The New Map of The Middle East...Three New Countries...by Jamil Shawwa

*The Middle East will witness in the coming years, not sure how many, the birth of three new countries that should compliment the current political map and would increase peace and security and stability. These three countries will be the vehicle that will reshape the Middle East, which will include Israel and two of the new three ones. The Middle East, the birthplace of the divine religions and the spring of the engine- Oil- of the civilization as we know it right now cannot be or cannot continue to be a trigger point or cause to wars and terrorism. The root cause of these worldwide problems would be eliminated with the establishment of the new countries. I will start with what appears to be the closest one to be declared an independent state, South of Sudan. This new country will help Sudan, the North, to focus, ideally, its resources and energies on democracy and development. The military regime in Khartoum, if it stays in power, would not have any excuse actually to stay. Sudan once described as the basket of Africa, as it could have fed the whole continent if resources are managed normally and I do not even say skillfully. The new South Sudan country will permanently seal Sudan from being an African country per se and make it closer to Egypt and the rest of the Arab countries within the big and new Middle East. The second country, which is on fast track to be an independent state, is the State of Palestine in the West Bank of the River Jordan between Jordan and Israel and the Gaza Strip. It is coming but the final picture is not yet clear, to me. The whole world including the State of Israel recognized this potential state but the issues at stake are very sensitive to both parties and on a larger scale very sensitive to the majority of the people all over the world. The first most difficult one is the status of Jerusalem, it is currently and formerly the capital of Israel and the Palestinians wants it to be their capital as well. Jerusalem will and should be the capital of both countries because both countries have population there and both Israel and Palestine, historically and religiously and emotionally and everything that you can think of, can claim a right in Jerusalem. It has the most sacred places to the Jewish people, the Christians and the Muslims. And If I may add, Jerusalem is a city of the world and it must be preserved as an international historic place where no one country either Israel and Palestine can change it's landscape without the coordination of the other and even maybe get the UN involved with some sort of symbolic observation. The other issue at stake is interconnected and relate to both the refugees who left the pre 1948 historic Palestine to the neighboring Arab countries and the Jewish settlers in the West Bank who feel that they can take over any piece of land in the West Bank and create a settlement there. The rhetoric is high on both sides, but ideally, the settlers would either move inside the State of Israel or be given regular citizenship status within Palestine and be citizens of the new state. There is another issue about the settlements that once resolved, and once addressed and once confronted logically, would create a new way of thinking that would be based on buying lands rather than taking over lands or properties and would give the Jewish people the mindset that they are no longer isolated and no longer need to be living in secure enclaves here and there; the land would be open to them as regular buyers of properties and same applies to Palestinians who wish to buy properties inside Israel, they cannot claim historic ownership on lands and properties inside Israel. In return, the issue of the Palestinian refugees would be resolved once and for all, no return, but be given citizenship in the countries they live in now; Jordan did the same decades ago but without publicity. The Arabs are so scared even to discuss the possibilities that they forfeit the so called right of return. The third country is the most difficult one-imagine something else more difficult than the Israeli Palestinian issue- which is the establishment of the State of Kurdistan in the historic Kurds areas that include lands in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan. I am a pro Kurdistan country for I have to admit selfish and practical reasons; it will in my opinion forever establish a zone that would make aggression from the side of any of its neighboring courtiers virtually not possible. It will create a zone, like an oasis in the middle of these courtiers that would act as a safe heaven and Bastian for peace in the region, it will also create economic prosperity in almost six countries and create business zones along the borders of all these countries. Imagine, those border areas had always been a cause for conflict, the creation of the State of Kurdistan would eliminate that zone, also it would control the drug trafficking to Europe, ensure smooth flow of oil, as Kurdistan is rich for oil fields. I mentioned before here my deep support to the inevitability, from my perspective for the creation of this State. It does not have to be on every inch of the historic land but it needs to be created. Once created, I do not personally see that it would encourage the Shiite in the south of Iraq to create their own country; I think the rest of Iraq would be ok to give the Kurds a country and they, as in Sudan, would focus on their core land and country.

*Maps:

http://www.usefreedomtv.com/images/Kurdistan_map.gif

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/images/maps/israel_palestine_map.gif

http://www.supiriresources.com/images/south_sudan.jpg

Settlements.....by Jamil Shawwa

The Jewish settlers in the West bank believe that they should be able to live in peace in any part of the land of Israel, including the West Bank and Gaza; let them. In the same token, Palestinians believe that they should be able to live in any part of the land of pre 1948 historic Palestine; let them.

Once you apply the same scale to both Israelis and Palestinians, to both people that live in Israel and Palestine, the whole problem or so called problem to some of the settlements in the West bank would disappear.

Israel and Palestine are so unique, there is no other land on earth that charge and provoke emotions and spirituality to billions of people from all three divine religions as that land of these two countries.

Same scale should apply to people who come from abroad and would like to take Palestine and Israel as their home, both people should be permitted within their boundaries or land. In the second stage, once both countries are established with borders but no fences, just borders, ultimately, people from both countries would be able to buy and sell properties anywhere.

A family in Gaza would be able or permitted to buy a house in Tel-Aviv, and a family from Israel would be able to do the same either in Gaza or anywhere else. See, the purpose of having two normal countries in the land of peace is to give among other things the Jewish people the feeling maybe for the first time in history that they do not have to live in secure enclaves or settlements, no need, because technically the whole land will be open for them to enjoy as for the Palestinians and as for others.

Same thing if an Israeli family or a Palestinian family wants to buy a house in America or France. Open borders, normal commerce, no need to go and take over any specific house or land and say that you want to establish an enclave there, just go ahead and buy it.

For hundreds of years, the Jewish and the Christians in the Middle East felt- unfortunately correctly- and were raised to live in areas together, create their own parts and sections; In Jerusalem for example, and within the old city, for hundreds of years and until now you have the Christian section and the Jewish section. This should stop now; they are regular people and citizens of the Middle East as any other religion and group, even if the number does not match the majority.

The future will have the twenty-two Arab countries and all the Islamic countries having normal and peaceful relations with both Israel and Palestine. Hundreds of years of the feeling of isolation cannot be erased in one year or two but the normalization of relations and the creation of the Palestinian State in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank would be the foundation that will establish for the first time in history the harmonious atmosphere for Muslims, Jewish and Christians to not worry any more about prosecution, religious intolerance, ethnic discrimination; all the above can seize to exist, at least would seize to exist as a systematic behavior.

The Palestinians right now are at cross road and not the Israelis, they, the Israelis, have already established a world class country, the Palestinians need to get their act together, get the West Bank and Gaza under a normal elected government, have Hamas join the peace process as a regular political party, no terrorism, no attacking border towns and blowing humans and buses. Set at the table, talk and sign the piece of paper that states that you are civilized, smart, and realistic. Cannot get any easier.

The Great American Buffet…by Jamil Shawwa

She asked him if he had been to the Great American Buffet, he responded by saying that he lives in it. She looked at him and said you know what I mean, do not try to be smart with me, I know you well enough that these mind games do not work with me. I meant, she continued, the restaurant next to work, they have changed the menu and they have more fabulous varieties now, much more than before. He responded by no, although he remembered the place.

He also remembered many other things related to the Great American Buffet. America loves Buffets, and loves its people to mingle with each other; this is how the idea started. America loves the concept behind the Buffet.

The Great American Buffet stands tall and stands strong, the people that serve there are the same people that eat there, the servers and the customers are from the same background, there is no difference and America likes it that way. America does not like elitists, snobbish and America does not like the word servants.

America calls those that work at the Great American Buffet, servers and not servants. In the same token and on the flip side, America likes to call people that clean houses, the cleaning people or facilities, not servants, and if it happens that the cleaning person is a woman, America calls her, properly, the cleaning lady. To America it is a job, any legal, honest, hard working job, is a job. If you are one of those, very lucky, that have permanent people working for them at their homes, those people are not called servants but they are called staff, and I like it this way.

Everyone on earth directly or indirectly heard, seen, or tried the Great American Buffet. But not very many know that the great American Buffet does not like to keep the same colors, and the same style, it likes to change it’s colors as needed and as business requires, it is always though the Red, Blue and White, but that is only the flag on top of it’s building, other than that the owners change and the food style changes to fit all tastes and needs.

There used to be different sections for different styles, not any more, its all one section but with different variations, and the tables in the middle are no longer separated but connected with chains more powerful than steel to make sure that the different styles never get drfited again. The display has all kinds of dishes from all over the world, at the Great American Buffet, you see the Indian food, and dishes, mingling with the Chinese, the French, the Middle Eastern, not to forget the Russian and the Mexican, and if you are patient and look carefully, you will find a nice section for Sushi, and grilled Korean BBQ. The main dishes are also there, always there, the fried chicken next to the Irish stew and adjacent to the fish and chips.

Though main dishes, they rotate, they do not set or stay still, yesterday it was the Irish dish, today is the African dish, tomorrow there will be an Asian dish, and Spanish dish. The Great American Buffet likes to change it’s décor from time to time to fit the changes in taste but the Great American buffet does not change one thing, it does not change and cannot change its foundation, it modifies and amend as needed, but not the foundation, it renovates and it might tear down the above ground to build a new building but it does not touch the base, the core, the foundation.

That is the story of the Great American Buffet, oh, I forgot to say that it celebrates its clientele and its servers and owners every month or so. This month, it is celebrating the Middle Eastern cuisine, and it has been like this since last month, many dishes of Hummus and falafel and pita bread but though originally Middle Eastern, those dishes are American dishes, do not forget that they are being served right now at the Great American Buffet.

Mosque in America Part V...America’s Newest Religion... by Jamil Shawwa

Today, in the 10th anniversary of the horrific, terrorist attack on America on 09/11, America accepted Islam as its newest religion. An American religion, a divine religion as Judaism and Christianity. There is no religion, an idea, or a concept in American history that stirred such emotions across all Americans and in every State as Islam did and in such a short period, just few weeks. Today, a pastor with less than fifty followers in a small city in Florida who probably indirectly and without realizing it, helped to establish Islam finally as an American religion. That pastor who called a week ago to burn The Muslims holy book, came today and said that he will not do it “not now not ever”. The whole country and the world actually was held hostage for one week looking, watching, and participating in this drama. The president of the United States intervened, the whole US government intervened, every State talked about it, every person discussed it and they all, the majority of Americans decided as they always do on life changing issues and on matters of high importance, on matters that touch the country’s core existence, that this religion, that is believed and worshiped by almost two billions people around the world, in every country on earth and over thirty countries consider it as it’s main religion or source of legislation and millions in the United States, must be included in the religious mosaic of America. That it is no longer a religion of the fringes, the outcast, the strangers but it is a faith that when you look closer to it, as believers believe, when you read it’s verses, as its follower explain, it states it’s strong belief that it is the religion that respects and recognizes Judaism and Christianity as religions of the same and only God. Two extraordinary leaders helped, but this time directly and knowingly, to make Islam an American religion, Barak Obama, a Democrat, the president of the United States, a Christian, whose father and family from his father’s side were and are Muslims and Michael Bloomberg, a Republican, the Mayor of New York City, a Jewish. These two fought and still fighting the right fight not for Islam but for America. They both stood for the constitution and for the first amendment and freedom of religion, for the freedom of expression. Bloomberg stated on more than one occasion that the best answer to those 9/11 criminals is to have a place of God next to the crime scene where those terrorists claimed deceivably that they destroyed in the name of their religion. It is the proposed Mosque, a block and a half from the place where the crimes of 9/11 took place. America as well in all it’s people and in all of it’s States have participated and still participating in the debate around the place of that mosque but not if it should be built. The mosque once it is done in its proposed place will forever cement America’s recognition and acceptance of Islam as the third pillar of its faith. Bloomberg said in an interview with MSNBC in the 10th occasion of the 911 terrorist attacks on how he reacts to a city that is divided and wants him to move the mosque location, that it is not about what they say or the polls, but it is all about protecting the first amendment to the US constitution, freedom of speech, and that it is not up to the government to tell people where to pray and where to build their place of worship. He continued to say that if you do not agree with it, do not support it and that is it. He also said that we could not just protect freedom of expression and religion in incidents that are to our likes, but we must as well protect it when it is for things that we do not like. He has been steadfast on his position, he is losing support from his city and his party, but the mayor is getting admiration and support from every fair minded American and those are the vast majority of the American people. Mayor Bloomberg is a phenomena in the world of politics today, he and president Obama are standing for real American values and for the right of all to express their opinions freely including that pastor in that city in Florida.

Mosque in America....Part IV... by Jamil Shawwa

A Muslim American friend who happened to be an African American told me once that the real Islam is not in the Muslim world or the Arab countries but it is here, the real on, in America. She continued to say that she toured many Islamic, Arab and European countries but never felt the freedom or the security to practice her religion, Islam, or to feel like an independent Muslim woman except here in the Unites States of America. Actually her feelings and her sentiments are shared by most Muslims in America, they are , as any faith and in particular the three divine religions free to practice, free to build their mosques, churches and synagogues. America lives to its example and it lives to its constitution and it lives to its secular way of governing. America does not have any problem with the head cover or even Elniqab, the veil that covers the face altogether. You see completely veiled women in the most fashionable places and hotels in Washington DC, people might look politely but no one interferes. America is big enough, strong enough, and confident enough, to be very tolerant and very forgiving, but above all, very pragmatic. America is smart and America is unique and within its wings, those big comforting wings, it can protect and embrace all kinds of people. As a matter of fact, America is the world, and that is why maybe nothing in America is strange. Yet though it has every human being from every part of the world, it is still the distinctive country, it created what I like to call and describe as the Americanism; the pure juice that oozes through the veins from being the melting pot and from being the blender and the mixer. Many people from all faiths who never practiced any religion or never practiced their religion in their original countries, started to practice even if occasionally once they arrived or shortly after to America. People whom never gave to charity, whom never thought of the community feeling or the community bondage, started to do it and feel it here in America. In defending those that for a religion, or ethnic reason are not considered part of the majority or part of the trend, America defends it's existence, America knows that to continue to be the most powerful nation on earth, it must embrace every human being, every American, regardless of his or her religion, background, color, ethnic group, This is the United States of America and this is the story of Mosque in America.