Factional clashes in Palestine, whatever their justification, ultimately serve to minimise the Zionists' role in its continuing Occupation of the homeland. The international media is filled with reports of the clashes between elements of Hamas and Fatah, while the Zionist plan to rob Palestinians of more land in the West Bank in its construction of its infamous Wall is virtually ignored.
Recently, the Zionist government has made a proposal to move its 'separation barrier' deeper into the West Bank, leaving about 20,000 Palestinians on the Zionist side of the Wall and incorporating two more illegal Jewish settlements. Notwithstanding the fact that every inch of Palestine occupied by the Zionist entity is illegally occupied, its 'Wall' makes the lives of ordinary Palestinians impossible. The Wall often serves to separate Palestinians from their land, their jobs and their families and is a more pernicious and permanent obstacle than the ever-present Zionist 'chequepoints' that prevent the ordinary Palestinians from one location to another.
When complete, the massive complex of concrete walls, barbed wire and electronic sensors will be about 680km long. The Wall has been declared illegal under international law, yet the Zionists as usual ignore all considerations apart from their own interests.
The Wall serves as another excuse for demolishing Palestinians homes. In the past year, over 400 Palestinian homes have been demolished because of spurious building permit issues or because they were 'too close to the Wall'.
This continuing erosion of the Palestinian presence in Palestine itself goes on unabated but international media chooses to focus on the internal Palestinian struggles between factions.
The Zionists rejoice to see Palestinians kill Palestinians and are particularly delighted when leaders of either faction are killed. In the circumstances, would it not be far better to concentrate all Palestinian energies on the destruction of the Zionist entity and only after this is achieved, sort out internal political issues?
Of course, that would require that BOTH sides be uncompromising in a determination never to accept the existence of the Zionist entity, nor to be persuaded by foreign bribes or threats of intimidation on the part of the U.S. or any one else.
This internal power struggle is destroying the lives of ordinary Palestinians while allowing the Zionists to freely pursue their goals. While Palestinian confronts Palestinian, the Zionists continue to demolish more homes and appropriate more land and their actions either are ignored or considered less newsworthy than any conflict between elements in Fatah and Hamas. Obviously, media coverage is designed for the most part to advance Zionist goals as well, and any internal Palestinian conflicts will be greatly publicised.
Palestinians, like the Iraqi people, find themselves in an impossible situation. What is the solution? I submit that Unity in Resistance against the foreign Occupiers is the only answer here. Get rid of the foreign Occupation first. Only then will there be ANY viable future for any political group or political agenda for the Arab Nation.
Showing posts with label Zionist Occupation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zionist Occupation. Show all posts
03 February 2007
12 January 2007
Resistance through Music
Music can provide a powerful rallying point for Resistance movements. This post reviews ''Ila Mataa?' by Rima Tarazi and Tania Tamari Nasir, a collection of songs dedicated to the Palestinian Resistance against the Zionist Occupation.
In 1986, Rima Tarazi and Tania Tamari Nasir recorded a number of extraordinarily powerful songs about Palestine. The songs were written by Rima Tarazi and sung by Tania primarily to the accompaniment of piano. Although both artists were born and raised in Palestine, the music represents a synthesis of East and West through its use of piano as well as Western operatic influence, yet firmly rooted in the realities of Palestinian culture and tradition.
Rima Tarazi evidently played and loved the piano from early childhood. Her use of the piano as accompanying instrument is a distinguishing feature of her music. The quality of the singer's voice is operatic and her musical background basically is a classical one. The choral accompaniment in some of her songs is characteristic of her compositions as well. Often listeners familiar only with Western classical music who listen to these songs without knowing their provenance mistakenly identify them as arias from Western classical opera. That does not make this music less genuinely Palestinian, but adds another element to its power, as the songs resonate with every one who appreciates classical music while maintaining their unique Palestinian roots and voice. The opera 'Ahmad al Arabi' by Marcel Khalife has the same effect. Music that transcends cultural boundaries yet remains true to its own cultural heritage possesses a potency that gives it a timeless universal quality.
I bought the cassette of 'Songs of Palestine' shortly after it was produced in the 1980s. Listening to it again and again through the years, it never has failed to move me.
In 1992, Jabra Ibrahim Jabra listened to the same cassette and wrote from Baghdad: 'I have to tell you that as I listened to the songs, I could not hold back my tears and my tears only flow whenever I come face to face with wondrous beauty! ... May this creativity be a constant source of inspiration to all of us as we reunite with our people in our Palestinian towns and villages so that this creative grief may be transformed into the creative joy we are forever awaiting...'
Now, two decades later, a CD has been produced that combines the songs on that cassette with new songs. Under the title of ''Ila Mataa?' ('Until When?') this incredible music is made available to a new generation.
One of the earliest songs, 'Song of the Bird' was written for the Society of Al Inash al Usra and dedicated and performed during the International Year of the Child in 1979.
The songs for the most part eulogise actual martyrs of Palestine. From a song for Hania, a 14 year old girl shot by the Zionists to songs dedicated to famous artists, writers and political leaders assassinated through the years, the songs remind us of the sea of blood on which the Zionist entity floats. They speak eloquently of Palestinian courage, determination and hope as well, inspiring our hearts to soar with pride and hope while allowing us to weep.
From Hania:
'I'm only a child, dear mother,
Why would they shoot me, dear mother?...
Hania, Hania, Hania,
Your injuries sing praises to the free,
They are the hymns of victory...
Our little ones, our dear ones, beloved ones,
Your blood shall always light our troubled earth,
It shall bring forth our renewed birth.'
The invasion of 1967 was followed by the Zionist invasion of Lebanon... The First Intifada was followed by the Second. We have witnessed another invasion of Lebanon by the Zionists and Palestine remains under Occupation even now.
Knowing this, a song dedicated to Al Quds must find an echo in the soul of every Palestinian:
Because I was born Palestinian,
Because my roots are deeply imprinted in history,
Because I was born Arab and in Jerusalem have lived since the dawn of time,
I die every day.
Al Quds has always been ours.
In our hearts it lives and will never die.
Every alley and every home bears my name,
My dreams and memories ae engraved in its walls,
Reminding us all Al Quds is Arab, it shall never die.
Because I dream of light and right,
Because I refuse to be a false witness and suppress the truth,
Because I am steadfast, as solid as a rock,
I die every day...
Al Quds is Arab,
Al Quds will never die.'
Nor will the spirit and actions of Resistance die.
Songs like these may carry with them the sorrow of loss but at the same time they bear the scent of the oranges and thyme of Palestine and the hope of a future that will not be denied. Steadfastness and memory are the twin pillars that support the strength of the Palestinian people. The identity of Palestine cannot be destroyed by bullet or bulldozer, by force or intimidation, by foreign declarations or by false propaganda. Palestine endures.
I urge every one to experience the magnificent talents of Rima Tarazi and Tania Tamari Nasir for themselves. The CD is available from the Palestine Online Store. No doubt other sources exist as well, but a link to the Palestine Online Store can be found in the Links section of this page.
N.B. If any one wishes to send me links to other sites that advance the cause of Palestine by offering items from Palestine, please feel free to do so.
In 1986, Rima Tarazi and Tania Tamari Nasir recorded a number of extraordinarily powerful songs about Palestine. The songs were written by Rima Tarazi and sung by Tania primarily to the accompaniment of piano. Although both artists were born and raised in Palestine, the music represents a synthesis of East and West through its use of piano as well as Western operatic influence, yet firmly rooted in the realities of Palestinian culture and tradition.
Rima Tarazi evidently played and loved the piano from early childhood. Her use of the piano as accompanying instrument is a distinguishing feature of her music. The quality of the singer's voice is operatic and her musical background basically is a classical one. The choral accompaniment in some of her songs is characteristic of her compositions as well. Often listeners familiar only with Western classical music who listen to these songs without knowing their provenance mistakenly identify them as arias from Western classical opera. That does not make this music less genuinely Palestinian, but adds another element to its power, as the songs resonate with every one who appreciates classical music while maintaining their unique Palestinian roots and voice. The opera 'Ahmad al Arabi' by Marcel Khalife has the same effect. Music that transcends cultural boundaries yet remains true to its own cultural heritage possesses a potency that gives it a timeless universal quality.
I bought the cassette of 'Songs of Palestine' shortly after it was produced in the 1980s. Listening to it again and again through the years, it never has failed to move me.
In 1992, Jabra Ibrahim Jabra listened to the same cassette and wrote from Baghdad: 'I have to tell you that as I listened to the songs, I could not hold back my tears and my tears only flow whenever I come face to face with wondrous beauty! ... May this creativity be a constant source of inspiration to all of us as we reunite with our people in our Palestinian towns and villages so that this creative grief may be transformed into the creative joy we are forever awaiting...'
Now, two decades later, a CD has been produced that combines the songs on that cassette with new songs. Under the title of ''Ila Mataa?' ('Until When?') this incredible music is made available to a new generation.
One of the earliest songs, 'Song of the Bird' was written for the Society of Al Inash al Usra and dedicated and performed during the International Year of the Child in 1979.
The songs for the most part eulogise actual martyrs of Palestine. From a song for Hania, a 14 year old girl shot by the Zionists to songs dedicated to famous artists, writers and political leaders assassinated through the years, the songs remind us of the sea of blood on which the Zionist entity floats. They speak eloquently of Palestinian courage, determination and hope as well, inspiring our hearts to soar with pride and hope while allowing us to weep.
From Hania:
'I'm only a child, dear mother,
Why would they shoot me, dear mother?...
Hania, Hania, Hania,
Your injuries sing praises to the free,
They are the hymns of victory...
Our little ones, our dear ones, beloved ones,
Your blood shall always light our troubled earth,
It shall bring forth our renewed birth.'
The invasion of 1967 was followed by the Zionist invasion of Lebanon... The First Intifada was followed by the Second. We have witnessed another invasion of Lebanon by the Zionists and Palestine remains under Occupation even now.
Knowing this, a song dedicated to Al Quds must find an echo in the soul of every Palestinian:
Because I was born Palestinian,
Because my roots are deeply imprinted in history,
Because I was born Arab and in Jerusalem have lived since the dawn of time,
I die every day.
Al Quds has always been ours.
In our hearts it lives and will never die.
Every alley and every home bears my name,
My dreams and memories ae engraved in its walls,
Reminding us all Al Quds is Arab, it shall never die.
Because I dream of light and right,
Because I refuse to be a false witness and suppress the truth,
Because I am steadfast, as solid as a rock,
I die every day...
Al Quds is Arab,
Al Quds will never die.'
Nor will the spirit and actions of Resistance die.
Songs like these may carry with them the sorrow of loss but at the same time they bear the scent of the oranges and thyme of Palestine and the hope of a future that will not be denied. Steadfastness and memory are the twin pillars that support the strength of the Palestinian people. The identity of Palestine cannot be destroyed by bullet or bulldozer, by force or intimidation, by foreign declarations or by false propaganda. Palestine endures.
I urge every one to experience the magnificent talents of Rima Tarazi and Tania Tamari Nasir for themselves. The CD is available from the Palestine Online Store. No doubt other sources exist as well, but a link to the Palestine Online Store can be found in the Links section of this page.
N.B. If any one wishes to send me links to other sites that advance the cause of Palestine by offering items from Palestine, please feel free to do so.
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