February 5 , 2007

Much is taking place without seemingly attracting our community's interest. The NYT just reported on the deepening  religious divide between American Arabs in Detroit, MI. The issue of religious identity is gaining a foothold in furthering the divide of our commonly.  The ramifications of these trends warrant serious debate. In NJ, some feeble attempts are sprouting to provide much needed services to our community. We laude the efforts of Tanweer, the first Arab-American community center in North Jersey. Tanweer's efforts are highlighted in a recent article.  Other well financed entities with national exposure continue to miserably fail their mission.

Early January I traveled a again to Palestine and I attended a rally to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the founding of the PLO. I witnessed first hand the beginnings of the bleak future awaiting our people there. Most of the attendees came because the Fatah provided them with buses and exempted its loyalists from working that day. The event itself (covered live by Al-Jazeera TV) was held on the ruined grounds of Al-Muqataah were the Palestinian  Authority has its main offices. I complained to my host that since the event was a Fatah sponsored one,  the event should have been held somewhere else. My host answered that in Ramallah , Fatah and the PA as represented by its President  Abbas still rule the day. I was most hurt by  a seemingly innocent question by a ten year old 'comrade' at the event. The boy asked me if I was Fathawi or Hamsawi- belonging to Fatah or Hamas. I instinctively answered that I was neither but that I was a Palestinian. My young questioner seemed puzzled by my answer.  I knew then that Palestine and the noble struggle our people have died for  has been reduced to its most elementary nature: a struggle for power and control. I now cry for Palestine. AA