discussing the past

The Israeli government agreed to allow the use of a textbook in Arab schools that presents the view of the 1948 war and creation of the state of Israel as al-nakba, or "the catastrophe," and a former education minister claims that it will encourage Palestinians and Arabs to "take up arms against Israel."

Right-wing loyalists in Israel are afraid of the potential impact: "Once the Arab pupils are taught that the establishment of Israel was a disaster, they might infer that they should be fighting against us," said Limor Livnat, Knesset member and former Education Minister from the Likud Party.

...Because pretending the nakba view doesn't exist has worked so well?

When Livnat was asked in a 2004 interview with Haaretz what she would propose for a new education system in Iraq, she stated:

"My proposal for Iraqi schools is exactly what I am doing here. To teach heritage, to teach democratic values and ideas, to make sure that there is freedom of speech, freedom of thought, that there is room for a variety of ideas and to teach the children to be independent and part of the democratic free world."

Anyone who has stated such objectives should applaud the Israeli government's recent decision: it is a small, but symbolic, step toward free and democratic discussion by expanding access to alternative opinions on what is perhaps the #1 most emotional and controversial issue in the region's history.

sadness

I feel so alienated from both political parties. The bill that was just passed by the House of Representatives by a 223-201 vote calling for withdrawal from Iraq by 2008 has made clear a set of priorities that I have somehow failed to adopt but, apparently, everyone else has: we can only afford to continue to provide army personnel to train the Iraqi military and counter-terrorist operatives to protect our diplomats. Meaning that the U.S. is on the path to another bout of post-traumatic international isolationism, unresponsive to humanitarian crises? I can't say that I know what to do, but providing military training and assistance is only part of the solution. When/if the violence subsides in Iraq, the U.S. needs to be fully committed to maintaining a cease-fire, providing emergency relief services and aid, and then to beginning to build the infrastructure for sustainable local and state institutions that can provide basic public services. "Bring the troops home" and care for our returning soldiers: yes, perhaps it is time. But then begins the hard work of surveying the destruction and the level of material and economic investment that will be needed in the coming years - from Iraqis and the international community - to rebuild the country.

"surrender or die"

What happens when that choice is given to Islamic militants?

Perhaps Pakistan's President, General Pervez Musharraf, should have consulted with the Lebanese Army - which has been battling Fatah al-Islam fighters for over a month and a half - before issuing such an ultimatum to the extremists who sieged the Red Mosque in Islamabad last week. There are lessons to be learned from Northern Lebanon:

Those who are ordered to surrender do not consider it, talking instead of martyrdom.

Those who may want to surrender cannot: The Lebanese media has reported that Fatah al-Islam is fighting in groups, rather than as individuals, so that commanders can "keep an eye on their fighters" and prevent them from surrendering.

Finally: those who do not deserve to die, too often, do.