Thank you Vanessa and Ibrahim for writing this detailed piece, it gives a great outline of what has been happening.
I've been watching various resistance fighters videos and for some reason they seem much more capable at what they do and how they work together than most Western armies ( including Israel in there). The way the Houthi's captured that ship was like watching poetry in motion. Though admittedly I would prefer no one was having to fight at all.
Did you see Richard Medhurst's interview with Hamas health minister?
That blog of Ibrahim Wahdi's was dated in 2022. Is there nothing more current?
I'm also a kid of an expat, born in Syria and raised in Lebanon and Iran so know a fair amount of the history and political dynamics. Syria has a special place in my heart but we were kicked out with other Americans in 1956 when I was barely out of diapers--momentarily though my parents chose to stay in Beirut when invited back--due to (I think) to the CIA/Mossad false flag bombings that attempted to convince Syrian Jews to move to Palestine so the Zionist project could demand more land there. I remember when Bush Jr. left the White House an Israeli official stated that "Syria is next" (referring to the destruction of Iraq) so I wasn't surprised by the US pushed for civil war in Syria and their failed attempt to oust Assad. But I have been pretty confused since what is really going on, on the ground. I don't believe anything the US or Israeli press has to say, having grown up in the M.E. and being extremely familiar with the propaganda of many participants. And the Syria refugees/immigrants I have met locally in the US have been uber pro-Hillary Clinton (and very against Assad and very upper-middle to upper class Syrians); I see parallels with the same political class in Iran pre-Revolution). Could you point me to a trustworthy thumbnail sketch of what has actually been going on internally in Syria since then? I believe nothing that comes out of the State Dept. I know who they really are, if you catch my drift.
Also it would be super helpful for many, I think, who are not familiar with Israeli history or even the history of colonialism in the Middle East to see a map of exactly what is occupied territory (or territory stolen through aggression) that the Israelis claim to be part of Israel since 1947. Especially the kibbutz system. I am confused about when this land was acquired and when the kibbutz farms were developed and how did they acquire that land? I am assuming it was stolen but do not know if it was pre- or post-1967. I know American (ashkenazi) Jews who volunteered on kibbutz farms in high school and college in the 60's and 70's. I do not understand how any Israeli (or American who knows anything about the region) can say the Kibbutzim are "innocent". If you are living on land you know damned well was stolen through terrorism, how are you innocent??? I would extend that to any Israeli citizen, but there you are.
Would love an explication of the various parts of Palestine that Israelis currently claim they own that was acquired through terror. Love your writing. Honestly, I think expat kids are a great population to move the conversation forward. Okay, so a lot of us do not identify with the West. But we (kind of) understand the Western cultures. Me, not so much when it comes to the MIddle East. But this youngest generation does give me hope. I never I'd live to see such a sea change of attitudes in the US.
Thank you Vanessa and Ibrahim for writing this detailed piece, it gives a great outline of what has been happening.
I've been watching various resistance fighters videos and for some reason they seem much more capable at what they do and how they work together than most Western armies ( including Israel in there). The way the Houthi's captured that ship was like watching poetry in motion. Though admittedly I would prefer no one was having to fight at all.
Did you see Richard Medhurst's interview with Hamas health minister?
As always another great piece of work.
That blog of Ibrahim Wahdi's was dated in 2022. Is there nothing more current?
I'm also a kid of an expat, born in Syria and raised in Lebanon and Iran so know a fair amount of the history and political dynamics. Syria has a special place in my heart but we were kicked out with other Americans in 1956 when I was barely out of diapers--momentarily though my parents chose to stay in Beirut when invited back--due to (I think) to the CIA/Mossad false flag bombings that attempted to convince Syrian Jews to move to Palestine so the Zionist project could demand more land there. I remember when Bush Jr. left the White House an Israeli official stated that "Syria is next" (referring to the destruction of Iraq) so I wasn't surprised by the US pushed for civil war in Syria and their failed attempt to oust Assad. But I have been pretty confused since what is really going on, on the ground. I don't believe anything the US or Israeli press has to say, having grown up in the M.E. and being extremely familiar with the propaganda of many participants. And the Syria refugees/immigrants I have met locally in the US have been uber pro-Hillary Clinton (and very against Assad and very upper-middle to upper class Syrians); I see parallels with the same political class in Iran pre-Revolution). Could you point me to a trustworthy thumbnail sketch of what has actually been going on internally in Syria since then? I believe nothing that comes out of the State Dept. I know who they really are, if you catch my drift.
Also it would be super helpful for many, I think, who are not familiar with Israeli history or even the history of colonialism in the Middle East to see a map of exactly what is occupied territory (or territory stolen through aggression) that the Israelis claim to be part of Israel since 1947. Especially the kibbutz system. I am confused about when this land was acquired and when the kibbutz farms were developed and how did they acquire that land? I am assuming it was stolen but do not know if it was pre- or post-1967. I know American (ashkenazi) Jews who volunteered on kibbutz farms in high school and college in the 60's and 70's. I do not understand how any Israeli (or American who knows anything about the region) can say the Kibbutzim are "innocent". If you are living on land you know damned well was stolen through terrorism, how are you innocent??? I would extend that to any Israeli citizen, but there you are.
Would love an explication of the various parts of Palestine that Israelis currently claim they own that was acquired through terror. Love your writing. Honestly, I think expat kids are a great population to move the conversation forward. Okay, so a lot of us do not identify with the West. But we (kind of) understand the Western cultures. Me, not so much when it comes to the MIddle East. But this youngest generation does give me hope. I never I'd live to see such a sea change of attitudes in the US.