Column was publish in “The Frontier Post

Sucre is available at: http://www.thefrontierpost.com

Arab-Israel relations – improved, not sabotaged

John L. Esposito’s book, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality, states the question, is Islam a
threat to the West? He tells us that the answer lies in the West’s views. He says that if the
Western powers continue to defend the unjust status of the Middle East in the name of an illusory
or fleeting stability, Islam will be a threat. "But if the Western powers begin to appreciate the
legitimacy of grievances in the Middle East, the West and Islamic movements will get along
peacefully"
There have been many conflicts in the in Middle East since the time of the ancient Near East up
until modern times. There are some information regarding, Modern conflicts like World War I -
II, Arab-Israeli conflict, Iran–Iraq War, Gulf War and aftermath, Iraq War, Fattah al-Islam and
Nahr al-Bared, 9/11, Indo-Pak Crises, Pak, Iran and India Pipeline Issue.
I would like to share very much important “The Israeli-Palestinian conflict” or Arab-Israeli
conflict, or whatever name it goes by, is perhaps one of the more sensitive issues that are
discussed. From the historic British dominance in the Middle East, and the more recent US
influence and control over the region, the Anglo-American goal is simply to be able to dominate
the Middle East due to the vast oil reserves and the West's economic dependence upon it. Prior to
the discovery of oil, one of the main reasons for involvement in the Middle East had been
religious (Christianity, Judaism and Islam all have roots in the Middle East) and on the natural
arable land. During the Cold War, the Soviet excuse may have been used on numerous occasions
to justify involvement there, but in modern times, it has always been for oil. Hence, the support
for the Jewish people and the state of Israel has been due to the interests of oil and to ensure an
ally is there in the region.
However, it’s very much important to discus that the clash between the West and Islam will be
vital to the course of world events over the coming decades. Islam is, in fact, the only civilization
which ever put the survival of the West in doubt - and more than once! What is interesting is how
this conflict flows not simply from the differences between the two civilizations, but more
importantly from their similarities. It is said that people who are too much alike cannot easily live
together, and the same goes for cultures as well. Both Islam and Christianity (which serves as
culturally uniting factor for the West) is absolutist, monotheistic religions. Both are universal, in
the sense of making claims to apply to all of humanity rather than a single race or tribe. Both are
missionary in nature, having long made it a theological duty to seek out and convert nonbelievers.
Both the Jihad and the Crusades are political manifestations of these religious attitudes, and both
parallel each other closely. But this doesn't entirely explain why Islam has had so many problems
with all of its neighbors, not just the West. In all these places, the relations between Muslims and
peoples of other civilizations - Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Hindu, Chinese, and Buddhist,
Jewish - have been generally antagonistic; most of these relations have been violent at some point
in the past; many have been violent in the 1990s. Wherever one looks along the perimeter of
Islam, Muslims have problems living peaceably with their neighbors. ...Muslims make up about
one-fifth of the world's population but in the 1990s they have been far more involved in inter
group violence than the people of any other civilizations. (Huntington p. 256)
Several reasons have been offered as to why there is so much violence associated with Islamic
nations. One common suggestion is that the violence is a result of Western imperialism. Current
political divisions among the countries are artificial European creations. Moreover, there is still
lingering resentment among Muslims for what their religion and their lands had to endure under
colonial rule. It may be true that those factors have played a role, but they are inadequate as a full
explanation, because they fail to offer any insight into why there is such strife between Muslim
majorities and non-Western, non-Muslim minorities (like in the Sudan) or between Muslim
minorities and non-Western, non-Muslim majorities (like in India). There are, fortunately, other
alternatives. When the interpretive narratives between conflicting parties are so different,
communication – and ultimately the resolution of conflict – suffers as a result. A huge part of
one's cognitive universe is shaped by narratives – the stories told in one's family, among friends,
in a history class lesson. These narratives constitute the "historiography" of the group, nation,
religious community, or whatever circles the individual belongs to. History is always a selection
of what is regarded as significant. Furthermore, very few historical events are preserved unless
they relate to a group's identity. This has to do with belonging, identity and the "us" and "them".
The narratives of what has happened to "us" in the past affect our perception of events today. To
us, these stories are true in the sense that they are formed by historical fact, and are seen as
especially significant because they are perceived as having happened to "us", even if we were not
born at that time. "They" – people in the past – have become "us"; in illo tempore – "at that time"
has become "now". This phenomenon to appropriate our ancestor's history as our own is
especially pertinent to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I recently read a short book on Palestinian
history written for youth. The book conveyed historical facts, but its main purpose was to create a
feeling of belonging, the idea that "this is our history". Lacking were the narratives of "the other".
Facts seen as significant in Jewish history were not there. Likewise, in Israeli historiography the
Palestinian narrative of "the other" is also very much absent. The "us" feeling is strengthened by
ritual commemoration. Young Jewish people, born decades after World War II visit concentration
camps. They experience a sense of belonging and feel that the Holocaust happened to "them".
In Palestinian history, the nakba, or catastrophe has a similar function: the trauma of those who
were driven from their homes belongs to all Palestinians. Similarly, in Shi'a Islam, we know of
the enormous role played by the commemoration of the Karbala tragedy (more than 13 centuries
ago). Alternatively, the story of the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hussein,
functions as an interpretation of the tragedies in Iraq today. So, what can be done to address these
disparate perceptions of history? First, in order to promote peace and good relations, it is
necessary to be aware of and interested in the narratives of the "other". A healthy mental exercise
in this respect is to identify the perception patterns in one's own brain, and then see if events
could be seen through other interpretations. Then we search for commonalities shared in past
narratives, and act to reclaim them. We can see that dynamic present in the Barcelona Process – a
reconciliation project between the 26 countries of the Mediterranean – which was inspired by
Andalusia history when there was peaceful co-existence between Muslims, Jews, and Christians
under Arab rule for eight centuries. And perhaps most important is making an effort to foster new
narratives through mutual endeavors. We can see this played out in the story of conductor Daniel
Barenboim's friendship with Edward Said, and their co-founding of the West-Eastern Divan
Orchestra, a symphony orchestra comprised of young Arab and Israeli musicians. Hearing stories
about what different groups have achieved together can create new patterns of perception and
interpretation. Such cooperative narratives are alive and functioning today, and remain a vital part
of peacemaking.
ASHFAQ REHMANI
Lahore-Pakistan
Columnist & TV-Host
Email: pasrurmedia@hotmail.com
In charge Editorial Page “Daily AFTAB”
Seven yours of working experience as Journalist in Pakistan