Why I support Palestine?

Written by Fachrian Adi (Alumnus of NTU Singapore, Senior Software Engineer of Motorola Solution, Owner Ai&I Kitchen, Alumnus of FIM)

I always see myself a reasonable man who love/hate something for a cause (probably that’s why I was destined to be an engineer). And since lately I posted a lot of things related to the latest event happening in the Gaza strip, I was thinking probably some people thought I was just carried away by the media hype surrounding the incident. Nop, that’s not it, this sentiment against Israel aggression will not simply vanished within days. I don’t want to be put in the same league with those people who claim they care but doesn’t even know the reason why they should care.. just for the sake of going with the crowd.

So why is it? because most of the people over there share the same belief as me? believe me when I say that’s only a supporting cause, not the main reason that drove me to actively shout anti-zionist slogans whenever or wherever I had the chance. I have no doubt on saying Jews all over the world have the “right to exist” without the need to worry for other “pogrom” nor “holocaust” which taken place in countries across Europe for many many centuries. But to selfishly establish a state by kicking out some existing inhabitant and turned the life of the rest who stayed to shit.. was never a good selling point. Oppression.. that’s the word we’re talking about.

I hate all kind of oppression, and definitely hate of being oppressed. In my country Indonesia you’ll find lots of oppression stories toward specific ethnic group or to certain provinces. Most of these cases happened under the Soeharto’s presidency. He’s one big problem for Indonesia. I never hide the fact I hate the guy so much, it drives me mad just to think of how Indonesia could’ve been so much better today without him. Even after his dead, his inherited bureaucracy full of corruption practice holding the country back for many years to come. His military regime has successfully formulate hate among people in certain area which eventually bursted into some separatist movements. I’ve never told everyone how I support those provinces like East Timor/Aceh/Papua if they decided to separate from Indonesia. I won’t call them traitor, they deserve to live a better life in their own motherland, like we all do.

Lets go back to the main topic, Palestine. Not like many people believe, I don’t think sentiment between 2 religions was the root cause of the conflict. Jews would still try to take over Palestine as their “national home” regardless who have already inhabited the place. And I would still curse those who got the Palestine refugees expelled from their homeland and cannot return until this day regardless who they might be. By using the magic words “right to exist”, the oppressed has now become the oppressor. I had the chance to see with my own eyes the illegal settlements in West Bank, the heavy patrols and checkpoints around the place, and the high concrete walls limiting the movement of Palestinian.

In the case of Gaza, it is clearly a showcase of disproportionate power between two extremes, one with probably one of the most advance warfare technology in the world, another with old kalashnikovs and mortars. Hamas action to fired rockets to cities around Gaza strip may not seem to be justified for some, but what do you expect from people whose life you made like shit for 60 years? knock your door and give birthday cakes? And what with the restriction for international journalists not to enter the area?! people all around the world have the right to know about the truth. I’m more interested to see the picture of buildings blown to dust with lots of laying corps with missing body parts in Gaza rather than a hole in somebody’s apartment in Sderot. Probably the move was intended to win media favor, which fails miserably, except for CNN who always back its republican president no matter what happen. “Right or wrong is my country”, that’s the correct term to describe.

I admit during my 2.5 years work I’ve interacted and made good friends with a few Israelis, something I didn’t even think possible previously. It happened they’re ones of the best engineers I know who share the same some of my ideals. We talked a lot of personal things including families, share jokes, help each other task, even exchange info about religious practice, but never gone to talk about the conflict as we know. We were standing on two different sides.

I still rejecting Israel with the current Palestinian condition. In my opinion, Israel may exist, but should agreeing more on Palestinian demands in whatever peace agreement happen in the future in conformation to Balfour declaration written around 90 years ago:

“it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine” 

Too bad I don’t see that this will be the case. Well. I’ll just continue to be a grumpy old man than, it may take forever but I don’t care, Palestine is worth to be supported.