It appears that there has recently been some controversy around the local End The Occupation group and supposed "hate propaganda."
I joined the group a couple of months ago, and the group's focus is certainly not to promote hate or anti-Semitism. As a matter of fact, our group includes Jews, Christians and Muslims and is open to people of all faiths.
Our goal is simply to work toward a just and equitable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, one that would create peace and security for both Israel and Palestine. We believe this would begin with an end to Israel's military occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, as specified by United Nations Resolution 242.
There can't be true peace in the Middle East until there is some sense of justice. Thus, part of our goal is to discuss and inform people of the living conditions of Palestinians, as they have been living under illegal military occupation for 36 years now. Many Americans are unaware of what is taking place in the Middle East. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not a balanced conflict; it's an issue of occupier vs. occupied.
Regarding Naperville Community Television's decision to delay airing Brayton Gray's "Life in the Occupied Territories" video, I don't think this was fair, as there is nothing anti-Semitic about it. If there was, viewers are smart enough to figure it out, but the video shows just what the title implies. Besides, we should be allowed to exercise our freedom of speech through public access television.
I believe that the U.S. government and mainstream media are very biased in favor of Israel. We hear about the suicide bombings by Palestinians, horrific though they may be, but seldom do we hear about the greater number of Palestinians who are killed by Israeli soldiers and armed settlers. Nor do the media remind people that most Palestinians have never participated in armed conflict and that Israel has the most powerful military in the Middle East while the Palestinians have no formal military.
We don't often hear about the curfews imposed on Palestinians, the lack of necessities like water, the home demolitions and other atrocities the Palestinians face at the hands of Israel. And it is the tax dollars of Americans that are used to support Israel's illegal actions.
Because mainstream media appear biased and indifferent to the suffering of innocent Palestinians, the End The Occupation group aims to expose the other side of the story. Our goal is not to engage in "hateful speech." Video footage that shows life under occupation is not propaganda. It's truth right before your eyes, and that seems to be what worries the pro-Israeli group and possibly creates a desire to censor us. But living so is a tragedy if we can't get a factual and balanced view on something so crucial.
Farhan Khalid
Bolingbrook
