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Salam, Jacalyn.
Thank you for your question.
I fully agree with you that we have a long way to go and that we aspire peace to prevail in the Middle East. Yet I disagree with you when you equate jihad and Zionism.
For long, Zionism was equated with racism, as it is a doctrine based on the concept of "the chosen people" and the Promised Land. Only recently, due to pressures, which Zionists have exercised over people and governments, along with their basic abuse of the suffering of the Jews, during the Nazi era - that Zionism ceased to be equated with racism, in the decrees of the UN. This is despite the fact that it is still equated with racism, within the global civil society.
Please see, for example, Norman Finkelstein’s excellent book:
The Holocaust Industry
Also, worth mentioning here, is the Durban Conference , which was but an example.
I would also be very cautious about the idea of the ancestry, as it was not that sort of the "romantic right" the Zionists claimed, and hence, returned peacefully to settle down and live in peace! Since the beginning of the century, Zionist armed gangs, which were basically formed from Eastern European Jews, killed, massacred, intimidated the Palestinians and took away their land and threw people out!
This happened REPEATEDLY, and with full European and American support. It happened a decade after decade… and Jenin was one of the last episodes of that drama. Kindly visit the following links:
Can the West Ignore the Cry of Jenin?
Palestine Special
Zionists, not only took away - by force - their “promised land”, but also invaded countries like Egypt, Lebanon and Syria, under the banner of building buffer zones to protect themselves from the “savage” Arabs! So… now, is that “the Israel” you want people and governments of the region to consider as a "egitimate" entity. Then, the Palestinians are to live in peace with and take whatever the Israelis are willing to give and shut up!? And… whoever says no to such "peace settlements" is a: TERRORIST!? This doesn't seem to be fair, really!
Right now the US is confiscating the funds of charity Islamic organizations, trying to help the families and the orphans back in Palestine. The claim is that they support terrorism and teach anti-Semitism. Then, how about the Zionist practice of racism, transfer and genocide on daily basis? Disarmed civilians - my dear - are bombed with missiles!
It is strange that what used to be called "struggle" in South Africa - a decade ago - is now called "terrorism" in Palestine! We cannot go very far if we have such short memory and short sight - I am afraid. It is justice that is important here, and without it I am really afraid that peace will be a far away dream.
It is quite immoral to say to the slaughtered victim: "Try to be more civilized… you both have a common Abrahamic background!" This is while you are continuing to support the aggressor with ammunition and economic aid.
The Americans are worried about what is being taught to Palestinian children and want to check on their schools and curriculum. Then, how about sending a committee to check what is said and taught to Israeli children, about the rest of the non-Jews, especially Arabs?
If after, only, 54 years of the establishment of the Zionist Israel, the rights of living Palestinian emigrants to return to their homeland is denied, how can you talk so lightly about the return to the land of ancestors? This is while, in many cases, there is no proof to back that allegation, except simply being a Jew.
What about the right of those who still carry the maps of their stolen land and the pictures of their confiscated or bombed homes? What would then be left of the word: justice?!
May Allah show us the straight path, help us see justice, abide by it and be able to defend it. That is what Jihad means and it is far from being an equal vision to Zionism.
Thank you and salam (peace).
Useful Links:
Jews, Zionists, and Israelis
Killing Jewish children
The Palestinian question
Does the Qur'an Hate People of the Book?
What is Hizbullah?
A Letter From Lebanon
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