I met Ahmed ( not his real name) today at the Ramat Rachel sports club. He is part of the mostly Arab maintenance staff and lives in Sur Baher, a neighboring village.( A historical note: Ramat Rachel was attacked by Sur Baher villagers and had to be abandoned in the 1920s and 1930s) Today Ramat Rachel is an important source of employment for the village.)
I greeted Ahmed in Arabic as I like to practice the language and learn when the opportunity arises. He was amused that I speak Arabic and he showed off his broken English to me. His Hebrew is weak.
I asked him, how is life in his village? He didn't seem too excited about the place and said it was OK. I asked, is there much violence there? I know that it is a problem in the larger Arab community. He hesitated and said no, not really. I asked about another neighboring village, Jebel Mukaber, known for its violence. He again hesitated and said he didn't know. Of course, he knew. I was putting him on the spot and he wasn't comfortable. Then I asked him if he can help me understand why there is so much violence in the Arab community. He mumbled something about the Jews and Arabs...situation.I said that in the Jewish community, in my neighborhood for example there is no violence. There is no violence; no honor killings or family vendettas. He acknowledged what I said and answered, that is the Arab society. I asked him if this is a modern phenomenon or if it has always been so. Always he said, I asked, is it this way only in Israel or in other Arab countries?'' He said wherever the Arabs are there is violence.
A few moments later he asked me if I play sports. He plays basketball, as I once did - we are both tall, and volleyball. His face lit up when we spoke of our common interest. I felt bad for this young man. He seems to be stuck in a difficult world. I wonder what he thinks when he observes another, a kinder, more humane world that he rubs shoulders with now daily.
On a macro level, I can say that it hasn't brought most Arabs closer to accepting the Jews as the legitimate heirs of the land we call a Jewish state. Not within any borders.
It must be tough for a young man like Ahmed. Many Arabs develop jealousy and are ready to blame their Jewish benefactors for the troubles inherent within their own society. Many would like to flee it. Europe and other places are full of them. Some want to integrate and be more "Jewish"; never an easy task.
It is complicated.
The Jewish state can not solve the inherent, serious shortcomings of the Arab society within it. Money does not wean them of their violence. Money doesn't discourage corruption, Money does not diminish hate. We are witnessing this folly.
I feel for gentle Ahmed and can see the pain in his eyes when we speak of taboo subjects, When he said, avoiding my eyes, that there was no violence in his village I didn't tell him that my cousin Aryeh Kupinsky was murdered six years ago (in a shul in Har Nof) by two men from his village and that the faces of his celebrated murderers were pasted on every wall there.
There are lots of sorry feelings to go around. It's complicated.
My book, "Jews, Arabs and Israelis" explains a lot
No comments:
Post a Comment