Was the Zionist claim to Palestine a valid one? Part 4

In the forth and last part of this article, I want to focus on the roots of modern Zionism as a secular movement with a political orientation towards Palestine and also on the factors that contributed to the success of the Zionist project. It is worth mentioning the fact that ordinary Jews of European countries who had at first no intention to emigrate to Israel did at the same time identify with the Zionist ideal. Outside Europe, Israel became a common identity for all American Jewish groups. Whether they were liberal or not, the Jews gave Israel a mythic quality, coming from both ethnical identity and religion[1]. No matter how true or wrong this position towards Israel was, it was strongly influenced by factors such as the failure of Jewish efforts to become assimilated in Western societies and the intensification of anti-Semitism in Europe.

For centuries, Jews had been regarded as foreign bodies wherever they have been living. However, their status was different from Western to Eastern Europe were the situation of the Jewish population was getting worse day by day. We should also bear in mind the impact of the Nazism in Germany and the Holocaust which is reminded even today as one more reason for the Jews to have the right to their national homeland.

Still, I strongly believe that the ones to pay for the Jewish struggles and sufferings shouldn’t have been the Palestinians. This is just a proof that, unfortunately, history hasn’t taught the Zionists anything, or if it did, they must have got everything wrong.

Still, everything relies on the way we learn to manage our actions, our fear or courage, our angriness or the wish for power and command. The Arab-Israeli conflict has definitely been a lesson, but still most of the ones involved fail to understand it. This is actually the reason why I chose this question as the topic for my article. It helped me go back to the seeds of the conflict and to prove how once again one made the games for everyone. 

To sum up, I reaffirm my belief that the Zionist claim to Palestine is not just invalid, but also totally unfair for the natives of the land. Not only that Palestine wasn’t an aim for the Zionist project from the start, but even when it became their goal it was already a home for other people whose existence was completely denied. Other arguments such as the historical background and demographic numbers support my belief.

A very old Arabic saying states: “I have three friends and three enemies. My friends are: my friend, the friend of my friend and the enemy of my enemy. My enemies are: my enemy, the friend of my enemy and the enemy of my friend.” I finish my article leaving on you to reflect on who are the friends and enemies of the Arabs.

---

[1] Karmi, Married to another man: Israel’s dilemma in Palestine, 58-60

Was the Zionist claim to Palestine a valid one? Part 3

The historical and theological background of the Zionist claim should also be discussed and argued. As history and religion might seem interrelated, I want to eliminate from the start the argument of the Promised Land. According to the Bible, the land of Canaan was given by God to Abraham and his seed – the Jews. This can be easily found in Torah, in the Bible and in the Qur’an. At the same time, Zion is one of the biblical names of Jerusalem. Since the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C. and the exile to Babylon, the Jews yearned to return to Zion[1]. This is the theological motivation of the Zionist claim to Palestine.

For a non-believer this whole argument would have no value. In fact, as it is a matter of religious belief it cannot even be taken into account as a proof. Moreover, bearing in mind that Palestine is the land of the holy places for all the three monotheistic religions, one might say that any of them would have equal rights to the land. Nevertheless, how can anyone prove that the Jews are actually the same with the ancient Israelities? It is hard to accept the idea that for such a long period of time a group of people has remained unchanged as they traveled from one place to another and they’ve been through processes like conversion and intermarriage.

Here we come to the historical background of the problem. No one can contest the argument that Jews originated in Palestine 2000 years ago. On the other hand, this can never give them the right to claim it for themselves after all this time in the detriment of its indigenous inhabitants. There are many cases in world’s history of people and tribes that were forced to move from their homeland to another place, but no one except from the Zionists promote such an abhorrent idea of reversing the history.

In fact, Jews were dispersed by the Romans in AD 70 and they were sent into exile. However, the mass dispersion was rather small and mainly internal. It is true that some of them ended up joining the diaspora, but most of the Jews remained in Palestine. From those, a part converted to Christianity and later on to Islam. The rest of them were the Jewish minority that could be found in Palestine before the whole Zionist project started: less than 10% of the population[2].

But Zionism was born in Europe and not in the Middle East, therefore what concerns us is the question of the European Jews and their origins. By the 19^th century more than a half of the whole Jewish population was in Lithuania and Poland. Big communities of Jews could also be found in Russia and in Western Europe, even though their status and condition was different from one country to another[3].

There are two main explanations for the origins of the European Jews: the Jewish traders of the Middle Ages who travelled to the Mediterranean and Western Europe and the Khazar conversions in the 18^th century (East European Jews)[4].

No matter which explanation we accept or whether we accept them both, it is hard to believe in the existence of an unbroken chain in between the Jews of Palestine and those of Europe. This was just one more absurd argument used by the Zionists to convince people and to justify the return to their “homeland”- Palestine.  In fact, keeping in mind the conversion to Judaism that had been taking place all over the world, it could not be said that there was such a biological, racial or national entity as the “Jewish People”[5].

On the other hand, Palestine became a predominantly Arab country by the end of the 7^th century. Even though it has been inhabited by Muslims, Jews and Christians, Palestine existed as a largely pastoral community that also had social, economical, political and cultural strengths, and whose people used a common language – Arabic. For a big majority the religion was Islam. They were the owners of the land and that was their home. Even as a province in the Ottoman Empire, Palestine was still proving a sense of nationalism, of course different from the European perception of nationalism. Therefore, whereas the Jews can’t really prove a national identity, the Palestinians were joined together not only by their land, but also by their common history and language. 

And the reality is even more striking when it comes to numbers that prove once again how the Zionist claim is more of a “struggle between a presence and an interpretation”[6]. In 1822, according to Israeli sources, in Palestine there were no more than 24,000 Jews which represented less than 10% of the whole Arab population. In 1931, the number of Jews was 174,606 out of 1,033,314, in 1936, they were 384,078 out of 1,366,692 and in 1946 their number was 608,225 out of 1,912,112[7]. The majority of natives is reflected in those numbers and it was easily distinguishable: they were mainly Sunni Muslims, but they were also minorities of Christians, Druzes, Shiite Muslims; they all spoke Arabic.

Having seen the numbers, the declaration of a right-wing writer in Haaretz would definitely make no sense: “Our right to Eretz Israel and our right to establish a sovereign national entity on it does not depend on our numbers, and on whether we are a majority or a minority.” How can one pretend that a land is his and deny the existence of such a great minority that had been there from the very start?! This is one more example of the way the whole Zionist project was based on an absurd denial.

---

[1] Shlaim, The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World, 10

[2] Karmi, Married to another man: Israel’s dilemma in Palestine, 64-65

[3] Idem.

[4] Karmi, Married to another man: Israel’s dilemma in Palestine, 66-67

[5] Idem

[6] Edward W. Said, The Question of Palestine, 8.

[7] Idem

Was the Zionist claim to Palestine a valid one? Part 2

In the same way, the Balfour Declaration appeared in the events line and it actually became the juridical basis of the Zionist claim to Palestine. Issued on November 2, 1917, it took the form of a letter from Arthur James Balfour, the British foreign secretary to Lord Rothschild, an important British Zionist leader. The declaration stated:

"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country". [1]

The reason why I quoted the whole content of the declaration isn’t only to emphasize its vagueness but also to point out the negation of any political rights for the inhabitants of the land, fact which is in total contradiction with the demographic of human realities in Palestine. It is once again a proof that the existence of the natives on the land was common knowledge for all the sides involved, but it was left aside.

In other words, the whole declaration was made by a European power, an outsider, about a non-European territory which was actually the object of another promise made by the same power. Above all, the declaration had not only negated any political rights to the natives, but it had also disregarded completely the opinions of the native majority, whether they were Arabs, Jews or other[2]. It is even more unjust the fact that they were like pawns on a global chessboard, even though the game was being played in their backyard.

Till now, I’ve discussed how Palestine wasn’t even an aim from the start and how it became an aim in time although it was already a home for other people. Further on, I would dare to say that even the Balfour Declaration wasn’t a valid juridical base as its object was already an object in another agreement. In this case, from the juridical point of view, both agreements would have been proven invalid. The McMahon-Hussein of October 1915 came after a long correspondence in between the two sides which showed not exactly honest interests, especially in the European side. 

---

[1] Charles D. Smith, Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A history with documents (Boston, New York: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010), 96-97.

[2] Edward W. Said, The Question of Palestine (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1980), 16.

Revendicarea sionista a Palestinei – valida?

                      “Tine de moralitate sa nu te simti acasa in casa altcuiva.” 

                                                                                           Edward Said                              

In ciuda evenimentelor recente din lumea araba sau poate chiar avand o stransa, dar subtila legatura cu ele, conflictul dintre Palestina si Israel a fost si este un subiect tratat cu interes si intens dezbatut. Urmatoarele trei articole se intorc la radacinile acestei teme si reflecta parerile pesonale asupra subiectului sustinute desigur de argumente istorice.

Revendicarea Palestinei de catre Israel este la fel de putin valida precum a oricarei alte natii decat a celor ce au detinut teritoriul inca dinaintea lansarii programului sionist. Palestina reprezenta deja patrie sau “casa”  pentru o populatie relative numeroasa, in special araba, strans legata de acest teritoriu. Este absurd de nedrept sa te strecori in casa cuiva si sa ti-o insusesti ca si cum ar fi fost dintotdeauna a ta. Moral sau nu, acel loc nu va deveni niciodata pe deplin casa ta si fiecare colt de pamant se va razvrati precum un blestem primordial.

Dar inainte de toate, poate ca ar trebui sa ne punem intrebarea daca  Palestina a reprezentat un tel in sine pentru sionisti de la inceput?

In timp ce Zionismul initial – Hovevai Zion care se manifesta in anumite orase rusesti in jurul anului 1881 promova emigrarea in Palestina si activitati de stabilire acolo, tatal sionismul politic modern  Theodor Herzl, in cartea sa (o parodie de altfel) “Statul Evreu” nu a stabilit niciodata Palestina ca un scop final,  lasand astfel loc pentru variante precum Argentina si Kenia.

“Statul Evreu” a reprezentat baza pentru ceea ce avea sa devina proiectul sionist si solutia moderna la marea dilema evreiasca, oferind un adevarat plan pentru crearea patriei evreiesti. Cu toate acestea, cartea a lasat deschisa intrebarea legata de locul unde avea sa se puna in aplicare indraznetul proiect, daca acesta ar fi trebuit sa fie in Palestina datorita asocierilor istorice si religioase, sau in orice alt loc care ar fi putut fi obtinut usor, prin mijloace mai mult sau mai putin legale, dar cu siguranta diplomatice tinand cont de talentul diplomatic al lui Herzl. Insa, cu siguranta, Palestina nu a reprezentat de la inceput ea insasi scopul proiectului sionist.

Decizia ca Palestina ar trebui sa devina teritoriul comunitatii evreiesti a fost exprimata mai tarziu, la Primul Congres Sionist de la Basel in 1897. Acesta a fost si momentul in care s-a decis instituirea Organizatiei Mondiale Sioniste condusa de nimeni altul decat Theodore Herzl  si s-au definit obiectivele sioniste prin programul Basel: “Obiectivul sionismului este crearea unei case pentru poporul evreu in Eretz Israel protejat de lege.” In ciuda folosirii termenului “home” – ce nu inseamna neaparat patrie, ci casa, si nu “state” – stat, scopul sionistilor poate fi usor inteles: un stat pentru evrei in Palestina. De altfel, importanta Congresului, poate fi subliniata de catre un citat din jurnalul lui Herzl: “ La Basel am fondat Statul Evreu. Daca as fi spus-o tare astazi, mi s-ar fi raspuns cu un raset universal. Poate in cinci ani, si cu siguranta in cincizeci, toata lumea va stii aceasta.”  Cu siguranta, cu totii o stim astazi…

Asadar, decizia sionista de a fonda un stat evreu in Palestina a fost luata abia in 1897, chiar daca se stia ca teritoriul este deja locuit. Nu era nici pe departe conform sloganului sionist: “un taram fara popor, pentru un popor fara taram”. Realitatea era complet diferita si se reflecta mai bine in raspunsul celor doi rabini trimisi sa cerceteze teritoriul: “Mireasa este frumoasa, dar casatorita cu un alt barbat.” Palestina era un teritoriu ravnit, dar deja detinut de altcineva. Totusi nimic nu i-a oprit pe sionisti din a-si realize obiectivele. In concluzie, intregul proiect sionist s-a bazat inca de la inceput pe o continua negare a realitatii teritoriale. Invaliditatea sa, atat din punct de vedere legal, cat si moral, este lesne de inteles…

Was the Zionist claim to Palestine a valid one?

 “It is a part of morality not to be at home in one’s home.”

Edward W.Said

The Palestine-Israel conflict has always been a topic treated with great interest and strongly debated. The next three articles go back to the roots of this conflict and reflect my personal views supported by historical arguments.  

The Zionist claim to Palestine is as invalid as anyone’s claim to the place, other than the natives that had inhabited the land before the Zionist project was launched. It is common knowledge that Palestine was already a home for a large population, mainly Arab, strongly bonded with the land. It is absurdly unfair to sneak into one’s home and even more absurd to treat it as your own. Moral or not, that place will never truly become your home.

Firstly, was it Palestine itself an aim for the Zionist from the very start?

Whereas Zionism of Hovevai Zion that was manifesting in some Russian cities in 1881 promoted the immigration and the settlement activities in Palestine, the father of the modern political Zionism, Theodore Herzl, in his book “The Jewish State” never regarded Palestine as the definitive aim, taking also into consideration places such as Argentina or Kenya[1].

“The Jewish state” represented the basis of the future Zionist project and the modern solution to the Jewish question, giving a perfect blue print for a Jewish “home”. However, the book left open the question of the land, whether this should be Palestine because of its historic associations, or any other place that might have been obtained easily[2]. Therefore, Palestine wasn’t even a definite aim at the start of the Zionist project.

The strong belief that Palestine should be the land of the Jewish community was expressed later on, in 1897, at the 1^st World Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland. This was also the moment when the World Zionist Organization was created and the goal of Zionism was defined: “the creation of a home for the Jewish people in Palestine to be secured by public law.”[3] Although the word “home” was used instead of “state”, the aim was clear: a state for the Jewish people in Palestine. The importance of the Congress was emphasized by a quote from Herzl’s diary: “ At Basel I founded the Jewish State. If I said this out load today, I would be answered by universal laughter. Perhaps in five years, and certainly in fifty, everyone will know it.”[4] We definitely know it today...

So, the Zionist decision of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine was taken in 1897, even though they were aware of the fact that the land was already inhabited. There was no such thing as the Zionist slogan “a land without people, for a people without land”. The reality was completely different according to the two rabbis who were sent to see the land: “The bride is beautiful, but she is married to another man”[5]. However, nothing managed to stop the Zionists from fulfilling their goal. Therefore, we can easily realize from the start that all the Zionist project has been based on a continuous denial of the reality of the ground. So, the Zionist claim was invalid from the very start.

                                                                 To be continued...

---

[1] Avi Shlaim, The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2001), 2-3.

[2] Theodore Hertzl, Der Judenstaat (Leipzig and Vienna: M. Breitenstein's Verlags-Buchhandlung, 1896).

[3] Shlaim, The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World, 3-4.

[4] Idem.

[5] Ghada Karmi, Married to another man: Israel’s dilemma in Palestine (London: Pluto Press, 2007).  

After one more university year finished in UK,  I am back on my blog ready to post all the work I've done througout this year...and even more... Enjoy! :)

Back on the blog :)

It took me 2 months... or maybe even more... All this time I had to get back to Romania, to accept the fact that I may not be able to travel to Syria again this summer, to leave behind another life, to give up my summer plans, to move on, to miss everything and everyone, to speak Arabic to myself and to my cat that I brought back with me, to watch Al Jazeera every morning (trying my best to guess how much is reality from what I see and hear), to force myself not to make any comparation in between the country I just left, the country I'm now in and the country I will travel to in a few months.   
Easter, law exams, family... that's all I've known since I've been back. I think I jumped from one reality to another. 
Today i opened my blog for the first time in the last months and I realized how much I've missed it. I know I promised to write about my last days in Syria, about the Syrian uprising and the reality behind the news. And I will keep my promise in the next articles.
For now, I just want to say that my Year Abroad in Syria was an amazing experience, something that I would have never expected. It definately changed something and it added some more pieces to the puzzle that is, for me, the Middle East. I definately miss it and I will be back as soon as possible. I just hope things won't change or if they do, I pray that God will show the right path. 


A surprise for my friends is the essay I wrote about the months that I had spent in Damascus. It is in Arabic for now, but I will also publish an English version next week. 


Many thanks to a great friend and amazing brother, Anas Nashawaty, for all his help throught these months, for acting like a mum when he didn't have any other choice, for being there when I was very very ill, for listening and answering to all my questions, for showing me another face of Damascus, for all the great time we spent together. I wish everyone to have a friend like him. 


And now enjoy:

أن تــكــون دمـشـقـيـاً

"  أهم مايميز ملامح دمشق التاريخية في الشرق الأوسط بدون تهميش أو تبسيط للبقية هو في المركزية        والتنويع والتعدد العميق فيها " [1]                                     

في هذا المجتمع المذهل المتنوع في تمازج التاريخ الطويل والثري والثقافة مع اللغات المختلفة تتبدى أمامنا متوسط الهـويـة , أنا أؤمن أن تكون دمشقياً هو انعكاس اختلافات ووحدة العالم العربي.

كل شيء بدأ في الشهر الثاني من تواجدي هنا في دمشق عندما بدأت الدخول إلى المجتمع الدمشقي صرت أفكر كثيراً بهذه العبارة "ماذا يعني أن تكون دمشقياً" ,  وبذات الوقت اخترت دمشق على الخصوص لأني أحب أن أكتب بتحدد أكثر من مي"    " شو صار معك "شو صار فيك "         لي للحديث العام عن الجمهورية العربية السورية كاملة.

 الحياة في دمشق لأكثر من ستة أشهر جعلتني أضيع في رائحة القهوة الدlني أضيع في رائحة القهوة العربية التي بدأت منها كل الأحاديث التي أعطتني فرصه لاكتشاف ما وراء وجه المدينة الظاهر والأسرار والقصص خلف الأماكن التاريخية والدينية والإجتماعيه , وفي ذات الوقت قبلت ووافقت على كل الأحاديث مع الناس وكنت جائعة لأرى وجهات نظر مختلفة حتى أعرف أكثر وأتكلم اللهجة العامية الدمشقية ولكي أدخل في الحوارات الطويلة إلى أعماق المعاني والحكم , وهذه السطور التي أكتبها الآن هي نتاج الخبرة التي اكتسبتها وغيرتني بشكل جذري وغيرت طريقة تفكيري ونظرتي للحياة.

 وقد رتبت هذه المعلومات بأفكاري وإحساسي الخاص من نظرتي أنا كإنسانه أجنبية في دمشق بين الدمشقيين.

 الفخر بأنك دمشقي يأتي من أسباب وأفكار : التاريخ الطويل والخاص والثري والمرتبط بشراكة حقيقة مع الكثير الحضارات المتعاقبة في كل العصور , الأجواء والطقوس الدمشقية , اللهجة العامية المميزة , المجتمعات الدمشقية , تعايش السكان على اختلاف دياناتهم وطوائفهم.

دمشق , دمشق المدينة الوطن , بوابة التاريخ العتيق , أقـدم مدينه خطى فيها البشر في العالم وأقدم عاصمة مستمرة للحضارات في التاريخ , عاصرت كافة الحضارات منذ بداية التاريخ الحضاري للإنسان وظهر اسمها في كل مخطوطات الحضارات القديمة , في وثائق آراميه وآشوريه وأكاديه وحيثية وبابليه وفارسيه وفينيقية وفرعونية ورومانيه ويونانيه والكثير غير ذلك.

ذكرت هذه المدينة الخالدة في كل الحضارات القديمة , من ذلك جاء أسمها في ألواح الملك الفرعوني تحتمس الثالث بلفظ ( تيماسك) و ورد اسمها في ألواح تل العمارنة (تيماشكي) وفي النصوص الآشورية ذكر الاسم ( دا ماش قا ) وفي الوثائق الآرامية (دارميسك) وتأتي هذه الكلمة بمعنى الأرض المروية أو المسقية , وذكرت في الكثير من الآثار المختلفة البابلية والفينيقية والرومانية واليونانية والفارسية والآرامية وذكرت في العصور العربية والإسلامية بأسماء (الفيحاء) و(جـلـق ) و(الشام) , والجدير بالقول أنها ذكرت أيضاً في مخطوطات مملكة ماري السورية كأحد أقدم الحضارات التي ذكرتها باسم بلد (دماصي).

لمدينة دمشق العريقة تاريخ يرتبط فيه التاريخ بصلات وثيقة , فهي واقعياً قديمة بقدم الإنسان وعاصمة سياسية للكثير من الممالك والحضارات والإمبراطوريات والدول التي عاشت وظهرت في الشرق والغرب, كانت موطناً للآراميين في أواخر الألف الثاني الميلاد , وتتابع على حكمها عبر التاريخ الآشوريين والكلدانيون والرومان والفرس وأفتتحها الإسكندر الأكبر عام 333 ق م وبعده أصبحت تابعة للمملكة السلوقية . أحتلها الإمبراطور الروماني بومبي الأكبر عام 64 ق م . وغدت أهم مدينة في العصر الروماني , أمست في ذلك الوقت أهم مركز للمسيحية في العالم بعد أن دخلتها المسيحية في سنواتها الأولى في بدأ انتشارها , ثم أصبحت فيما بعد مركزاً مسيحياً ذا أهمية كبرى أنار الدنيا بالحضارة ومنها أنطلق القديسين والرسل للنشر والتبشير بالديانة المسيحية منهم القديس بولس.[2]

تعلق تاريخ دمشق بالعالم اليوناني لفترة تقدر بحوالي عشرة قرون , عرفت خلالها ازدهار الحضارة الهلنستية , حيث اختلطت عناصر الثقافة والحضارة اليونانية القديمة مع الحضارة السورية الشرقية وثقافاتها المتعددة وأيضاً مع كل الحضارات التي عبرت بالمدينة الخالدة في كل العصور.[3]

الأجواء الدمشقية طقوس للزمان والمكان والذكرى عند الدمشقيين فلهم عادات وتقاليد واحتفالات وتحولات في النهار والظهر والعصر والليل وعند السهرات يحلو السمر , تجمعهم المحبة  بهموم سكناهم في ذات الحاضن الوطن الدمشقي الواحد الذي يحوي الكل ويحتوي التاريخ وترسباته وتخصهم الإشارات اللغوية والحركات التوجيهية التي تميز ثقافتهم المتعددة وأيديولوجياتهم المختلفة عبر لقاءاتهم وتعايشهم الجميل.

أعود وأقول أن رائحة القهوة كانت مفتاح علاقاتي وصداقاتي الإجتماعية ومن هذه النقطة يشرق صباحي الدمشقي مع الدمشقيين.

على الرغم من دخول أطياف العولمة وانفتاح الحياة السورية أليوميه في شكل متسارع إلا أن هناك معالم جميلة وعادات ثابتة لا تتغير في حياتهم أليوميه وتبدأ أول تلك المعالم في الصباح الباكر كل بحسب وقت استيقاظه فتبدأ صباحات أغلب الدمشقيين بفنجان القهوة المقدس مع صوت ساحر وعذب يسمى فيروز هذان التوأمان هما حب الدمشقيين الثابت في الصباح فأينما اتجهت صباحاً ترى وتحس قبل أن تسمع رائحة القهوة وهي تغمر الحارات والبيوت معها صوت فيروز النقي , ترى ذلك على الشرفات و"البلكون" وفوق الأسطح وفي السيارات ووسائل النقل العامة , وفيروز صوت عربي رائع من لبنان في الأصل لكنه سوري العشق ظهر وأنتشر أولاً في الإذاعة السورية في الخمسينات وغنت لكل شيء , غنت لكل أشكال الحياة والبشر غنت لكل الحالات الإنسانية والوطنية يحبها الدمشقيون وتحبهم إلى أقصى حــد.

, ثم يبدأ الدمشقيين يومهم بالتأهب لخوض غمار اليوم بحسب مايفعلونه فربات المنازل ينخرطن في أعمال المنزل أليوميه والنساء العاملات إلى أعمالهم وهم نسبه كبيره هنا في دمشق والرجال إلى أشغالهم اليومية ويبدأ الجيل الشاب بالتعرف على عوالمه الإجتماعية بعد أن أكتشف ثورة الحياة المعرفية والتقنية , وأغلب العائلات الدمشقية لديها وقت محدد للغداء ويكون هذا الموعد أي موعد الغداء هو موعد التباحث والتحاور الأسري والتشاور في أحداث الحياة وتأثيرها على العائلة وتكون الأم الوطن هنا بالنسبة للعائلة قد انتهت من إعداد الطعام الخاص بالغداء من بين المئات من الأكلات الدمشقية الشعبية المتعددة واللذيذة التي لا تشبه أي طعام في العالم.

ومساءً بعد يوم دمشقي يسير إلى آخره تحلو السهرات في الليل برفقة الأصدقاء والأقارب وتجتمع العائلات ويلتقي الأصحاب ويصدح بأغلب الأوقات صوت أم كلثوم الصوت النسائي الكلاسيكي العريق وهي المطربة التي كانت بمثابة ملكة للغناء ويطلق عليها لقب" كوكب الشرق" , ويختلط في هذا اليوم الدمشقي كل السكان على اختلاف هوياتهم وأديانهم فلا فرق هنا بينهم ,وتمتاز العلاقات الإجتماعية في دمشق بالتفاعل الكبير بين شرائح المجتمع  على كافة الأصعدة.

 تحدثت هنا عن يوم عادي لدى الدمشقيين غير الجمعة التي هي الإجازة الأسبوعية عند المسلمين والأحد الإجازة الأسبوعية لدى المسيحيين ورغم ذلك لاترى أي فوارق أو اختلافات برغم تعدد الطوائف والمذاهب في ذات الدين الواحد بل على العكس هم أي الطرفين يحتفلون بأعيادهم بعضهم سوياً ويهنئون بعضهم ويفرحون لبعضهم ويحزنون مع بعض.

وكنت سعيدة الحظ بأن عرفت بعض الأصدقاء الذين دعوني إلى بيوتهم الدمشقية القديمة الطراز تلك البيوت التي تتميز باسلوب العمارة الدمشقية الشهيرة بطرازها الفريد ويسمى السكان المحليون بيوت دمشق القديمة المبنية على الطراز الدمشقي القديم " بيوت عربية"وهي تمتاز بفناء داخلي واسع تحيطه الغرف وتتوسطه بحرة جميلة ويتكون من طابق أو طابقين فيه الكثير من الفنون المعمارية وتطل على الفناء المليء بأحواض النباتات والأزهار وتتوسطه البحرة الشامية الدمشقية الشهيرة ,

وكم أحببت اللهجة الشامية وقدر حبي لها اجتهدت كثيراً حتى أتقنتها وحتي أنني صرت أغوص أكثر وأكثر مع رائحة القهوة والأصدقاء الدمشقيين كي أفهم المصطلحات الغارقة بالعامية الشامية مثل " شو صار معك" , " شو مشانك " و"فايت بالحيط" و"مو معقول" و"لوين رايح" و" مصيف" و"شو صار فيك "

وقد سألت بعض الصديق الشاعر الدمشقي أنس نشواتي سؤالي عنوان البحث ماذا يعني أن تكون دمشقياً , فأجاب بعد أن صمت طويلاً وسحب أنفاسه وهو غارق بالحنين والمشاعر قرأتها أنا حباً مبرحاً لمدينته الخالدة وقال: أن كون دمشقيآ هو أن أعلم إنني إنسان أحمل التراث والثراء الإنساني بجانب كل حضارات العالم التي مرت على مدينتي مهرجان العشق والياسمين , إن أكون دمشقياً هو أن أعلم أنني في الربيع أخلق  شجرة ياسمين على ضفاف بردى وفي الصيف أغدو غيمة دمشقية تحاور قاسيون الجبل الشامخ في قلبها وفي الخريف أحـن إلى كل من عبروا على جسدها واحتضنتهم في أحشائها وفي الشتاء أسكن عند أول بيت عربي في دمشق القديمة حتى أفهم معنى الاطمئنان المواكب للدفء . سألته عن الحياة فيها فأجاب: الحياة في دمشق كالحياة في الجنة , الوطن هو ذاكرة والذاكرة هي المكان والمكان هو الإنسان والإنسان هو سقف دمشق الأسمى الذي لا يبدأ حتى تنتهي المدينة ولا تنتهي حتى يبدأ الإنسان , الحياة في دمشق كالحياة في الحلم كالحياة في دائرة إنسانية وحياتية متواصلة تزهر وتتجدد وتموت وفي دورة حياتها تنجب الأمــل! سألته عن العادات فقال لست ضد العادات بالمطلق ولكن أغلبها مسيء وغير مواكب للحياة العصرية وأفضل انتقاء التقليد المنطقي والمتوافق مع الحياة المدنية والمعتدل والعادل بنظرته إلى الرجل والمرأة على حد سواء.

سألت الصديقة ريــم العثماني ممثلة مسرحية فقالت عن العادات في دمشق : العادات شيء جميل ومع الوقت تحولت إلى تراث ومع ذلك قد نرى عادات سيئة يرفضها الكثير من الناس خاصة من الجيل الجديد لكنها بالمجمل أي العادات والتقاليد من ضمن ثقافة الشعوب , أما عن سؤالي لها عن الحياة اليومية قالت الحياة اليومية تحلو بنا عندما نحبها ونستمتع بها مثلاً شعورنا بالأماكن المحببة إلى قلوبنا كالأسواق القديمة والحارات العتيقة في الشام القديمة والناس والأصدقاء والأصحاب وأكملت إن ضغوط الحياة من أكبر الأشياء التي تسبب سلبيات كبيرة ضد الفرح والإنسان وأهم سلبية برأيها هي عدم القدرة على الاستمتاع بالحياة وأفضل الإيجابيات في المدينة روح المساعدة والأخوة والمحبة الغالبة بين الغالبية من السكان وإن قلت قليلاً في الوقت الراهن.

وكما يقول المثل الدمشقي هنا من عاشر القوم أربعين يوماً صار منهم أنا أقول أني بعد ستة أشهر في دمشق صرت دمشقية بـامتياز.

---

[1]"“…the most significant historical features of the Middle East were not marginality and simplicity, but centrality and diversity.”  - Politics and Change in the Middle East: Sources of Conflict and Accommodation, Roy R. Andersen, Robert F. Seibert, Jon G. Wagner

[2] تاريخ دمشق – إبن عساكر

[3] تاريخ دمشق – إبن لعلانسي

Middle East today 28.03.2011

I reserve my right not to comment too much upon the current political situation in the region until I come back to Romania where I will be able to write in detail all the feelings and ideas that have crossed my heart and mind in the past weeks. 
Still I need to say that no one, but no one, really knows what it is happening, especially when he is not here, taking the pulse of the events from the dusty and old streets. Again, the reality here is different and media is as always a powerful arm... but in whose hands? Please do not believe everything you see, our Middle East seems to be wrapped into pieces again and again from external forces reflected in weak characters.
Everything looks like a chess table where hypocrisy, resources and revenge are the main rules. We are witnessing history in real time, but as always a big part of the truth is hidden.  
God help the people and protect the innocents!

Short comment...

Countries that have been under communism for so many years can’t expect an overnight change. Looking at today’s unrest in the Middle East and keeping in mind the Romania’s development after 1989, I can say that one should never expect change and democracy from rulers that were formed during the regime. Intentionally or not, they will still stick to the values and principles of the old times and these will become barriers in the democratic development process.

As Mubarak is not a central figure anymore, the traces of the old regime are still there. Still, no matter how much we wish, the change will never come overnight. The Egyptians achieved their right to freedom, their right to democracy, but it is still a long way to go until the rights will become practice. And one of the main reasons is easily explained: the army was under Mubarak’s power for so many years and the people that govern the country today are taught and formed during the regime.

My first poem in Arabic...

 

ازدواجية

تلك الشجرة ليست قديمة

انها متعب فقط...

لقد مرت سنوات عديدة,

أوراق عديدة...

فلا عجب من فروع لها فارغة.

الرجل ليست كبير السن ذلك

انها متعب فقط...

لقد مرت سنوات عديدة,

آلام,

سعادة,

دموع...

فلا عجب أن التجاعيد على وجهه.

إذا كنت ننظر إليهما من وراء الأفق

الشجرة والرجل

كنتما واحدة ونفس.

فهما ليستما قديمان

 انهما متعبان فقط...

Dualitate

Copacul acela nu e batran,

E doar obosit…

Au trecut atatia ani,

Atatea frunze…

Nici nu te mai miri de crengile lui goale.

Omul acela nu e batran,

E doar obosit…

Au trecut atatia ani,

Atatea dureri,

Atatea bucurii,

Atatea lacrimi,

Nici nu te mai miri de ridurile ce-i brazdeaza fata.

Copacul si omul,

Sunt una si aceeasi fiinta,

Daca-i privesti de dincolo de infinit.

Ei nu sunt batrani,

Sunt doar obositi…

Ikilik

O agac yasli degil

Sadece yorgun…

O kadar yil,

O kadar yaprak gordu…

Onun bos kollarina

Sasmana bile gerek yok.

O adam yasli degil,

Sadece yorgun…

O kadar yil,

O kadar aci,

O kadar sevinc,

O kadar gozyasi gordu…

Yuzundeki kirisiklara

Sasmana bile gerek yok.

Sonsuzlugun otesinden onlara baksa,

Agac ve Insan

Ayni ve tek varliktirlar.

Onlar yasli degil,

Sadece yorgun…

Duality

That tree isn’t old,

Just tired…

So many years,

So many leaves have passed…

No need to wonder

Of its empty branches.

That man isn’t old,

 Just tired…

So many years,

Pains,

Gaieties,

Tears… He has seen them all…

No need to wonder

Of the wrinkles on his face.

The tree and the man

Are one and the same

If you look at them from behind the universe…

They are not old,

Just tired…