ourselves in others' shoes. We should act toward them as we would want them to act toward us. We should refuse, under any circumstance, to carry out actions which would cause them harm." The Charter for Compassion

Here in America, with our Constitution and Bill of Rights ensuring that we really do become a more real democracy, it is VERY easy to be convinced that a feel good one state "solution" to the Israel/Palestine conflict will stop the conflict.

REALITY CHECK: Wishful thinking will not create peace, nor will wishful thinking free Palestine.

We need to be noticing that if a viable and sovereign two-state reality is not reached that is the end of a place called Palestine.

A secular two state solution is the only solution for every one's sake, and negotiations on how best to respect and implement all the many international laws and resolutions already in place need all our support....

Calm and compassionate voices need our support. Moderates need our support. The idea of fair and just laws needs our support- civilization itself needs all our best efforts to help free Palestine from the many hate mongers, extremists, radicals, cynics and idiots who thrive on the continuation of the Israel/Palestine conflict.

What is Palestine now ?

Wood to wood
old meets new
grains and stains
becoming symbols

to me- and to me alone

What is Palestine now ?

Is it this delicate souvenir
like a feathered pen in my hand
this gift from the heart
with a compelling heritage...

Is it the gentle thought
the pleasant memory
the home cooked meal
loyalty and love- and logic - human dignity
with we the people working together
worldwide
shaping hope for better days

Or is it the guns and the hate-
the cold cruelty and divisiveness
the rudeness and cynicism- the bigotry
& extremism
the angry posters... the burning flags.

Who will rule the symbols
defining the borders
of meaning

and the point of purpose

Who will find inspiration in our words- and efforts
... who will come to care about Palestine

In growing gardens for Palestine rather than rage for Israel, I think Palestine needs all our best efforts and creativity to help empower positive efforts and discussions that reach into the mainstream in order to convince everyone worldwide that Palestine really is in the best interest of all.

Letter I recently sent to President Obama

We need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine
SUBJECT: Please do not give up on Palestine

Dear President Obama,

Please do not give up on Palestine.

These are indeed very troubling times, very discouraging and difficult... but please help keep hope alive that a just and lasting peace is more than possible- it is an absolute necessity for every one's sake.

"Extremists on both sides feeding each other’s appetite for destruction. That’s the menacing miscalculation from which my region is reeling: the belief that violence is the answer. The only answer is non-violence. That’s the seismic shift we need. Because the major threat to our world is neither nuclear weapons nor environmental disaster; it’s a population without hope. We have one on our doorstep. " Tactical Blinders http://2010.newsweek.com/top-10/tactical-blunders/israel-2006-war-in-lebanon.html

In seeing a new "Charter for Compassion" arise today- and in exploring "The American Task Force for Palestine" and all the ATFP's hard work to convince America to understand and care about Palestine, I believe that we need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine, a Golden Rule Peace firmly grounded in full respect for international law and basic human rights- and in veering away from violence a golden rule guide to calming down the conversation rather than inflaming bigotry, extremism and despair.

The Arab Peace Initiative is reasonable and right: We do not have to demonize or destroy Israel in order to help free the besieged and displaced people of historic Palestine- but we do have to firmly and clearly demand that Israel fully respects and honors a two state solution, an end to its illegal occupation as well as an end to its public and private institutionalized bigotry towards the native-non-Jewish population of the the Holy Land: A Golden Rule Peace has to be on both sides of every and any border.... and in every home and neighborhood.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights wisely reminds us "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

Please do not give up on Palestine.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

Thursday, November 12, 2009

We need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine

A Palestinian man rides his horse through an olive grove, where olive trees have been cut overnight in the West Bank village of Bourin near Nablus on Thursday, Nov. 12. 2009. In the past, Jewish Settlers from the surrounding area have cut down olive trees belonging to Palestinian villagers. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?id=3181&letter_id=4238443806

Dear President Obama,

Please do not give up on Palestine.

These are indeed very troubling times, very discouraging and difficult... but please help keep hope alive that a just and lasting peace is more than possible- it is an absolute necessity for everyone's sake.

"Extremists on both sides feeding each other’s appetite for destruction. That’s the menacing miscalculation from which my region is reeling: the belief that violence is the answer. The only answer is non-violence. That’s the seismic shift we need. Because the major threat to our world is neither nuclear weapons nor environmental disaster; it’s a population without hope. We have one on our doorstep. " Tactical Blunders http://2010.newsweek.com/top-10/tactical-blunders/israel-2006-war-in-lebanon.html

In seeing a new "Charter for Compassion" arise today- and in exploring "The American Task Force for Palestine" and all the ATFP's hard work to convince America to understand and care about Palestine, I believe that we need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine, a Golden Rule Peace firmly grounded in full respect for international law and basic human rights- and in veering away from violence a golden rule guide to calming down the conversation rather than inflaming bigotry, extremism and despair.

The Arab Peace Initiative is reasonable and right: We do not have to demonize or destroy Israel in order to help free the besieged and displaced people of historic Palestine- but we do have to firmly and clearly demand that Israel fully respects and honors a two state solution, an end to its illegal occupation as well as an end to its public and private institutionalized bigotry towards the native-non-Jewish population of the the Holy Land: A Golden Rule Peace has to be on both sides of every and any border.... and in every home and neighborhood.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights wisely reminds us "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

Please do not give up on Palestine.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

Friday, September 27, 2013

My letter to the Washington Post RE Jackson Diehl's Obama’s myopic worldview

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

RE: Jackson Diehl's Obama’s myopic worldview
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/jackson-diehl-obamas-myopic-worldview/2013/09/26/24670492-26c8-11e3-b75d-5b7f66349852_story.html

Dear Editor,

Worldwide religious bigots, tyrants and terrorists of all types have been thriving on the continuation of the Israel-Palestine conflict. This is a horrible situation that is bound to only get worse with time, with many more negative ramifications.

Tragically, because the fourth estate plays a crucial role in our democracy and decision making abilities, the Washington Post - and Jackson Diehl - tend to be quite myopic when it comes to the Middle East and priorities- and peace.

There is nothing at all myopic about Obama's foreign policy priority in " striking an agreement with Iran that would curtail its pursuit of nuclear weapons and brokering an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord."

An arms race in the Middle East will most definitely further endanger as well as impoverish many people. Education and diplomacy are a much better investment- for everyone's sake.

And an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord, firmly based on full respect for international law and universal basic human rights, will make a huge difference in calming down the entire region, and ushering in a Golden Rule age of co-operation and co-existence- for everyone's sake.

Sincerely
Anne Selden Annab
American homemaker & poet

NOTES
Remarks by Palestine's President Abbas at the United Nations General Assembly..."The hour of freedom for the Palestinian people has rung. The hour of the independence of Palestine has rung. The hour of peace has rung."

Obama urges world to take risks for Mideast peace... "All of us must recognize that peace will be a powerful tool to defeat extremists, and embolden those who are prepared to build a better future," he said.

Announcing ATFP Gala Silent Auction ... Featuring Arts, Calligraphy, Photography, Manuscripts, Lithography, and Maps [ATFP seeks to support good governance and living standards for Palestinians, and to bring Palestinians and the United States closer together at every level]

Remarks by President Obama and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority Before Bilateral Meeting

"I sit in preventive detention... The reason, sir, is that I am an Arab." Fouzi al-Asmar (1937-2013)

Palestinian Journalist/Author/Poet/Activist Fouzi El-Asmar, R.I.P... El-Asmar was a doting husband, father, grandfather, a devoted friend, and a respected journalist who died this month at age 76, three weeks after the passing of his wife: He had asked to be buried in his native land.

UNHRC Discusses Human Rights Situation in Occupied Palestinian Territories

Definition of Irony: why “end times” believers might actually trigger the end times

Arab Myths Distort Understanding Of American Policy

Newspapers Review: Killing of Soldier in Hebron Focus of Dailies ... & EU Warns Violence Could Undermine Negotiations (Israeli Army Kills six Palestinians last month & this month in Qalandia & Jenin refugee camps- prompting protests)

Israeli soldiers assault Palestinian farmer near Hebron

Israeli Settlers Destroy 20 Dunams of Land near Nablus

"The occupation is an emergency, not a macro- or trans-historical problem, particularly for the millions of Palestinians living under its oppressive rule. They, especially—but we too—do not have the luxury of waiting to see what the next hundred years of history will bring us, good or bad. On the contrary, we must have the courage to act now, and with urgency, within the existing realities, however difficult, to try to create a working solution to a situation that is both intolerably unjust and regionally (and to some extent even globally) destabilizing."Hussein Ibish & Saliba Sarsar of ATFP...

Palestine and Israel in the New Regional Context

ATFP provides an independent voice for Palestinian-Americans and their supporters and advances human rights and peace. It categorically and unequivocally condemns all violence against civilians, no matter the cause and who the victims or perpetrators may be.

***
The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day...Ibrahim's Estate... a poem

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 1

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Live by the Golden Rule

Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

Dear President Obama... Let Freedom Ring

194

Help Build A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land

Globalizing Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jordan's King Abdullah II explains that extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

*********

The Arab Peace Initiative

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

The Office of International Religious Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/) Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine....

"In 1949, the international community accepted Israel's UN membership upon two conditions: That they respect resolutions 181 (two states) and 194 (refugee rights). Neither has been honored. In fact, 65 years later, Israel has not even acknowledged what it did in 1948." Saeb Erekat

11 December 1948 UN Resolution 194:"Refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible"

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Sunday, September 15, 2013

My letter to IHT/NYTimes RE Two-State Illusion

illusion

RE Two-State Illusion By Ian S. Lustick
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/opinion/sunday/two-state-illusion.html?ref=global&_r=0

Dear Editor,

One state or two states- frankly either one can be the illusion... and the iceberg: All depends on how things play out.

Clear evidence already proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that a one-state scenario, which basically is what has been for decades, mainly helps a Jews-preferred Israel persecute, impoverish and displace even more Palestinian men, women and children.

Negotiations and diplomacy should not be dismissed for there is a chance, a very real chance, that this information age infused final push for peace and a two state solution to actually end the Israel-Palestine conflict will actually work.

There is a chance, a very real chance that we stand on the edge of a new day dawning, a new era emerging with firm formal respect for universal basic human rights dismantling the bigotry and injustice and walls of hate that have brought such sorrow and suffering to countless innocents.

There is a chance, a very real chance that Golden Rule thinking and the process of diplomacy and dialogue and fact checking will help steer more and more people (and governments) away from foolishly exasperating the conflict and the religious extremism which has already wrecked havoc through out the region.

There is a chance, a very real chance that compassion and empathy and the cultivation of civilized conversations will help expand the scope and shape of current negotiations, enabling all involved to be an active part of building a just and lasting peace and a better way froward for all our children.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES

NSA scandal: “Israel which discriminates continuously against US citizens of Arab and Muslim origins should not be rewarded with information that encourages and enhances its ability to discriminate against them leading to their deportations at Israeli airports, banning them from entry, and even jailing them,”

On Yom Kippur, Remember My Palestinian Mother: "The lesson, I think, is this: the Holy Land holds histories that, with time, can be taught to coexist. My mother’s is one of them. As she navigates her own, inner peace process, I hope that one day, in her lifetime, it leads home."

Palestine and Israel in the New Regional Context

Witnesses: Israeli forces bulldoze land south of Qalqiliya

Israelis uproot over 40 Palestinian olive trees in south Hebron hills late Sunday

The politicization of religion contributes to discrimination and persecution of religious minorities around the world.... “The politicization of religion and use of religion in politics has often added to polarization, social divides and conflicts in traditionally tolerant communities around the globe”

More Times Than I Can Remember ... a poem by Saliba Sarsar (born and raised in Jerusalem)

Palestine Festival of Literature 2013

In Growing Gardens for Palestine: I ask you not to bomb ... a poem by Anne Selden Annab

Negotiations are a way to get our rights

Clip Art Cartoon: Diplomacy

point by point ...a poem

Live by the Golden Rule

Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

Dear President Obama... Let Freedom Ring

194

Help Build A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land

Globalizing Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jordan's King Abdullah II explains that extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

*********

The Arab Peace Initiative

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

Live by the Golden Rule
Words to Honor: The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine....

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Friday, September 20, 2013

My comment RE 20 years of Oslo: Maybe the best thing to happen to Palestinians by Suhail Khalilieh

RE 20 years of Oslo: Maybe the best thing to happen to Palestinians by Suhail Khalilieh
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=631016

Dear Editor,

Good article! As far as negotiations go I am not so sure Palestinians are weak negotiators. Looking at the larger picture a vibrant information age frees the conversation in ways never possible before. Every artist, every thinker, every monitor, every remembrance, every Facebook page, every compassionate voice weighing in for Palestine, calmly pointing out basic truths and trends as well as historic facts- and UN Resolutions, has the capacity to help empower more respect and concern for Palestine

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES

Farah Chamma- I Am No Palestinian

Twenty Years After Oslo, Trying it Again

CNN: World-renowned chef, best-selling author and Emmy-winning television personality Anthony Bourdain... 10 things to know before visiting Israel, the West Bank and Gaza

Anthony Bourdain, Will You Marry Me?

From handshake of peace to handcuffs of subjugation

U.S. Foreign Policy

NSA scandal: “Israel which discriminates continuously against US citizens of Arab and Muslim origins should not be rewarded with information that encourages and enhances its ability to discriminate against them leading to their deportations at Israeli airports, banning them from entry, and even jailing them,”

On Yom Kippur, Remember My Palestinian Mother: "The lesson, I think, is this: the Holy Land holds histories that, with time, can be taught to coexist. My mother’s is one of them. As she navigates her own, inner peace process, I hope that one day, in her lifetime, it leads home."

Palestine and Israel in the New Regional Context

Witnesses: Israeli forces bulldoze land south of Qalqiliya

Israelis uproot over 40 Palestinian olive trees in south Hebron hills late Sunday

The politicization of religion contributes to discrimination and persecution of religious minorities around the world.... “The politicization of religion and use of religion in politics has often added to polarization, social divides and conflicts in traditionally tolerant communities around the globe”

More Times Than I Can Remember ... a poem by Saliba Sarsar (born and raised in Jerusalem)

Palestine Festival of Literature 2013

Negotiations are a way to get our rights

point by point ...a poem

Live by the Golden Rule

Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

Dear President Obama... Let Freedom Ring

194

Help Build A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land

Globalizing Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jordan's King Abdullah II explains that extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

*********

The Arab Peace Initiative

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

Live by the Golden Rule
Words to Honor: The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine....

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Annie's New Letters (& notes)

Labels

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Help Build A Golden Rule Peace for the Holy Land

A Palestine To Return To

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

My online comment to the Washington Post RE Palestinian despair for peace by Dr. Hussein Ibish

Compassion unites the world's faiths- By Karen Armstrong and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Special to CNN

Sunday, November 22, 2009

From Growing Gardens for Palestine: We need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine

Growing Gardens for Palestine

We need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine

What is Palestine now ?

Thursday, November 12, 2009

We need a Golden Rule Peace for Israel and Palestine

Friday, September 27, 2013

My letter to the Washington Post RE Jackson Diehl's Obama’s myopic worldview

Sunday, September 15, 2013

My letter to IHT/NYTimes RE Two-State Illusion

Friday, September 20, 2013

My comment RE 20 years of Oslo: Maybe the best thing to happen to Palestinians by Suhail Khalilieh