| A Letter of Gratitude: First of all I would like to thank all layers, friends, and supporters who stood up for the unjust accusation of the Israeli embassy and tried to collect signatures from those who protest its statement in such short notice. I would also like to thank all those who signed the protest against this statement believing in the natural right of freedom of speech in a democratic society. Two months has passed since the Israeli embassy posted its protest statement against my lecture in Fujisawa elementary school. It has been looked into from the legal point of view by several layers and concluded that it has no legal standpoint, but most importantly, it has clearly obstructed the constitutional right of any Japanese citizen to express his/her opinion freely. The Israeli embassy's excuse was to say that the presentation was one sided showing only the suffering of the Palestinians, but isn't it a fact that they are? You even have increasing number of Israelis denouncing your government and in other cases refusing to go and fight your war to torture and kill unarmed people. What is so wrong in showing the Japanese children what children the same age in Palestine are going through because of your occupation and destruction? What is so wrong in seeing the kind of life they live, the poverty, misery, instability, and insecurity caused by your aggression? Today it has become evident to the world that all this is a fact, not a one sided opinion. However, probably what the Israeli embassy objected most is the fact that I am the daughter of Shigenobu Fusako a "terrorist on trial". Well, here again you made another mistake where you intended to mix between the individual that I am with that of my mother's. Here I take the chance to state the obvious once again; my mother and I are two different people with our own individual and free point of views. At the presentation I informed the students, who knew little about the region and its problems, the mapping and location of several Arab countries. Then we talked about the difference between the Arab culture and the Japanese culture from the way they write and the alphabet to the food they eat and the socio-economic status they live in. After there was a brief explanation, we moved to showing slides on the Palestinian life, from houses to laundry and bread making, and of course the controversial state of war that they live in. It was to show another difference between the Japanese children and the Palestinian children's lifestyle. The former is represented by its peaceful lifestyle and considerably well socio-economic status, while the other is represented with poverty and the constant threat of war, yet with the belief in the power of their will to survive and fight back aggression even with stones. It was this slide that the Israeli embassy objects most to; the picture that shows the Palestinian child -Fares Awde- throwing a stone at an Israeli tank. It is a picture that truly speaks for a thousand words, thus the picture that the Israeli government hates for it to be exposed most. The Israeli embassy's objection for the truth to be shown to the Japanese children is the same as its objection and pressure elsewhere in the Western Media. And yet again, it is the same kind of pressure that it exerts on the Palestinian freedom of speech and right to exist inside occupied Palestine. The Israeli attitude was yet another proof, this time to the Japanese people, that there is no such thing as right to express and to exist for Palestinians all over the world including Japan. This attack, however exaggerated my influence in my society. Nevertheless this will not mean that the truth could be weakened by such techniques. On the contrary, trying to shut me up is only making them look weak and giving me the will to speak up more. Informing the Japanese society about the true suffering of Palestine is the least I can do for people who taught me the brightness of hope in life when you think it is impossible to go on. And this is exactly what I wanted the children of Fujisawa to know; the importance of hopes and dreams in life. As policy makers of the next generation, I wanted them to carry the meaning and value of the peaceful life they have lived and to be able to spread it all over the world. To realize the difference between a life under aggression and constant threat of death and expulsion and a life under peace and stability (though not without flaws) is perhaps the best way they can grow up to appreciate peace and true justice, and isn't this what we truly want of them? If we are truly willing to move into a new stage, a stage of real and lasting peace, perhaps it is time for the Israeli government to listen to the other side, not just the Palestinians and the Arabs, but also the Israeli people who are expressing their criticism to its government's techniques in trying to bring about stability and security. If it is lasting stability that Israel wants, the solution is in fare and comprehensive peace for all sides. From a sincere supporter of peace and justice May Shigenobu 重 信 命 （OCR by Presto! OCR Pro 4.0） |
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