Posted by Lilly from ? (160.129.27.22) on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 at 11:34AM :
Last night I had the privilege of attending an on-campus lecture/slide show given by Susan Greene (who is Jewish & progressive) on the Palestine Mural Project: "Break the Silence." She was wonderful! & she handled the aggressive questioning by a female ex-IDF soldier incredibly well in the question & answer session that followed. Also she said that she thinks that if the US goes to war w/ Iraq, the Israeli gov't will start a program of Palestinian transfer.
My thoughts: part of me wonders if this program of transfer will involve Israeli use of chemical weapons? The gov't is already telling Israeli citizens to buy gas masks "in case of Iraq attack." But, Israel most likely has chemical weapons itself, & since these weapons are being labeled as non-lethal (w/ the ugly implication that these weapons are "good" - are psychological problems induced by such weapons really any "good" for anyone? Just look at US Vietnam & Gulf War Vets who were exposed to these things...), they will most likely be used in the "humane" removal of Palestinians. Ugly, isn't it?
Another question that's been burning in my brain: why is it that the media focuses so much on war defined by World War II instead of war defined by the Vietnam War? Clearly, the weapons & tactics of today most likely will resemble those used in the Vietnam War, not those used in World War II. & we know how ugly the Vietnam War was for everyone involved...
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Susan Greene is an artist/activist and clinical
psychologist, with an extensive background in
community mural painting and social work.
As part of Break the Silence (BTS)*, she traveled
to the West Bank in August 2001 to create a
four-story mural with Palestinian youth and artists.
This was a joint community project between
Americans, American Jews, and Palestinians.
Designed and painted by young people and artists
from Dheisheh Refugee Camp, the mural depicts the
history of Palestine from before the formation of
the state of Israel, to the present period, and
ends with a depiction of hopes and dreams for a
better future.
The presentation addresses Palestinian daily life
under military occupation, its relationship to the
community mural project, history of the region,
and implications for art and activism.
*Break the Silence is an arts/activist group using
creative projects to facilitate social change and a
greater awareness of the complexities of the
conflict in Occupied Palestine. BTS began 12 years
ago when four Jewish American women artists traveled
to the West Bank city of Ramallah and worked on a
series of community mural projects with Palestinian
community members and artists.
For more information on Susan Greene, visit the
Global Exchange Web site at:
-- Lilly
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