Chesler Chronicles

March 30th, 2009 10:27 am

Is Jenin a Hotbed of “Moderates”? Ask Wafa Younis, Hero and Humanitarian.

They had not engaged in any rock or bomb throwing nor had they marched with ominously covered faces chanting “Death to the Jews, Death to America.” Instead, some time last week, thirteen young Palestinians, ages 11-18, members of the “Strings of Freedom” orchestra, conducted by Wafa Younis, played music for elderly Jewish Holocaust survivors in Holon. They came armed, not with guns, but with musical instruments.

By yesterday, Palestinian authorities on the allegedly “moderate” West Bank, in the Jenin Refugee camp, had disbanded the orchestra and accused Wafa Younis of inappropriately involving the children in a dangerous “political issue.”

Younis is an Israeli Arab. This means that she is also a “Palestinian,” but, like 1. 2 million other such “Palestinians,” she is an Israeli citizen who is not voluntarily leaving Israel for either the West Bank or Gaza. For her “crime,” Younis was barred from the refugee camp. The apartment where she conducted her little orchestra is now boarded up.

Younis had not held the children hostage at gunpoint nor had she used them as human shields in the midst of a battle. She had not taught them that Israelis are “Nazis,” who are wantonly massacring the Palestinians. However, by allowing them to play for elderly Jewish Holocaust survivors she taught the musicians that the Holocaust did happen to Jews and that Jews, even Israeli Jews, are human beings, worthy of listening to music. Worse: Younis had allowed her charges to participate in a “Good Deeds Day,” an event which involved Jews and which had been funded by Israelis.

When a Palestinian attempts to teach Palestinian children the ways of peace, the concept that all people, including Jews, share a common humanity, that is seen as a dangerous act of insurrection. I am glad, that Younis is still alive.

Israelis and Jews from around the world have funded so many peace initiatives; have prided themselves on providing quality medical care to Palestinians, even to those who have been wounded while battling the Jewish state. The Jewish dollar has brought young Jews and their Palestinian counterparts together in a variety of global settings, in order to help the coming generations make friends across battle lines, in the belief that they will make peace when they are grown.

The Saudis do not do this nor do al-Qaeda, the Taliban, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, Hamas, Fatah, the Palestinian Authority, or the warlords of Jenin.

Here is one Palestinian/Israeli Arab woman who led her people to behave with humanity towards their perceived enemy, and what was her immediate fate? She was condemned, shamed, barred from the Jenin refugee camp, and had her apartment boarded up. Listen to the language in which Younis has been condemned:

“Adnan al-Hinda, director of the Popular Committee for Services in the Jenin refugee camp, said that the participation of the children in the concert was a “dangerous matter” because it was directed against the cultural and national identity of the Palestinians. He accused “suspicious elements” of being behind the Holon event, saying they were seeking to “impact the national culture of the young generation and cast doubt about the heroism and resistance of the residents of the camp during the Israeli invasion in April 2002.”"

In other words, there is only one God and Mohammed is his prophet. There is only one path, not many, that path is jihad unto victory, not a peaceful path. Here is how Younis’s crime is being explained to the Palestinian people.

“Ramzi Fayad, a spokesman for various political factions in the Jenin refugee camp, also condemned the participation of the teenagers in the Holocaust event, saying all the groups were strongly opposed to any form of normalization with Israel. “There can be no normalization while Israel is continuing to perpetrate massacres against our people,” he said. Leaflets distributed in the Jenin area over the weekend also attacked the event and accused the organizers of exploiting the children. The leaflets also warned the Palestinians against participating in similar events in the future.”

Is exploiting the children suddenly an issue for those who specialize in hiding behind women and children precisely in the hope that if the Israelis accidentally kill such civilian-hostages that the propaganda and funding gains to the Palestinian terrorists are worth the sacrifice? But, there you have it: The allegedly “moderate” Palestinians, (“moderate” because they are not Hamas leaders), also do not believe that Palestinians should behave as if Jews are human beings, should not extend a musical olive branch, not even to elderly Jewish Holocaust survivors.

Or, is there more? Yes, there is. Although the children played Arabic songs, Younis did the unthinkable: She “dedicated a song to kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.”

This is more than most Israeli leftists have ever done. It’s probably more than what the International Red Cross has ever done on his behalf. (Islamist terrorists have not allowed them to visit Schalit).

Hundreds, nay thousands of Jews around the world have marched and chanted for the “victims” in Gaza and “Palestine;” they’ve massively disrupted any speaker who might have a kind word to say about Israel. The entire international community has funded terrorism against the Jewish state through its funding of UNWRA; the enormous sums of money involved do not go to civilians but to Palestinian killers and tyrants. Although this is quite clear; the funding does not stop.

Palestinian human rights activist, Bassam Eid, was honored, not by other Palestinians, (after all, we are not yet in the Messianic Age), but by a group of American Jewish rabbis. He came to visit me after his award in NYC. Eid monitors Palestinian-on-Palestinian human rights violations; thus, the first thing I asked him, even before he could sit down, was why was he still alive, how powerful was his family anyway? We laughed, ate, and exchanged ideas. (By the way, his family is very powerful).

Although Younis is an Israeli Arab I hope that Bassam Eid reaches out to her. In my view, she deserves a Peace Prize. I am not suggesting that it be the Nobel Prize since, on the one hand, that prize was awarded to major league terrorist, Yaser Arafat and, on the other hand, it was also awarded to Ireland’s Catholic and Protestant peace marchers, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan, who were soon thereafter run out of Ireland on a rail.

To those who argue that Israel must submit itself yet further to the “peace” process: Do they understand that Israel is dealing with the likes of those who have condemned Wafa Younis? And that they are the “good guy moderates” compared to Hamas?

Wafa Younis: Consider this column my tribute to you. I read about what happened to you over the weekend. Your story claimed me and would not let me go until I wrote about it. I hope that you—and your young orchestra– find ways to play again. I will never forget your act of profound resistance, your kind and inspired deed. May God and the Israeli police keep you safe and sound.

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20 Comments

1. Professor Guvinoff:

Censorship is a permanent challenge to courage whenever abuse is the primary tool of governance.

Airtight Censorship? Not quite! Thanks God there are always individuals of courage acting in defiance of the authority. This kind of act would not be necessary if the authority had anything to do with fostering the best of human aspirations instead of the worst of human failings.

Wafa Younis deserves our praise and support. She brings more than just music, she brings a sorely needed example. I join Ms. Chesler in expecting the Israeli police to protect her and her musicians.

Mar 30, 2009 - 12:18 pm 2. George Jochnowitz:

Has Daniel Barenboim, organizer of the East-West Divan Orchestra, heard about this story? Has he commented on it? If he hasn’t, it should be brought to his attention. His comment would receive attention, I think.

Mar 30, 2009 - 12:39 pm 3. Greenconsciousness:

This is a post that should be read by everyone. 60 minutes or CNN heroes should do a story based on this piece. I saw a video of the concert. It was moving.

The Palestinian male supremacist fascist thugs will kill her as they kill peace wherever they find it. These Muslim leaders will do anything to keep power including sacrificing their entire race. We can only defend and try to protect their refugees such as Wafa Younis.

They are here now in the US with their ideology of hate – not the refugees but the thugs. This is due to the woman hating immigration policy of our leaders.

Mar 30, 2009 - 1:21 pm 4. Joan Featherman:

Thank you for your thoughtful article. I thought you’d like to know about “Ultimate Peace” happening this week in Tel Aviv. This is an Ultimate Frisbee competition for Palestinian and Israeli kids to work together forming teams built on cooperation rather than conflict. This effort has been organized by several individuals and groups including the Peres Center for Peace. Please go to ultimatepeace.org for details.

Joan Featherman

Mar 30, 2009 - 1:50 pm 5. Lynn B.:

Article was in Haaretz, (surprisingly) plenty of room for talkback to express support. I was there and left a couple of comments. Haaretz.com

Mar 30, 2009 - 2:08 pm 6. David Thomson:

“Has Daniel Barenboim, organizer of the East-West Divan Orchestra, heard about this story?”

Does he even care? I can never forget his close friendship with Edward Said. Daniel Barenboim seems to be an appeaser for the radical Palestinians. Am I wrong about this?

Mar 30, 2009 - 3:02 pm 7. MiamaMan:

Shalom Phyllis! Thanks. This is your admirer from Miama, Al, MiamaMan.

Conductor Wafa Younis is a hero. He is dangerous to those who do not want peace to win, but prefer, openly or covertly, to destroy Israel and the Jews.

The danger for them consists in bringing down the firewall of hate. Without hate, Jihad is Kaput. Knowledge (in Sanskrit Jnana, pronounced Gyana) is powerful, as one of the young Arab ladies from the orchestra said she did not know before about the Shoa, and was very sorry that it happened. This, the Islamists, can’t afford.

Wafa Younis has Chutzpa!

Mar 30, 2009 - 4:28 pm 8. Mavra:

It’s all well and good to berate the Palestinians and to heap praise upon Wafa Younis, but consider this…

Here in the US there is probably no school system that would allow trips made by students without parental consent. It’s just not done. And aside from abortion and drug treatment, in many states, no US hospital or doctor would treat so much as a minor’s hangnail without parental consent. The right to consent is one of our guiding principles in tchis country. And for minors, it’s the parents’ right to consent to anything done with their children that is sacrosanct.

I have a strong feeling that Israeli and Palestinian teachers, too, are not permitted to take their students on trips without first obtaining parental consent. I think that what Ms. Younis did was wrong, regardless of her good intentions. She made the Palestinians look bad (which is good), but she also violated what I consider to be inalienable parental rights.

Mar 30, 2009 - 4:36 pm 9. carmel schwartz:

I am forwarding this marvellous article to Gustav Dudamel, the brilliant Venezuelian conductor who came here last year with his fantastic Venezuelian Youth Orchestra and this season conducted the Israel Philarmonic. He told me that the founder of the Venezuelean Youth Orchestra said way back in lhte nineteen seventies – give a child violin and he will never pick up a gun. He hopes to bring the Venezuelian Youth Orchestra to Israel in the near future – Chavez doesn’t seem to interfere with his plans for the orchestra.

Mar 30, 2009 - 5:09 pm 10. Judy, NYC:

courage comes inexplicably to some people like a calling or a blessing. they are humanity’s real legacy and they make it impossible not to believe in some higher force that governs even while everything else is debased. i think we would not, could not, go on at all without these people in our midst.

Mar 30, 2009 - 5:09 pm 11. Irwin Ruff:

I would like to have more information about the children. How did they avoid the all-encompassing anti-Jewish indoctrination provided by the “moderate” PLO? From the one photo that I have seen, they appear to be young teens. Do they also have double lives, acting as supports for terrorists in their spare time? Were they punished for participating in this activity? I think it’s important to know more about the orchestra.

Mar 31, 2009 - 4:33 am 12. Fern Sidman:

Kudos to Dr. Chesler for spotlighting this news item that the mainstrean media did not propogate.

The redoubtable Wafa Younis demonstrated the kind of courage that is rarely witnessed in these tumultuous times and especially in this setting of conflict and violence.

The swift and severe condemnation of Younis’ youth orchestra by the authorities that be in Jenin is proof positive that any such Arab/Palestinian effort to reach across cultural and political lines in the name of peace will be thwarted in the most strongest of terms.

Ms. Younis and others like her present a fiercely intimidating presence in the hotbed of seething hate for Jews and Israel that is known as Jenin.

As to Jews funding and marching and gathering for our enemies, such self hatred will continue as it is a permanent part of and endemic to Jewish existence since time immemorial. Little is gained in bemoaning the fact that we are our own worst enemy.

May G-d grant strength to the forces of true peace and may clarity and wisdom prevail amongst those Jews bent upon their own destruction.

Mar 31, 2009 - 11:43 am 13. Al Rassooli (author of “Lifting the Veil: The True Faces of Muhammad and Islam”):

Another fantastic article by Phyllis Chesler! This time graphically illustrating one of the truly awful facts about Islam; that it is entirely based on hatred and lies and can only continue to exist (indeed flourish and grow) by endlessly teaching and indoctrinating (and in so doing abusing) its innocent children in its own evil ways.
If you doubt what I have said, or if it sounds harsh to you, please read my book (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1434392023) in which I show a great many irrefutable examples of Quranic texts (which I have studied for more than two decades in Arabic, my native language) that require believers to believe in and propagate these hateful lies unquestioningly and forever.

Returning specifically to the question of “Palestinians” and their determination to hate and kill Jews wherever and whenever they can; believe it or not, murdering innocent people is a basic principle of Islam and so a cornerstone of the Hamas “Charter”. If you are in any doubt take a look at the rather “politically correct” and watered-down explanation on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#Hamas_Charter or perhaps read the interesting (and still relevant even though now quite old) article on http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=59456

If you only have a few minutes and would prefer to sit back and watch a movie rather than read further articles all over the place PLEASE watch the following, in which you’ll see perfectly clearly how the fiction of “Palestine” has grown and (returning to the topic of Phyllis Chesler’s characteristically excellent article) you’ll be able to watch normal every-day scenes in a typical modern classroom in Gaza in which children are systematically being taught prejudice, hatred, a longing to murder and a strong desire to die as “martyrs” in the processes. Totally disgusting, totally shocking and worst of all mainstream “core” Islam in the midst of our otherwise modern world.
“UNRWA : LORDS OF MISERY” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxyPBQirBH0

Then take a look at this picture (it’s just a map)… http://app4.websitetonight.com/projects/1/1/5/5/1155275/_mygallery/tiny-little-Israel.jpg

I hope you’ll agree that the truth of what is happening is terribly sad.

Kind Regards,
Al Rassooli (author of “Lifting the Veil: The True Faces of Muhammad and Islam”)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1434392023/ )
[please see also the YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/AhmadsQuran3 ]

Mar 31, 2009 - 4:04 pm 14. MiamaMan:

13. Al Rassooli:

Thanks for the comment. That you were born in Iraq gives greater credibility to your words. The world needs more people like you. I will read your book.

I have traveled extensively in India, I know Francois Gauthier who resides in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, and also about his crusade to make known to the world the Hindu catastrophe (I hesitate to call it holocuast although several scholars are more and more calling it that) caused by the Muslim’s invasions and their occupation for several centuries of vast areas of India.
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Stadium
/5142/negislamindia.html

For the Muslims still show some respect for Christians and Jews who they call people of the book, but they reserve the greatest contempt for Hindus, calling them “idol worshipers” and polytheists, a lie since Hinduism mostly reverts to the One Brahman, as the Upanishad states in Sanskrit: Brahma Ekam Eva Advitiyam” (God is One without a second).

The destruction in India was ruthless, systematic, calculated, constant, and lasted centuries, destroying not only population, which they slaughter in the millions, but also destroying hundreds of Hindu temples and other relics (Notice the absence of Hindu temples in northern India and the many in Tamil Nadu in the south, where the Muslims did not rule).

I believe the state of affairs nowadays with the diabolic forces propelling Islam (notice I do not say radical Islam, as Islam itself is radical without help) were caused by the nefarious partition of India. As Osama Bin Laden pointed out, Pakistan is one of the pillars of Islam, and the only Islamic nation to possess nuclear weapons. It is an infectious sore, helping other nations to obtain nuclear weapons, financing the Taliban, terrorizing Kashmir, attacking India in Mumbai, and the list goes on.

Just a comments.

Mar 31, 2009 - 7:24 pm 15. Al Rassooli (author of “Lifting the Veil: The True Faces of Muhammad and Islam”):

Hi MiamaMan,

I have HUGE sympathy for *all* of the worlds victims of Islam including, ironically, the Muslims themselves – many of whom are in the end amongst it’s greatest victims since their lives are totally blighted and made utterly miserable and severely limited by their endless hatred (even of each other) and of course their boundless self-delusion.

I completely agree with all you say about the centuries of truly terrible suffering, destruction and oppression caused by Muslims in the name of Islam to Hindus (as well as Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains and indeed everyone else) on the Indian sub-continent. Incidentally, see my website http://www.InTheNameOfAllah.org . My understanding (though this is straying from my area of expertise, so forgive me if I’m mistaken in what I’m about to say) is that in desperation at the seemingly merciless and endless evil being visited upon them by the Muslim invaders, the Hindus formed an elite band of specialist warriors in an effort to try and defend themselves. These warriors gradually evolved into what became (I’m told, though as I mentioned am not completely sure) the Sikhs.

It is interesting that Islamic propaganda is so all-pervasive and successful that even organisations one might (completely incorrectly, as it happens) assume knowledgeable and unbiased like for example the BBC can completely fall for their lies. In the context of wars, invasion and centuries of plunder and destruction of neighbouring civilizations by the appalling Muslim hoards I’m thinking of the BBC’s recent seemingly innocent series of three documentaries about the so-called “Golden Age of Islam”; (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gq6h7 ) a period in its history when it was plundering and bringing home the fruits of conquered civilizations like Persia and Northern India (e.g. brilliant Hindu mathematicians), using non-Arab peoples forced to convert to Islam to translate books and manuscripts into Arabic and from which other non-Arab people continued to make a few – though very few – advances until Islam had become so established and dominant it burned and crushed even that little scientific development. The BBC would of course be completely struggling to produce a documentary showing what great learning and scientific advances have been made by Arabs (or even anyone living in completely Islamic dominated countries) over the five or six hundred years since then!

There is no doubt whatsoever that you are right about Muslim/Islamic opportunistic and completely staged violence being the cause and reason for India’s eventual partition in 1947. Naturally they were not content with that (because the Quran tells them to wage war on all non-believers until there are none left anywhere in the world, and to take *all* lands of the world for themselves). Organisations like the BBC and CNN often talk about Kashmir being “the disputed region” but they’d be more accurate in saying that from the Muslim point of view not-only is the whole of what’s left of Indian a “disputed region” but so is the rest of the free world!

You are absolutely right to be very worried indeed about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons arsenal, and as we all know Iran is not far behind. What’s not so widely known, perhaps, is that France is dangerously close to becoming an Islamic country by stealth within just a few years (unless there is a dramatic change in policy and response to the threat of Islam in Europe) and of course it has a formidable conventional army as well as large stockpile of nuclear weapons all of which would undoubtedly be used by a future Islamic regime there in the very heart of Western Europe.

I’ve been invited to give a live phone-in interview on a program called “The Gathering Storm” on http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com early in May. I’m not sure exactly what date yet but if you keep an eye on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/gathering%20storm/upcoming/ you should see it quite soon. I’d be absolutely delighted if you were able to phone in (or use interactive chat) to discuss any aspect of this live on air with me and raise any additional points you felt important!

Kind Regards,
Al Rassooli

Apr 1, 2009 - 6:36 am 16. Singh, London:

Al Rassooli

Its quite accurate in that Sikhs have been fighting forced Islamic conversions and have been sacrificing their lives for this cause for both Hindus and Sikhs. Our 9th Guru – Guru Tegh Bahadur confronted the Mughal authorities on this topic and was arrested by Aurangzeb and tortured, on his refusal to convert Islam was then beheaded.

Further detail on Guru Tegh Bhadur can be found here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Teg_Bahadur#Execution

The 10th Guru (the last Physical Guru) “Guru Gobind Singh” took over from his father Guru Tegh Bhadur and founded the Khalsas (Sikhs), here are some of his words to the audience after selecting 5 volunteers from the crowd who to serve him would give their head…

“From now on, you have become casteless. No ritual, either Hindu or Muslim, will you perform nor will you believe in superstition of any kind, but only in one God who is the master and protector of all, the only creator and destroyer. In your new order, the lowest will rank with the highest and each will be to the other a bhai (brother). No pilgrimages for you any more, nor austerities but the pure life of the household, which you should be ready to sacrifice at the call of Dharma. Women shall be equal of men in every way. No purdah (veil) for them anymore, nor the burning alive of a widow on the pyre of her spouse (sati). He who kills his daughter, the Khalsa shall not deal with him”

The 11th and final Guru (non Physical) is our holy book – Guru Granth Sahib.

Apr 1, 2009 - 10:41 am 17. Watcher of Weasels » Crap and Trade - The Obama Legacy is Taking Shape:

[...] Submitted By: Right Truth – Chesler Chronicles at Pajamas Media – Is Jenin a Hotbed of “Moderates”? Ask Wafa Younis, Hero and Humanitarian. [...]

Apr 1, 2009 - 4:05 pm 18. MiamaMan:

Hello Mr. Rassooli,

1) Thanks for your answer. I brought up and bookmarked your webpage, and will read it soon. My admiration is for you, and I wish you well, for I know how important your work is, and how strong are the Asuric dark forces that oppose it. I will also check out the radio lecture, etc
2) I am not one who believe goodness trumps evil in the world, unfortunately. I do believe goodness may triumph at the end, but evil is at work now like never before. Still, humanity is not out of the woods yet, nor this experiment(Pralaya) must necessarily be successful.
3) The Sikhs. Sikhism, quoting an expert like Sri Aurobindo, was an attempt to synthesize Hinduism and Islam. Indeed, it was formed around a martial concept to defend themselves from the Muslim onslaught, and ended up defending India and Hinduism. Without them, the Muslim occupation would had been much worse.
4) Yes, Europe is in trouble, they wake to it almost too late. Hopefully, a French Geert Wilders may arise in the horizon. Doubtful, but possible.
5) Another great crime that the BBC also shies away from, is the treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh, killings, expulsions, kidnappings, for years and years. Unfortunately, the India psyche is still in the grips of tremendous fear of the Muslim, and is usually paralyzed, as in the latest Mumbai terrorist attack, from within. A strong Marxist 5th-column, entrenched in the major Indian universities around Delhi, with the likes of Professor Romila Thapar, engage in Hindu-baiting and negationism, totally influencing the school curriculum, which they control, to hide the truth about Islam. I will, through your website email, try to send you an article I wrote on this subject after my last trip to India that I have in one of my websites.

God’s speed!

Apr 2, 2009 - 1:55 pm 19. Watcher of Weasels » Information Wars:

[...] Third place with 1 points – (T*) – Right Truth – Chesler Chronicles at Pajamas Media – Is Jenin a Hotbed of “Moderates”? Ask Wafa Younis, Hero and Humanitarian. [...]

Apr 3, 2009 - 2:47 pm 20. Alex Goodsmith:

Have you attemped to submit this as an op ed to the NY Times?

Jun 2, 2009 - 7:25 am