Class

This class was very interesting. It looked at multiple spheres of a common issue of today. i enjoyed the visuals we were allowed to see in class to be able to grasp a different look, a more clear view, of what occurred in history in this area. This historical aspect helped me immensily in understanding what and why what is occurring today is happening. I did not really enjoy the blogs because i felt it to be tedious but otherwise i found everything enjoyable. i liked submitting my work through blackboard and i enjoyed the geography quizes. It was a great semester and i felt like i learned a lot in the short class meetings.

some of the major issues that Palestinians face

Some issues Palestinians face today is as follows:
• They do not have their own country, hence no passports and traveling is extremely difficult
• Many of the more than 40,000 pregnant women in Gaza are unable to leave their homes for medical treatment because of the Israeli onslaught and hospitals swamped with the thousands of injured
• Israel has been occupying the West Bank and Gaza Strip since the 1967 War, ignoring the Fourth Geneva Conventions and over eighty United Nations General Assembly Resolutions.
• The Israeli military controls the movement of the nearly four million Palestinians through a system of checkpoints, roadblocks, and segregated roads
• The Israeli Army exercises virtually unchecked freedom to detain, threaten, arrest, imprison, torture, and even kill Palestinians, often without charge or trial.
• The Israeli government sponsors the transfer of Jewish Israeli citizens from Israel to Israeli colonies in the Palestinian Territories known as settlements
• Security Fence that is currently under construction by Israel in the name of preventing terrorism in fact weaves through, not around, the West Bank, with the primary effect of separating hundreds of thousands of West Bank Palestinians from their land and from each other.
• Denied legal citizenship anywhere, Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories are nonetheless required to pay taxes to Israel, which has an annual GDP over fifty times that of the Palestinian Territories, and an average annual income of more than US$20,500 compared with $750 in the West Bank and $550 in Gaza.

the origins of the Arab-Israeli

We live in 2009 and yet we still think its right to exterminate people for economic and political means. It has always been about the power, no matter what happens, how many lives it costs, it is about Power. Human life is the most sacred thing we have and yet we sit and watch it be destroyed to achieve political and social means. Listed in chronological order are the events that took place that make up the origins of this problem.
1881 assassination of Tsar Alexander II followed by the persecution of Russian Jews
1894-5 Alfred Dreyfus falsely charged with espionages
1896 publication of The Jewish State by Theodore Herzel
1897 first international congress of Zionists
1915-16 Sykes Picot Agreement
1917 Balfour Declaration- Arab Revolt
1930 White Paper seeks British disengagement from the Jewish National Home aspects of the Balfour Declaration and the Palestine Mandate
1939-42 Cooperation between British forces and Jews in Palestine
1945 President Truman supports the demand for a large number of immigrants to Palestine
1946 Truman endorses partition of Palestine and creation of a Jewish state
1948 Irgun led by Meacham begin massacre villagers at Deir Yassin, Palestinian civilians flee en masse fearing a similar fate
Ben-Gurion declares the State of Israel
Termination of the British Mandate
Arab armies enter areas assigned to the Palestinian state under the partition placed to support Palestinian resistance
Fighting between Israel and Egypt after Bernadottes assassination
Moshe Dayan drives all Palestinian civilians from lydda and Pamleh by force
UN resolution 194 states that Palestinian refugees wishing to return to their homes should be permitted to do so and that compensation fro loss or damage to property should be paid
1950 beginning of immigration to Israel of Jews from Arab countries
1967 Six day war United Nations Security Council resolution 242 issued
And since then it has been about fighting, combing air raids occupations, dead civilians endless fighting an d

1948 saw the end of the Palestinian state and the beginning of years of constant struggle. We were fortunate enough to invite the two top peace negotiators for Palestine and Israel to discuss the potential of peace in the Palestinian- Israeli conflict to our college. Dr. Saeb Erakat and Avi Gin talked briefly about this extensive issue concerning today’s media and the issue that was established in 1948. It was an amazing speech, which the entire audience enjoyed, especially because one could feel the sincerity and how hopeful these two men are for searching for peace. They stated that there are terms that need to agree upon from both sides about the division at the 67 lines in which both a state of Palestine and a state of Israel would be established and these lines would create the respected borders. They are doing what they can but they still have an optimistic view on the world. It was an incredible speech that gave us great insight on what they are doing to achieve peace. The 67 borders seem to be the best way to achieve peace, which is needed in that region.

Gate of the Sun

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is at the forefront of today’s politics, especially at the moment with the War on Gaza that occurred this past December. Since the state of Israel was conceived in 1948, conflict has been engulfing that region. Through media, literature, news, first-hand accounts, we, the outsiders, are able to see how multi-dimensional, extensive, and immense this situation is.

The plot revolves around the stories that Khalil, the narrator, tells his ‘father’, Yunes, who is hiding in a hospital, but in a coma due to an Israeli attack. These stories, reiterated by Khalil, speak of dreams, hopes, love, and the current reality of Palestine. Moreover, vital historical events that where occurring in Palestine are articulated while also acknowledging what was happening in the refugee camps in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and other locales where Palestinians were dispersed. Furthermore, the Lebanese civil war is an influential event, which has an epic toll on the characters of the novel, is covered in the story as well as the massacres that occurred 1982 at the Shatila and Sabra camps. The significance of this novel is that it not only explains what is occurring to the people of Palestine in Palestine but what was happening to those dispersed in refugee camps.

Elias Khoury spent his time in Palestinian refugee camps interviewing Palestinians to take down first-hand accounts of what occurred in 1948 and throughout. He used the 1948 memories from others because he himself was too young to remember those events first handedly. The accounts obtained he used as the stories that Khalil tells his father. The Gate of the Sun is a conglomerate of the multiple stories obtained from these refugees- grandparents, children, mothers, and lovers all alike each have a tale to tell about the same event just seen through different eyes, hence a different story is obtained. Thus, the mood of the book jumps as different stories are being told, from joyful events to horrific ones. This story also comments how Palestine is more than a struggle of land; it is a struggle of dispersed people to unite, a struggle for young and old to keep their memories alive and their identity, of what was once a unified nation in order to keep the hopes of a bright united future, a state of Palestine.

Palestine is an example of how we are blind sighted because we are ignorant to what is really going on; the obvious oppression we embrace because of political and ideological motivations connected to the other side, the oppressors.

The man who changed the world

In class we saw a set of videos describing what was occurring in Iran in the late 70s. This time is crucial in understanding because during this time things occurred that would ill relations between the US and Iran to today. The documentaries were extremely interesting in that we learn the history and the politics and speak to the important people involved. Visuals I find are extremely important in order to really understand what occurred. In these videos we hear from other Iranian religious figures commenting on Khomeini, the man who changed the world; how the students overtook the embassy; U.S. politicians specifically Carter. We these first hand accounts we can understand the atmosphere surrounding that time, in Iran and the U.S and see the reaction on events such as the when the Shah was accepted into the US and when the students overtook the embassy. With these videos we see the steps in which Khomeini came into power and how the Revolution of 1979 occurred.

Current News

News for the Middle East reported by Al Jazeera
Two bodies where uncovered from a tunnel that went from Gaza to Egypt. These tunnels have become a political issue, in which Israel uses to defend their ongoing bombing on Gaza to this day. The two bodies where victims of an Israeli Air raid that are being defending because these tunnels are considered the ways in which Palestinians in Gaza are obtaining arms. Although this gives Israel a motive to continue what they are doing one must also try to see what is really going on. These tunnels are targeted by the media as ways to obtain arms, however, if one truly uncovers the current situation these tunnels are one of the few ways that the inhabitants of Gaza are obtaining materials needed to survive, like medicine, foods, rubber for tires, diapers etc. Because of the blockade and Israelis checkpoints and the security wall, Palestinians lack basic things of living. Hence these tunnels were created to smuggle these items into the country however, it is only seen as methods for obtain arms. Maybe if they opened the border between Gaza and Egypt, arms smuggles would be more secured, and civilians would have items they need to survive and Palestinians would not be dying in these unsecure tunnels.

Touba

The plot revolves around Touba, the young heroine, and what she must do at a young age after her intellectual father dies when she is twelve years old. She subsequently, decides to marry in order to be financial secure. However, her first marriage does not go well and she gets a divorce; however, she finds a new husband who has ties with the fallen Qajar dynasty. Even this marriage does not conclude well but throughout it she is introduced to the very influential court system and bears children with the ex-prince. As historical as this novel is it has been banned from Iran and has forced Parsipur into exile.
The significance of this novel is to understand a, although non-fiction, point-of-view of what was occurring in Iran during those 80 years: the struggle within a patriarchal religious culture; with feminist empowerment at hand; and the complexity invoked to embark on a journey to learn the meaning of life while finding social repression. Furthermore, the significance of the presence of outside influences, specifically here, Russia and Britain, in Iran, and the changes created within government, politics, and society. In summation, the twentieth century embraced a path where the status of women changed due to the impact of colonialism and the rule of Reza Shah and Mossadeq and the occurrence of the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

In summation, the purpose of book is to intertwine Iranian history while telling it through a story, which makes it more comprehendible and personal while contributing to modern feminist literature.

Talking Peace

We were fortunate enough to invite the two top peace negotiators for Palestine and Israel to discuss the potential of peace in the Palestinian- Israeli conflict. The event was enabled by one of our students, Ali Erakat, in which, he invited his father Dr. Saeb Erakat and Avi Gin to talk briefly at Manhattanville about this huge issue concerning today’s media but has been apparent since 1948. It was an amazing speech, which the entire audience enjoyed; especially because one could feel the sincerity and how hopeful these two men are for searching for peace. They stated that there are terms that need to agreed upon from both sides about the division at the 67 line in which both a state of Palestine and a state of Israel would be established and these lines would create the respected borders. The reason why i enjoyed the speech so much was because of the speakers and their bold characters and the manner in which they spoke. One can tell that they are incredible humans with peace at their hearts. One of the comments Dr. Saeb Erakat said led me to tears and the humor they both encompassed on such a serious issue was heart lifting; that they are doing what they can but they still have a optimistic view on the world. It was an incredible speech that gave us great insight on what they are doing to achieve peace. After the speech we were able to have a relaxing dinner with them and I was lucky enough to sit at the table and listen to them speak on other issues.
Overall, a great event, really one in a lifetime and I thank the school and President Berman for enabling us to have opportunities such as these.

The bastard of istanbul

Martina Colaizzi
Professor Metcalf
Analysis of: The Bastard of Istanbul
March 18, 2009


With the evolution of time comes the evolution of culture. This evolution can encompass either a mass deterioration or a sudden resurgence. The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak takes the history of Turkey and manipulates it into a modern story of family ties, history, and secrets. With this book the reader grasps an understanding of the presence the past has in the present. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the argument the author is making that the present as modern and ever evolving it is always has ties to the past, thus we must acknowledge and accept what happened in the past and evolve from it.
What connection can we make with the past and the present? For what reasons is the past the past and the present the present and how do we establish these differences? The Bastard of Istanbul argues that the past and present are not different studies but are intertwined no matter how different the present time may seem. Thus, it is important and necessary to understand our past in order to fully comprehend it and go about the future ever evolving and avoiding the mistakes.
The revelation at the end that the Turkish step father, Mustafa, raped his sister, Zehila, and had a bastard child, the young girl who is met by Mustafa’s American step-daughter, the same age, makes the point on how the past does not die. The underlying argument of the author is that even years after the evidence remains of the past, in this specific case in Turkey of a horrific event that occurred on the eve of the First World War, the Armenian genocide. Moreover, it also shows that the past is able to link different cultures with the book connection with the two families, one in Turkey and the other in the United States.
On the eve of the First World War, the Ottoman Empire, the last greatest empire standing was deteriorating due to economic, social and political issues. The twentieth century became one that was deficient in unity that had keep the Empire in existence, with religion being the top unifying force, and saw a resurgence of nationalism due to cultural ties. Hence, religion had no more been the unifying force and the Armenians in Turkey, who where the Christian sect of the Ottoman Empire, became the scapegoats of the failure of the Ottoman Empire. As the conducted reports state, the Armenians were a threat to the Empires security, and sadly over one million Armenians between 1914 and 1918 were slaughtered by acts called “relocations” or better known as deportations and massacres, which used Russian style execution tactics, rape, displacement, and separating those who were strong enough to suppress the weak, specifically by putting the strong men into the passive segment of the army. As if the First World War was not requiring the Ottomans to put in all their time and resources, they were able to utilize a section of their empire, Muslim-Turkey, and have them massacre a small group of Christian people that were always in the picture, but were seen as promoting factor of stripe in the empire. Hence, a significant point that is presented here by Elif Shafak is the noteworthy impact Turkey’s denial of what occurred in 1915 has had, although today termed as genocide by many scholars and governments, and how the future is willing to accept these mistakes again because of the impact this denial has created. Sadly, we subsequently see this occurring during the Second World War when Hitler-Germany exterminated the majority of the Jewish community, because they were also seen as the causes to Germany’s strife.
Hence, although it is a book written in a satirical matter, based on what is occurring within the families and its four major characters and their clash between modern culture and traditional culture, the argument is presented of what we are willing to accept from our past. In the novel we find four profound characters, one daughter being a Muslim mystic, another a high school teacher, another a schizophrenic and the youngest, who is the central figure of the book, being that it is her daughter that is the “bastard of Istanbul”, who owns a tattoo shop. By telling the stories of each character the author is actually using them to comment on the importance of how the past does not die with time or relocation but rather it is always present. Therefore, one can boldly state that the Armenian genocide was still alive after all those years due to Mustafa’s crime against his youngest sister, Zehila.
Reading The Bastard of Istanbul, allows the reader to understand the significance of the past of the present in a satirical manner. It is extremely important that we understand what occurred in the past to aware ourselves of what may come in our future. The books comments on how Turkey, as young as a nation it is, is struggling with its traditions that was conceived by the Ottoman Empire, and its role in today. One can use the example of the anxiety the European Union had when the question of adding Turkey to the EU came about. In conclusion, the purpose of Elif Shafak’s novel, The Bastard of Istanbul, is to acknowledge to the reader that the identity of a nation is based on its past. With the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey was flooded with nationalism, revolutions, wars, and invasions all to suffice the ethnic struggle it was in on the eve of the First World War. We are educated in history due to the importance it can have on the future, in means of avoiding mistakes that have occurred. Although we see history repeating itself, with wars and specifically today with the economic crisis we are in, which resembles that of the 1919 stock market crash, the past is important to comprehend because it does not die but vividly lives in the present.






















Bibliography:

1. Adams, L. "'The Bastard of Istanbul': Turks, Armenians and a troubled past." International Herald Tribune , Jan 19 2007.

2. Shafak,Elif. The Bastard of Istanbul. New York New York: Viking Penguin, 2007.

The facts I collected over winter break as I was following the war in Gaza.

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, said he was "outraged" by the attack on the UN compound and demanded an explanation as he met Israeli officials in Tel Aviv

Israel has been occupying the West Bank and Gaza Strip since the 1967 War, ignoring the Fourth Geneva Conventions and over eighty United Nations General Assembly Resolutions.

The Israeli military controls the movement of the nearly four million Palestinians through a system of checkpoints, roadblocks, and segregated roads.

The Israeli Army exercises virtually unchecked freedom to detain, threaten, arrest, inprison, torture, and even kill Palestinians, often without charge or trial.

The Israeli government sponsors the transfer of Jewish Israeli citizens from Israel to Israeli colonies in the Palestinian Territories known a-settlements.

Israeli settlers suffer no legal consequences for building new settlements or expanding existing ones on internationally recognized Palestinian land, or for threatening or physically attacking Palestinians.

The "Security Fence" that is currently under construction by Israel in the name of preventing terrorism in fact weaves through, not around, the West Bank, with the primary effect of separating hundreds of thousands of West Bank Palestinians from their land and from each other.


Speaking from Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, said Israel should be barred from the United Nations while it continues to ignore UN demands to end the fighting in Gaza.

"How is such a country, which totally ignores and does not implement resolutions of the UN Security Council, allowed to enter through the gates of the UN?" he said.

"The UN building in Gaza was hit while the UN secretary general was in Israel... this is an open challenge to the world, teasing the world," he said.]

[friday jan 16]
Many of the more than 40,000 pregnant women in Gaza are unable to leave their homes for medical treatment because of the Israeli onslaught and hospitals swamped with the thousands of injured.

Every year, billions of American tax-dollars are funneled to the Israeli military, which uses most of the money to purchase American-madeweapons.


Fact compiled from Al Jazeera News

http://www.btselem.org/eng

lish/Gaza_Strip
http://electronicintifada.

net/v2/article4933.shtml
http://www.mepeace.org/for

um/topics/the-true-story-b

ehind-this-war
http://www.unitedforpeace.

org/downloads/If%20Gaza%20

falls.pdf
http://electronicintifada.

net/v2/article10055.shtml

Israeli Ambassador At Manhattanville.

In late February, the Israel Ambassador to the United Nations came to Manhattanville. The campus was filled with secret service and police force; why what did they think was going to happen, we always had ambassadors come to school, why this be any different, maybe because of the reaction to what occurred this past late December and early January. During this time more than 1000 Palestinians, mostly women and children living in the Gaza strip were killed all in order to accomplish the political goals of the existing israeli government to eliminate Hamas. 

After reading accounts from Al Jazeera and CNN I though i had sufficient background information to ask a question to this ambassador. Except like all the other questions it was only half answered. He stated how he believe we are dealing with moderates and extremist on the the arab side and that its the extremist that lead the Israeli continue with their asults, Thus i asked if he believes it a struggle almost arabs that are moderate and extremist what would he consider Israels tactics on Gaza, extreme or moderate, for example the accounts of the use of white phosphorus and the shelling of a united Nations school. Sadly i did not receive an answer but rather a reaction that completely did not acknowledge the comment on white phosphorus and denied the United Nations school incident. 

Reflection on Imperial Harem

Women have always played an integral part in history, known or behind the scenes. Today, we can easily recall woman such as Cleopatra and Susan B. Anthony who have exercised power to promote their goals. Leslie Pierces’ Imperial Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire, enlightens its reader on the important significant role women played in the long reign of the Ottoman Empire. During the 16th and 17th centuries, literature was concocted describing the era of the harem. This book in its beginning pages denounces the myths following the term harem. Pierce makes it a point in each page to denounce the Western view of a harem as a place where sexual activities occurred by expressing its important in the role of family and politics. The harem was important because it was an imperial harem, where ultimately the line of succession was created. During this time, women had power; they influenced political structures, the decisions of the reigning sultans, created public projects, training their sons to use sovereign power successfully, and ultimately decided the line of succession.

the Development of Islamic Civilization

[taken from readings and class lectures]

Conceived as a small religion within a community of believers, Islam quickly became of the worlds second largest religion. The basic core of the religion is to believe that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of God. Formulated as a minor group of faith in Arabia in the seventh century, Islam became one of the fastest growing religions in the world. By the tenth century, Islam became a religion adopted by almost all Middle Eastern, North- African, and European people.

In the late sixth century, tribes ruled the land known as Arabia. These nomadic tribes sporadically spread across the land where they were in constant contact and struggle with powerful groups such as the Persians, Ethiopians, and Byzantines. During this time, the land known as Mecca, today located in Saudi Arabia, was ruled by a tribe called Quraysh, which in 570 AD was the tribe Prophet Muhammad was born into.

During the 23 years that the prophecies were given by Angel Gabriel, Prophet Muhammad was a warrior, engaging in battle constantly while establishing and facilitating the spread of Islam.

First off and very importantly, it is a monotheistic religion that states that its followers shall believe in one God, that is Allah, and the Prophet Muhammad is his messenger; this line is also called the Shadah which is to “bear witness”, and once this line is spoken, one is able to convert themselves to Islam. One who follows Islam is called a Muslim and these people regard the Qur’an as the final word of God to all of humanity sent down to Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. It is seen as the successor to the completion of scriptures sent to Prophets Moses, Jesus and others. Muslims view the Qur’an as the only uncorrupted word of God because earlier revelations have not survived in their original rendering. Moreover, it is important to Muslims because it is their main reference to spiritual matters, states the requirements of day to day living, and functions as a manual of prayer, a guidebook for moral living, a text of linguistics, a source of literary and historical significance that encourages scientific inquiry. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge the Five Pillars of Islam. These are vital duties for a good adherent Muslim to perform. They include Prayer, which is required five times a day at specific times; Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan from dawn to sunset; Pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca at least once; the Shadah or declaration of faith, and charity, which requires 2.5% to be given of ones net wealth. These duties and the importance of the Qur’an, could be seen as potentially significant players in the role of the spread and conversion to Islam.

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict- Class movie

The recent events of the new year ignited a fire that was always kindling since 1946. With more than 1000 Palestinians dead in less then 30 days, in order to pursue Israel’s termination of Hamas, the world has been shaken. It was interesting to watch the movie presented in class because it reported on these ongoing events occurring before the massacre in Gaza. Focusing on how the media is able to manipulate the system was very interesting and also upsetting. To realize that we are fed biased news to support the political, social and economic ties we have on one side is truly terrible. The media should be a way for all to receive the factual news. We live in 2009 with the most advanced technology yet we are still being fed lies. Listening to those interviewed truly gives one hope that there are people determined to learn the truth and teach it to others. It is distressing that people have a view of an issue because they are only shown one side and even more, what is worse is that the media picks and chooses the words and feeds it to us. Due to research, academic courses, and news feeds like BBC, I was able to learn the truth of what was actually occurring: how the occupation is illegal how, civilians are being treated inhumanly and deprived of basic needs, how they are suppressed and lack a country and citizenship and the right to vote; basic freedoms we the united states promote with everything action we take. Under international law the state of Israel is illegal since its conception. Moreover, other resolutions like United Nations Resolution 242, which states all land taken from the Six Day War be returned was never implemented. How can we watch and accept this oppression. With the massacre in Gaza I saw one good outcome: how the international community became aware and came together to support, demonstrate, educate about this cause. The Palestinians have been suffering for over 40 years; they are virtually homeless; and yet it took an event like this which left thousands dead, families torn, children mentally disturbed to have an international outcry of what has been going on these past 40 years.

greeting

My name is Martina. I am a Political Science Major and an African Studies Minor. I am a junior here at Manhattanville; i took a semester off to take political science classes at New York University last spring semester. I have a deep interest in the Middle East especially with its role in politics today. I was able to travel to Egypt this past summer where i stayed for 5 weeks learning Arabic and about Islam. I enjoy learning languages. I speak english, italian and spanish fluently, intermediate arabic and introductory japanese. I look foward to learning more about the Middle East.