Salaam/Shalom

Reuters photo by Ali Jarekji

"Children hold black balloons in a rally to mark ‘Nakbeh’ outside the United Nations office in Amman on Wednesday. Palestinians mark ‘Nakbeh’, or catastrophe, as a day of mourning for the establishment of Israel in 1948 after which an Arab-Israeli war brought the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians." Jordan Times, Thursday, May 15

I didn't don a black and white checked keffiah (scarf) in commemoration of Nakbeh Day, as I noticed some youth in our neighborhood had done however I will link to this article by world famous conductor, Daniel Barenboim, brought to my attention by Oldest Daughter. Barenboim, a Russian Jew, was raised in Argentina and Israel and is the 'only Israeli in the world who can show Palestinian passport at an Israeli border crossing'. Together with intellectual and close friend, the late Edward Said, Barenboim began the West-Eastern Divan, an annual orchestral music workshop which brings together Israeli and Arab musicians in an effort to promote peace through understanding. (Oldest daughter at one time hoped to participate in this unique workshop/orchestra and even successfully auditioned for it, however, in the end she wasn't able to participate as she is neither Israeli or Arab. Some of her musician friends have enjoyed their participation in it over the years.)

Barenboim proposes a two-state solution. I share Barenboim's short-term pessimism, and I hope, long-term optimism. And, like Barenboim, and I am both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli. I don't think the two designations must be mutually exclusive.