The presumption that Jews and Muslims, Israelis and Palestinians (Christians & Muslims) will be won over by the most obnoxious remarks about the other have become the foundation for the bases populist appeal in some circles in Washington and Tehran, and beyond the “Holy Land.” It belittles an admittedly difficult search for political solutions and compromise into denial of history, belonging as well as history that might be perpetrated into justification for the dehumanization of the other. Holocaust & History Stand: Iran’s President Ahmadinejad has tried to minimize/dismiss the Holocaust because he believes the murder of millions of Jews has been employed to rationalize/justify Israel. The Holocaust stands as a historic fact regardless and efforts to alter its historic picture do not serve the interests of Iran or the Palestinians. An Insult to Jews as Well: Newt Gingrich made his statement on the US based “The Jewish Channel.” Pandering for votes it was, but it also was an insult to the Jewish people as well. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan (Jewish-American US Senator) said Gingrich's "divisive and destructive" remarks were simply an effort to attract attention to himself. "Gingrich is wrong to think his attempt to turn the Palestinians into a non-people with no claim to a state will appeal to his audience on the Jewish Channel." Senator Levin represents an understanding of how history can be misused as a weapon with the Jewish people over centuries as one of its great victims, including the rationalizations for the Holocaust. Arabs & “Injuns” Gingrich’s statement: “"Remember, there was no Palestine as a state. It was part of the Ottoman Empire. And I think that we've had an invented Palestinian people, who are in fact Arabs, who are historically part of the Arab community." Gingrich’s statement also though seemed to deny the legitimacy of Israel on basis of historical context – as there was no Jewish state either since the Ottoman or Roman Empires until the creation of modern Israel in 1948. More to the point, Gingrich’s statement fails to recognize the uniqueness of various “Arab” states and their populations in terms of skin color, ethnic features, cultural and historic distinction and even religion, (Many Arabs are Christians and vary from Copts in Egypt who trace their roots to before the “Arab conquest” to Maronites (Catholic) in Lebanon. Defining all as simply as Arabs as at best as referring to Cherokees or Navajos as simply “Injuns” who can be flocked onto any reservation that may be convenient and/or exploitive. Dangerous Parallels in History that Gingrich the “History Teacher” Ignores to Risk of All: It reminds of the Trail of Tears by which Cherokees, many/all who had become Christian, adopted the habits/clothing of white Americans and had fought alongside the US Army against the Spanish and other Native Americans, nonetheless were kicked of their land including from Gingrich’s home state of Georgia. On a brutal march to another “Indian Territory,” many died from hunger, disease and mistreatment. For a history teacher, Gingrich should recognize the parallels and consequences of Middle East and American history when trying to invoke it as a campaign convenience. Rather than encourage the historic claims of one group over another, the Jewish and Palestinian people must be encouraged to respect each others place in the land that goes back millenniums. That is the actual rationale for Israel, and the Palestinians have no lesser. However, this is not about Israeli or Palestinian history. It is about how rights and history can be sacrificed to politics. That is the lesson of the Cherokee and the “Trail of Tears” under Andrew Jackson. It should not be the future vision of how Israeli’s and Palestinians resolve their claims and political differences under a Newt Gingrich presidency. (Read: -“Will This Man be America’s Next President-Newt Gingrich?”: - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/will-this-man-be-americas-next-president-newt-gingrich-by-ambassador-mo/42017 PHOTO – Can you tell me if these are Jewish, Arab or Palestinian children waiting for aid/food more than a half century earlier at Nazareth? By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey



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