Here I am O Allah, here I am

Lifting my hands, begging you to save my Iman

Here I am O Allah, there is no partner unto You

My sins are many, my good deeds so few

Surely all praise is Yours, and all bounties too

My needs are many, and my words to express so few

This creation is Yours. There is no partner unto You

Your servants so many, for me there is none but You

In this plain, this flatness, this earth, this day, I pray

Let us meet, my Allah, when time and place will no longer be

In a state in which we are smiling, and You are pleased with me

Until then, my Allah, do not leave me, do not let me forsake,

Allow me, to come to You always with the chant Labbayk.

May Allah swt enable all of us to go for Hajj and accept all those who have already been, and those who are there. 9th Dhul Hijja, 1430

Reminder

Eid Al-Adha is a special, unique time for all Muslims. Its a time for rejoice and pure good. Everything you do should be good in the eid period, plus you get more good deeds. Not that you shouldnt do good on other days, of course not! But doing good is emphasized during eid and ramadan, so the more the merrier! Do not fight, curse, look (you get what I mean!), bother, be mean, or anything bad! and do the opposite of bad, which is good(duh) like make friends complement etc…

Read Quran too

And go to the Eid prayer on the first day of Eid (tomorrow morning, early)

Today is also Yum Arafat (The Day of Arafat)

for more info about today read this http://www.jannah.org/articles/dayofarafat.html

for more info about Eid Al Adha ask me! on muslimiamblog@googlemail.com

“Lebbeyk Allahümme lebbeyk. Lebbeyke lâ şerîke leke lebbeyk. İnne’l-hamde ve’n-ni`mete leke ve’l-mülk, lâ şerîke lek”

(Davetine sözüm ve özümle geldim Allah’ım, emrin baş üstüne. Davetine sözüm ve özümle geldim ey ortaksız olan Sen! Emrin baş üstüne. Hamd Sen’in, nimet Sen’in, mülk de Sen’in. Yoktur Sen’in ortağın.)

Arafat, Müzdelife, Mina ve Kabe’den Canlı Yayın

İzlemek için TIKLAYINIZ

What are you thankful for?

I’m thankful for the fact that this year, Muslims are given an opportunity to be way more thankful to Allah on this American holiday. It just so happens the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, referred to as the day of ‘Arafat, is the same day as Thanksgiving. It’s a blessed day where fasting is highly recommended.

Abu Qatadah reports the Prophet (may Allah’s Blessings and Peace be upon him) as saying:
“Fasting the Day of Arafat will be credited by Allah with forgiving one’s sins of the previous year and the coming year.”

I’m thankful to Allah for the enormous reward given for fasting on this day. Though, the irony of this year’s timing is quite hilarious, but also something to think about. My friend Abdullah, from Orlando, posted this interesting thought on Facebook:

So true.

A Muslim fasts in order to obey his/her Lord, and to appreciate what s/he has been given. It applies two very important concepts in Islam:

1. Sabr – the patience to deal with not eating or drinking from sunup to sundown, as well as refraining from vulgar speech, anger, and relations.

2. Shukr – thankfulness for the food, drink, and the other blessings that Allah bestowed on you.

The American way of celebrating is to cook a large meal (eating much of the day) for dinner where all the family comes together to eat. The Muslims stay away from even water all day, until the night when they can really “say grace” (i.e. Bismillah wa ‘ala barakatillah) and appreciate the meal before them (whether it’s large or small).

Thanksgiving is a beautiful holiday with honorable values embedded in it such as thankfulness (obviously) and kinship.

But the truth is, who’s really going to be celebrating Thanksgiving correctly? The Americans, or the Muslims (from America and even in foreign countries).

Keep in mind that this day upon us is here to serve a purpose and send one message: Allah is Dhul-Jalali-wal-Ikraam (translated as the Lord of Majesty and Generosity).

One day. One message. Even though it technically is two different ‘holidays’.

Enjoy this day, and try to remember about turkey!

Of course, I meant to read about the glory days of the Muslim Ottoman Empire in Turkey!

and an early Eid Mubarak to you all.

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…but Best Buy?

Check it:

“Okay, so Best Buy doesn’t advertise Christmas. So what? They don’t advertise Hanukkah either. Or Kwanzaa either. How else would they avoid offending people who don’t celebrate Christmas?”

Ah, good point, loyal blog readers. First, I must state that everyone I’ve ever met that DOESN’T celebrate Christmas is NOT offended when people tell them “Merry Christmas”. I celebrate Christmas; and when (and it happens) someone says “Happy Hanukkah!” to ME, I’m not offended. Why would I be? The only ones who would be offended by any Christ loving individuals are those who are hellbent on destroying the INFIDELS. Who is that? Oh, why the Muslim Islamic Extremists!

“So what does this have to do with Best Buy?”

Good question. Have a look at THIS:

“What the fuck is Eid-al-Adha?!” Well, I’ll tell ya.

Eid-al-Adha is “Festival of Sacrifice”; a holiday celebrated by Muslims. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan. Best Buy won’t mention any OTHER “holiday” in order to avoid being offensive… Oh, except for the Muslim holiday. Now that a Muslim lives in the White House; I guess it’s okay. But wait! They didn’t advertise Christmas when we’ve had Christian presidents, did they? NEIN.

Okay. So now that you know what THAT bullshit is all about; have a look at our P Resident of the United States of America:

BHussein on Ramadan (another Muslim Holiday):

Watch as he wishes a blessed Ramadan to Muslims in and outside of the United States. He also mentions “swine flu” and how it’s a concern for those making the hajj pilgrimage this year.

It’s no secret that he was born a Muslim, raised a Muslim, and still stands strong in his Muslim beliefs. He bends over backwards trying to appease his Muslim brothers; even those who have carried out massive acts of terrorism. (See also KSM, GITMO prisoners, and the way he licks the asscrack of the Islamic terrorists who are attacking OUR BROTHERS and our ALLI, Israel.) Sure, he “says” he’s a Christian; but he’s not fooling anyone with a triple digit I.Q.

BHussein doesn’t celebrate Christmas. Well, he does when the media is looking. When he thinks America is looking, but if you read between the lines; it’s crystal clear.

Obama leaves the gifting to Santa
Article: Politico

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) tells People magazine in the issue out Friday that he and his wife, Michelle, do not give Christmas or birthday presents to their two young daughters.

Obama tells the magazine’s Sandra Sobieraj Westfall in a seven-page cover story that he and his wife follow the unusual practice because they “want to teach some limits.”

Sure, BarryO. You want to teach your little punishment and your little mistake some “limits”. Nobody buys it. We know you don’t celebrate Christmas because you don’t believe in God. Jesus Christ. Funny thing is, Marxists and Muslims don’t celebrate birthdays or Christmas either. I suppose since you’re doing your best to make America a Socialist and Marxist nation; Best Buy figured they’d jump right on it.

Freudian slip, much?

We are in the midst of the first 10 days of the month of Dhul Hijjah. Doing good deeds in them is better than in any of the other days of the year. As Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” The companions asked: “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?” The Prophet replied, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, unless a man goes out himself for jihad taking his wealth with him and does not come back with anything” (Narrated by Bukhari).
 
It is highly recommended that we all increase in doing good deeds and extra voluntary acts of worship during these 10 blessed days so we can make the best out of them and gain Allah’s reward.
 
These 10 days are so important and blessed that Allah swore by them in the Quran in the beginning of Surah Al-Fajr. It is in these 10 days that all the pillars of Islam are being performed, because it is the time of the year for Hajj, along with the other pillars like Salah, Fasting, and Zakah also being performed. So insha’Allah, we should strive to start that month with sincere repentance to Allah and exert ourselves in doing as much good deeds as we can.
 
Here are a few of the possible good deeds that one can do, along with a few other things to keep in mind:

1) Fasting:
We should try to fast as much of the first 9 days of Dhul Hijjah as possible, since fasting is a virtuous deed, and even more so during these days. As prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says: “Allah says: ‘All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except fasting, which is for Me and I shall reward for it.’” (Narrated by Bukhari).
It was the Sunnah of the prophet to increase in fasting during these blessed days. However, fasting all of the first 9 days is not compulsory, nor was it a constant sunnah that the prophet peace be upon him never dropped. But insha’Allah, increase in your fasting during these first 9days because the reward and virtues of fasting are numerous, such as the du’a or supplication of the fasting person is accepted, fasting is a means of attaining Taqwah, and it also is a protection from Hell-fire, as prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says: “Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah, Allah will keep his face seventy years’ distance away from the Fire because of it.”(Narrated by Muslim).
 
2) The Day of ‘Arafah:
The day of ‘Arafah is the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah (which will be on Thursday, November 26),and it is the day when the pilgrims (performing Hajj) stand in worship on the mountain of ‘Arafah.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, ‘What do these people want?’” (Narrated by Muslim).
Whether you decide to fast most of the first 9 days, or you decide to just fast only one day out of the nine, make sure that you fast on the day of ‘Arafah which is the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah (which will be on Thursday, November 26), because when prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah, he said, “It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.” (Narrated by Muslim). Therefore, it is highly recommended to fast on the day of ‘Arafah for those who are not going on Hajj. 
The day after ‘Arafah, the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, is the day of Eid Al-Adha which is also called the day of Nahr (slaughtering), and the next three days after Eid (the 11th, 12th, and 13th day of Dhul Hijjah) are called the days of Tashreeq. The day of Eid and the three days of Tashreeq after it are days of celebration and the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) forbade fasting on these days and said: “Do not fast on these days, for they are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allah.” (Narrated by Ahmad; Classed as Saheeh by Sheikh Albani).

3) The Udhiyah (Sacrifice):
One of the righteous deeds that brings one closer to Allah is slaughtering an animal for the sake of Allah, and this is highly recommended sunnah for those who can afford it (some scholars even said it is mandatory to offer the sacrifice for those who are able to afford it), because the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to offer a sacrifice every year for the 10 years while he was in Medina, as narrated by the companion Abdullah ibn Omar may Allah be pleased with them both. The time for slaughtering the animal begins after the Eid Prayer on the day of Eid and lasts until the end of the three days of Tashreeq after Eid.
For those who plan to sacrifice (usually, the head of the household), then they are prohibited to cut their hair or nails from the 1st day of Dhul Hijjah until they offer the sacrifice. This is only for the one who plans on performing the sacrifice and not for his entire family, and it applies the same to both men and women. As Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Once the tendays start, for those of you who have the intention to sacrifice, let them not cut any of their hair or nails (until they sacrifice).” (Narrated by Muslim).
[Note: If you have the habit of biting your nails, this might be the perfect way to help you break that habit during these great 10 days!] 
If you plan on performing the sacrifice, also make sure to pick a mature and healthy animal that is free from any flaws that you will slaughter. When slaughtering the animal, it is sunnah to say: “Bismillah, wa Allahu akbar” (which means “In the name of Allah, Allah is most great).

4) Other Deeds:
Some other good deeds that we can do during the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are:
*Increase in Dhikr and remembering Allah frequently, like saying the Takbeer at any time throughout the day. One of the forms of the Takbeer is “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillahi’l-hamd” (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, and to Allah be praise).  Keep in mind that the Takbeer should be done out loud but on an individual basis and without saying it in unision as a group as this is not from the sunnah.
*Doing Istighfaar and repenting sincerely to Allah from all our sins, and staying away from committing any more sins during these 10 days.
*Increase in giving charity.
*Do more of the voluntary acts of worship like extra prayers throughout the day and at night.
*Pray the 5 obligatory daily prayers early on time and with tranquility, and if you are able to then pray them in congregation at the Masjid.
*Any other good deed that you can think of !!
*Remember to attend the Eid prayer on the day of Eid (the 10th day of Dhul Hijja), as the prophet ordered everyone, men, women, and kids, to attend the Eid prayer.

Por Jorge Marirrodriga para Guysen International News
Lunes 16 noviembre 2009 – 15:40

La verdad es que a los españoles nos hace falta memoria, pero no de la histórica que nos pretende vender Zapatero, sino la de corto plazo, para así poder correr a gorrazos a nuestros políticos cada vez que les pillamos en un renuncio o cuando se comprueba que lo que nos venden es humo. Como es el caso de hoy.
Israel y Siria están a punto de iniciar conversaciones. No hay que olvidar que Israel y Siria están técnicamente en Estado de Guerra. Hasta en los mínimos detalles. Un servidor recuerda una visita de Juan Pablo II a Siria en 2001 donde en las ruinas de Quneitra los sirios obligaban a los periodistas a apagar los teléfonos porque usábamos la señal de Israel.

Bueno, pues a pesar de las declaraciones políticas, ambos países están dispuestos a sentarse a dialogar. Primero un gesto de un lado, otro de otro, que si ahora dejo a varias mujeres cruzar la frontera… y ahora toca nombrar padrinos para iniciar conversaciones indirectas. Parece todo muy largo, pero es un camino seguro. Assad elige primero y se pide a Turquía. Erdogan se ha escorado hacia el mundo islámico pero sigue manteniendo el canal abierto con Israel. Buena elección. Israel por su parte se pide a Francia. Sarkozy es un tío pragmático, con una importantisima comunidad judía en su país y una no menos importante islámica. Con tropas en Líbano y estatus de potencia mundial. Un padrino de altura, y no es coña.

Erdogan es el socio de Zapatero en la Alianza de Civilizaciones, un invento que a los contribuyentes españoles nos está costando un huevo (con perdón) y Sarkozy es el compañero de armas en la misión de FINUL en Líbano, donde el comportamiento del contingente español genera la desconfianza pública de una de partes en conflicto (y que nos cuesta el otro huevo). ¿Y para qué? Pues para que cuando los mayores hablen de sus cosas manden a los pequeños al cuarto de jugar. ¿Ésta es la primera línea donde están nuestras relaciones internacionales? ¿Dejarán al menos a Moratinos servir el café? Por favor hagamos algo la próxima vez que nos hablen del “importante papel de España” en Oriente Medio.

Assad será muy chulo, pero Bibi sabe lo que elige. Obsérvese a los mediadores de uno y otro.

Memoria histórica de verdad

No sé a ustedes, pero a un servidor le causa una especial satisfacción saber que el próximo día 30 el Gobierno israelí va a celebrar una sesión de su Consejo de Ministros nada menos que en el edificio del Reichstag, en Berlín. No se me ocurre mejor símbolo de lo que significa Israel para el mundo libre que el que esa reunión se celebre en el mismo lugar donde hace algunas décadas se coreaba y aplaudía la destrucción del pueblo judío.

Así que los Netanyahu, Lieberman, Barak y demás ministros israelíes se reunirán en el corazón de Alemania en uno de los semanales actos de Gobierno del Estado judío. Es una manera de recordar al mundo el para qué se ganó una guerra y el porqué sacrificaron sus vidas millones de personas. De recordárselo a todos, incluyendo a los que seguramente protestarán con argumentos no muy lejanos a los que se escuchaban hace 70 años en el mismo edificio.

Alemania ha querido enmarcar esta invitación al Gobierno israelí dentro de los actos del 20º aniversario de la caída del Muro de Berlín, es decir, en la celebración del triunfo de las libertades ciudadanas frente a la tiranía totalitaria. Es obvio que la canciller alemana, Angela Merkel, si que sabe lo que es la tan cacareada memoria histórica. A ver si aprenden algunos en España.

El exilio de los mártires palestinos

Simy, amiga, lectora y blogger en standby, planteó ayer, al hilo de la entrada sobre Arafat, qué había sido de los tres palestinos que España aceptó del grupo que entró a tiros en la Basílica de la Natividad de Belén en 2002. La situación se resume (y que me perdonen los lectores argentinos por el robo) en una frase: España, país generoso.

Los tres miembros de las Brigadas de los Mártires de Al Aqsa, que como todo el mundo sabe es un grupo dedicado a labores de caridad, permanecen siete años después en España tal y como se acordó con el Gobierno de Jerusalén, es decir, lejos de las fronteras de Israel. Cada uno recibe del Estado unos 12.000 euros al año en concepto de ayuda a la manutención y alojamiento. Los que han querido han podido traerse a sus familias. Familias a las que Israel permite entrar y salir por sus fronteras cuando quieren porque, como Estado de derecho que es por más que a muchos les joda, considera que los terroristas son los culpables y no sus familias.

Lejos de tener restringidos sus movimientos, los mártires-no-consumados pueden viajar libremente por todo el territorio español e incluso lo han hecho a otros países de Europa, donde han mantenido contactos con “compañeros de lucha”. Y esto no lo digo yo, lo dicen ellos mismos porque en vez de optar por un perfil bajo, algunos de ellos han concedido entrevistas donde hablan del “encierro” de Belén. Eso sí, ni una palabra sobre cómo se comportaron igual que en una pocilga con los objetos sagrados de una de las iglesias más importantes de la cristiandad.

Qué duro debe ser el exilio español. En fin, que lo importante es que no puedan matar gente.

San Arafat

Uno de los primeros recuerdos televisivos de un servidor es, en blanco y negro, el de Yasser Arafat alzando los brazos mientras un círculo señala una pistola en su cintura. Mucho después me enteré de que aquello sucedió en la Asamblea General de la ONU.

Años más tarde, Arafat contribuyó decisivamente a que cambiara mi percepción del conflicto entre israelíes y palestinos. Fue en 2002 durante la operación Escudo Defensivo cuando este periodista fue testigo de cómo Arafat, una vez solucionado el cerco israelí a la Mukata de Ramallah, donde él estaba, alargaba todo lo posible la toma de la Basílica de la Natividad en Belén por parte de guerrilleros palestinos y el cerco israelí a la iglesia. El mundo sólo hablaba del “asedio israelí” y el rais, desde Ramallah, vetaba una y otra vez los acuerdos que se iban alcanzando para solucionar la crisis. Belén y su población estaban bajo toque de queda permanente, pero eso a Arafat le importaba un huevo porque lo importante era el desgaste israelí a los ojos del mundo. Este periodista estaba en Belén y salió de allí convencido de que Arafat era un verdadero cabronazo.

Estos días en muchos medios españoles se recuerda su figura, mayormente entre alabanzas. Haciendo una excepción a la política de este blog me referiré a un artículo de opinión aparecido en el importante diario español titulado Cinco años sin Arafat. No es un editorial, sino una opinión firmada, así que yo también expresaré la mía. Porque opinión tenemos todos. El artículo es una repugnante colección de expresiones antisemitas aderezadas con argumentos exculpatorios del terrorismo y con la guinda de la teoría conspiracionista-sionista. Lo peor no es que sea infumable, sino que viene firmado por alguien que da clases en la universidad. Alguien que vierte su veneno filototalitario sobre el alumnado con argumentos de tercera división. El antisemitismo en España tiene algunas de sus bases en varios departamentos universitarios cuyos miembros se parapetan detrás de los birretes para expandir su mensaje de odio.

Y claro que Arafat murió envenenado; se mordió la lengua el muy gilipollas.

¿Cervantes era del Hizbullah?

Para que luego digan que el español está en peligro. ¡Si se habla en todas partes! Pongamos como ejemplo una zona cualquiera del mundo, no sé…Oriente Medio. Además de las decenas de miles de israelíes que hablan español (este periodista escuchó la palabra birome por primera vez en su vida en Jerusalén) el idioma de Cervantes se ha puesto de moda para algunas transacciones comerciales en otras zonas como Irán o Líbano.

No hay más que ver el armamento decomisado por Israel al barco procedente de Irán con destino Hizbullah. ¿En qué idioma se podían leer las indicaciones de algunas armas? ¿En chino? No, y eso que los chinos fabrican y venden por todas partes ¿En ruso? Pues tampoco. En Español. Un exitazo (otro) de la cultura ibérica.

Pero no seamos mal pensados. El que esas indicaciones estén escritas en español no significa que las armas vengan de España. Para nada. De hecho si ustedes se informaran por los medios españoles ya sabrían que en realidad es el malvado gobierno sionista el que le compra las armas a España. Eso nunca lo harían los iraníes y muchísimo menos los de Hizbullah, que sólo quieren lanzar sobre Israel una lluvia de flores.

La verdadera razón del porqué las indicaciones están escritas en español es que así en el supuesto de que, por accidente, las tropas de la FINUL encontraran esas armas, sabrían lo que son… y las dejarían en su sitio. Los iraníes piensan en todo.

Although Yasser Arafat played a very big part in Palestinian resistance and nation-building — a huge part, even — he never was as big as this hill that bears his name. This hill, which likes to think of itself as a mountain, has been Arafat long before its Palestinian namesake was conceived. If the man’s days of glory have come and gone, the mountain’s certainly have not.

Once a year, in hajj season, millions of white-clad pilgrims flock to Mount ‘Arafat. They perch on its every rock, with hands raised and heads bowed, seeking forgiveness from an All-Forgiving God. From the Saudi satellite station’s bird’s eye view, they look like seagulls on a sealess shore, daring the elements and hoping against hope.

Having said that, I want to tell you a little story that made me smile. (Because, really, why else would I tell you about Mount Arafat if I didn’t have ulterior motives?) My Sharia professor was urging us to use the ten days of Dhul-Hijja (the month of Hajj) to do extra good deeds: phone our parents, give a little charity, greet our neighbors.

My Sharia professor was on a bus when an Egyptian passenger beside him was feeling the Hajj spirit. The Egyptian picked up his phone and started dialing.

“Ya Ahmad, izzayyak? How are you? Insha’Allah issanaggaya fi Arafah! iA next year [we'll be] in Arafah!”

Then, “Ya Abu M’hammed! iA next year in Arafah!”

“Ya Ummi Zeinab…”

“Ya Abubraheem…”

“Ya wad ya Mahmood…”

He had made seven calls when a Jordanian passenger began to fret. Spaces on Arafah were filling up, and fast. And this man probably had a quarter of Cairo on speed dial.

“Hey man!” The Jordanian joked. “Enough already! You didn’t leave any room for us!”

What with the annual country-specific pilgrim quotas, it’s every country for itself. If Jordanians want to be well-represented on Arafah next year, they’d better start making those calls today. And perhaps they also ought to consider growing their population. For that, they’ll need nothing short of Miracle-Gro.

Link

November 18, 2009

by Rami G. Khouri – Agence Global – 16 November 2009

BEIRUT — Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has reverted to an old political trick by saying he will resign and not run for re-election when the next presidential elections are held in early 2010 – and then immediately arranging a series of staged “rallies” in which ordinary people appear to cheer him and demand that he remain in office. The spectacle is as disheartening as it is old and empty, and it is an insult to the dignity and needs of the Palestinian people.

Three separate issues converge here: the person of Abbas and his own achievements, the nature and quality of Palestinian leadership, and the current priorities of the Palestinian people. On all three counts, Abbas should cut short his silly little melodrama, resign as he said he would, and pave the way for a needed revival of effective Palestinian national leadership.

At the personal level, Abbas is widely respected as a sincere man who has devoted his entire life to the Palestinian cause. But this is not a popularity contest, a character test, or one man’s emotional counseling session; this is about the fate of an entire people whose lives are in distress. Abbas worked closely with Yasser Arafat for four decades and has little to show for it. The most useful thing he could do now is to take advantage of his many years of experience by withdrawing from politics as planned, retreating to a quiet university in Palestine, and painstakingly writing down and analyzing every single major episode in which the Palestinians attempted to negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel, but always failed.

This is important because Palestinians face a crisis of leadership. The unified national Palestinian leadership that came into its own under Arafat in the late 1960s under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) succeeded in important ways. It asserted Palestinian independent action and minimized Arab interference, brought many different ideological groups under the single PLO umbrella, and it forged a realistic national program that sought to create a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.

All three of those assets that Arafat and his colleagues like Abbas generated have frayed or been abandoned completely. The epic, tragic high note of Abbas’ incompetence and failure as a leader at both the personal and policy levels was his move last month to bow to American and Israeli pressure and delay the UN’s consideration of the Goldstone Report on the Gaza war atrocities. He reversed course quickly, but only after revealing his monumental incompetence to engage with instruments of international law, legitimacy, and accountability, and his insensitivity to the plight of his own people who thirsted for precisely such an impartial call to end the savagery and impunity of Israeli arms.

A new Palestinian leadership needs to be elected in order to regain legitimacy that has been steadily squandered in recent years by Abbas and, before him, Arafat in his waning years. This highlights the third issue at stake, and the single most important national priority for the Palestinian people today: to reconstitute a credible national leadership whose first task always has been and remains to speak for all Palestinians in a single voice, in pursuit of realistic political goals.

At one of his orchestrated “rallies” a few days ago, Abbas said the Palestinians remained strong because of their steadfastness and the justice of their cause. Those are admirable qualities, but they are far from sufficient to achieve Palestinian national rights and statehood, and end their refugeehood. A new Palestinian leadership is required to revive the ability to speak in a single voice for all Palestinians, based on mechanisms that allow all Palestinians — especially the refugee camp dwellers in Arab states — to contribute to the formulation of national policies.

Abbas only accentuates his own weaknesses and the dysfunctionalities of the Palestinian national institutions he heads when he engages in silly charades like his current tour of Palestinian towns and villages where the multitudes demand that he remain in power. He demeans himself and his people by reverting to such transparent shallowness and emptiness. The last thing the Palestinians need now is to be reminded that they are on track to become yet another Arab security state with a leader for life who basks in hero worship and personality cults and faces no serious forms of accountability.

He would do much better to go to Burj el-Barajneh, Yarmouk or Jabal Hussein refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan to consult with his fellow refugees, and forge a consensus policy on making peace with Israel, or resisting its occupation and colonization policies if peace is not a possibility today. The Palestinians need honesty, humility, consensus-building and clarity from their leaders, and Abbas gives them none of these.

Rami G. Khouri is Editor-at-large of The Daily Star, and Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, in Beirut, Lebanon.

Link

November 18, 2009

by Rami G. Khouri – Agence Global – 16 November 2009

BEIRUT — Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has reverted to an old political trick by saying he will resign and not run for re-election when the next presidential elections are held in early 2010 – and then immediately arranging a series of staged “rallies” in which ordinary people appear to cheer him and demand that he remain in office. The spectacle is as disheartening as it is old and empty, and it is an insult to the dignity and needs of the Palestinian people.

Three separate issues converge here: the person of Abbas and his own achievements, the nature and quality of Palestinian leadership, and the current priorities of the Palestinian people. On all three counts, Abbas should cut short his silly little melodrama, resign as he said he would, and pave the way for a needed revival of effective Palestinian national leadership.

At the personal level, Abbas is widely respected as a sincere man who has devoted his entire life to the Palestinian cause. But this is not a popularity contest, a character test, or one man’s emotional counseling session; this is about the fate of an entire people whose lives are in distress. Abbas worked closely with Yasser Arafat for four decades and has little to show for it. The most useful thing he could do now is to take advantage of his many years of experience by withdrawing from politics as planned, retreating to a quiet university in Palestine, and painstakingly writing down and analyzing every single major episode in which the Palestinians attempted to negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel, but always failed.

This is important because Palestinians face a crisis of leadership. The unified national Palestinian leadership that came into its own under Arafat in the late 1960s under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) succeeded in important ways. It asserted Palestinian independent action and minimized Arab interference, brought many different ideological groups under the single PLO umbrella, and it forged a realistic national program that sought to create a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.

All three of those assets that Arafat and his colleagues like Abbas generated have frayed or been abandoned completely. The epic, tragic high note of Abbas’ incompetence and failure as a leader at both the personal and policy levels was his move last month to bow to American and Israeli pressure and delay the UN’s consideration of the Goldstone Report on the Gaza war atrocities. He reversed course quickly, but only after revealing his monumental incompetence to engage with instruments of international law, legitimacy, and accountability, and his insensitivity to the plight of his own people who thirsted for precisely such an impartial call to end the savagery and impunity of Israeli arms.

A new Palestinian leadership needs to be elected in order to regain legitimacy that has been steadily squandered in recent years by Abbas and, before him, Arafat in his waning years. This highlights the third issue at stake, and the single most important national priority for the Palestinian people today: to reconstitute a credible national leadership whose first task always has been and remains to speak for all Palestinians in a single voice, in pursuit of realistic political goals.

At one of his orchestrated “rallies” a few days ago, Abbas said the Palestinians remained strong because of their steadfastness and the justice of their cause. Those are admirable qualities, but they are far from sufficient to achieve Palestinian national rights and statehood, and end their refugeehood. A new Palestinian leadership is required to revive the ability to speak in a single voice for all Palestinians, based on mechanisms that allow all Palestinians — especially the refugee camp dwellers in Arab states — to contribute to the formulation of national policies.

Abbas only accentuates his own weaknesses and the dysfunctionalities of the Palestinian national institutions he heads when he engages in silly charades like his current tour of Palestinian towns and villages where the multitudes demand that he remain in power. He demeans himself and his people by reverting to such transparent shallowness and emptiness. The last thing the Palestinians need now is to be reminded that they are on track to become yet another Arab security state with a leader for life who basks in hero worship and personality cults and faces no serious forms of accountability.

He would do much better to go to Burj el-Barajneh, Yarmouk or Jabal Hussein refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan to consult with his fellow refugees, and forge a consensus policy on making peace with Israel, or resisting its occupation and colonization policies if peace is not a possibility today. The Palestinians need honesty, humility, consensus-building and clarity from their leaders, and Abbas gives them none of these.

Rami G. Khouri is Editor-at-large of The Daily Star, and Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, in Beirut, Lebanon.

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November 12, 2009 at 3:49 pm (Assassinations, Associate Post, History, Israel, Palestine)

by Khalid Amayreh

In his lifetime, Yasser Arafat, the late Palestinian leader, was always a controversial figure. To his supporters, he was almost a god-like character who saved the Palestinian national cause from what could have been a definitive demise. It was probably thanks to Arafat (and the resilient steadfastness of our people) that the Palestinians have survived as a people in spite of history, a history that has always been and continues to be unkind to us.