Setting The Record Straight On Israel and Palestine

"It's all about religion.  They have always been and will always be at war with each other." --People Who Don't Know Better

It seems like every few months, the Israelis and Palestinians begin fighting again.  For one reason or another people are arrested, others get stabbed, walls are put up, and rocks are thrown.  News articles then quickly follow about the intractability of the current Palestinian-Israel conflict, usually focusing on how both sides are guilty of making things worse (often implying that shared guilt means equal guilt).  Or even worse, we see news stories pretending that Israel is completely justified in all of its actions against the Palestinians, or that Palestine is just the poor victim of completely unreasonable tactics (neither of these are completely true).  And then finally, we see the ever present (and extremely misguided) belief repeated again and again that the current Palestinian-Israel conflict is part of some eternal struggle between Jews and Muslims that always has (and always will) be waged.  It's time to set the record straight.

Israel and Palestine: Like a sad Ouroboros of pain and suffering

To even pretend that all Muslims and all Jews are part of monolithic groups destined to fight one another is extremely simplistic.  Individual Muslims and Jews have lived in peace in many places throughout the world.  In early Muslim societies, Jews (and Christians) were given special treatment as "People of the Book."  For over a thousand years, most Muslim-run places treated Jews relatively well (compared to other groups at least).  Now this wasn't exactly the best way to live, the People of the Book were still treated as second class citizens and were subject to a special tax (called the Jizya).  But this was much better than the treatment most other groups received after being conquered by other groups throughout history (think mass rape, slavery, and executions).  Of course, there were some instances of this too in early Muslim societies, but the same can be said for almost every society before the "Modern" era.

Good advice

It's no surprise that many groups have persecuted Jewish people before (and Muslims too for that matter).  But many are quick to forget that Christianity shares in the persecution of Jews throughout history.  The Christian Crusades, for instance, were particularly brutal towards Jewish populations in the Levant (modern day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan).  There is substantial evidence that Jews and Muslims even fought side by side to defend Jerusalem from the Crusaders!  The United States, prior to the revelation of the horrors of the Second World War, was not exactly known for its hospitality towards Jews either.  However, Americans are quick to forget our own anti-Antisemitism.  Rather than face the reality that nearly all competing religious groups (and nearly all other ideologies) have fought one another throughout history, we pretend that only the Jews and Muslims are guilty of not learning how to coexist.

So why are we seeing continual religious violence in the Levant (especially when so many other religious groups and places have learned to get along)?  Well what we are always seeing on TV in Israel and Palestine only become an issue about one hundred years ago.  Contrary to what many people want to believe, the conflict is only somewhat related to religion.  It's all mixed up in politics, territory, and broken promises.  Here is a (very brief) rundown of the beginnings of the conflict...

This is about the most neutral map I could find...

Late in the 1800s, places like Russia were (once again) persecuting Jewish populations (remember that at this time most Jews lived in Eastern Europe and only about 40,000 lived in the Middle East).  Some influential (and yes, fairly wealthy) Jewish individuals formed what become known as the World Zionist Organization.  This was basically like a lobbying group to the world community which advocated for Jewish people all over the world.  When the First World War broke out, the Ottoman Empire (which controlled the Levant) sided against the British and French (the side America eventually joined).  When the British and French defeated the Ottomans, they carved up the Levant and created a special territory specifically for Palestine.  With pressure from the World Zionist Organization, they designated Palestine as a future homeland for the Jewish people.  It should be noted that the many Arab and Muslim leaders agreed to this at the time.  They stated that, so long as the incoming population did not displace those who already lived in the region, they would be  cooperative to take in Jewish immigrants.

A large population shift in a small amount of time, what can possibly go wrong?

However, as Britain tried to manage the transfer of Jewish populations to Palestine, things began to get out of hand.  The policies of Nazi Germany pushed many Jews to break Britain's quota limits for immigration.  As can be expected when large numbers of people migrate to a small area, people began to fight over the same tracts of land.  This escalated significantly during the Second World War, and the Jewish population (who had been recruited by the British to help in the war effort and to help put down an Arab rebellion during the war) quickly turned against the British after they refused to increase the quota of Jewish immigration in light of the Holocaust.  By 1946, the Jewish population had reached around 650,000.  Once the Nazis were defeated, things became even worse.

Britain was severely weakened after the Second World War (they got bombed pretty hard by the Nazis after all).  England had begun to withdraw from its empire in all corners of the world.  Still upset over British management in Palestine, some Jewish groups began an open insurgency.  The British attempted to negotiate a withdrawal which was amenable to both the Jewish and Arab populations, but no acceptable solution could be found.  The Jews didn't want to be ruled by the Arabs (understandable given previous persecution by others), and the Arabs didn't want to cede large amounts of land to people who had (predominantly) lived elsewhere for centuries.  When the last British troops left Palestine (with no transitional government in place), armed Jewish and Arab groups scrambled to gain territory and install a government.  Neighboring Arab nations like Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon all participated as well (with some annexing territory in the process).  Israel quickly proclaimed its independence as a nation, but the Palestinians were not yet organized enough to do the same.

Everyone just wants a piece of Jerusalem

Here we see the primary motivator for this conflict: territory.  In the decades since, several other wars have broken out to try to gain territory.  Religion does play a big part, but only so far as it is related to territory.  Since the holy city of Jerusalem was split in two between Jews and Arabs, each side has a strong motivation to continue fighting.  Several other wars have broken out (either started by Israel or its neighboring nations), but the Palestinians have never gained statehood.  It is this development, probably more than any other, that continues to cause problems today.  The Palestinians do not feel the sense of empowerment and pride from having their own country.  Religion is often used as an excuse for the violence, but without the problems of territory, statehood, and self-government, it is highly unlikely that the conflict would have lasted as long as it has.  Indeed, there are large populations of Muslims and Jews living as Israeli citizens who are not constantly trying to kill each other.

Palestine's shrinking borders

There is certainly an argument to be made that Muslims not directly involved in the conflict can be motivated by religion in the conflict.  Nations like Iran love to stoke the fires of anti-Antisemitism which do exist among some communities.  But overall, most Muslims (the Arab ones at least) are upset at Israel not because of its religion, but because of its policies toward the Palestinians (with which many Arabs sympathize).  Several predominantly Muslim nations (like Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey) have full diplomatic relations with Israel.  The world's most populous Muslims country (Indonesia) has also established upgraded relations with Israel as of 2012.  It's clear that most nations (except maybe Iran) do not really care so much that Israel is a predominantly Jewish nation, they take issue with Israel's policies of building settlements and walling off portions of Jerusalem.  In short, the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict has nearly everything to do with territorial and political problems from the 1940s, and very little to do with religion.

The Separation Line in Jerusalem

It is essentially impossible to determine what exactly kicked off this latest round of violence.  For every incident involving a Palestinian stabbing someone, there was an earlier incident of a Palestinian's house getting seized by Israel.  For every Palestinian killed by Israeli police, there was probably an earlier event where an officer was jumped and beaten by a Palestinian.  You can point to the statements made by Palestinian Authority (the closest thing Palestine has to a government that isn't the extremely violent Hamas of the Gaza Strip) President Mahmoud Abbas that the Oslo Peace Accords of 1992 no longer apply as an incitement of violence.  Or you can point to Israel's refusal to halt the settlement program as tacit support for continued efforts to undermine Palestinian statehood.  The hard truth is that the reason the conflict continues is because Israel continues to build settlements and prevent Palestinian statehood (because it can't control its most vocal and violent supporters who will accept nothing less than full Palestinian capitulation) and because the Palestinians don't do enough to reign in violence among their own ranks (because they can't control their most vocal and violent supporters who will accept nothing less than full Israeli capitulation). 

The Oslo Accords: Who knew this wasn't going to work out?

Are there any prospects for future peace?  Maybe, but it doesn't look good in the short term.  The peace talks which were championed by John Kerry in 2014 have completely fallen apart.  Instead, the Palestinians are making significant progress toward gaining statehood in the United Nations.  Israel is very opposed to this as full statehood would mean clearly delineated territory and sovereignty.  Meanwhile, Israel is continuing to build a separation wall in East Jerusalem to restrict Palestinian movement.  The Palestinians naturally don't like this since Israel can place these anywhere it wants to separate or isolate communities.  When decades of peace talks have failed, can we really be surprised when people once again turn to violence to solve their problems?

Mahmoud Abbas at the United Nations

In all, remember that these are people.  People with (often) legitimate grievances who see no other means but violence to achieve their goals.  To reduce this to an intractable and eternal conflict between Jews and Muslims cheapens the real problems of the conflict.  The Palestinian who just had his home demolished doesn't care that it was (likely) done by a Jewish company.  He is mad that his house was destroyed.  The Israeli whose friend was stabbed to death doesn't care that it was (likely) a Muslim who did it, she is just mad that her friend was killed.  As hard as it may seem, there are still ways to solve this problem.  But we won't get anywhere if just give up and pretend that this conflict is about Mecca and Menorahs when it's a whole lot more complicated than that.

Love finds a way

TL;DR: In Israel and Palestine, religion is mostly used as an excuse to mask the underlying territorial and political issues which started nearly one hundred years ago.

Tragedy In Kunduz: The Myth of International Law

"The conventional army loses if it does not win.  The guerrilla wins if he does not lose."  -Henry Kissinger

The Hospital In Kunduz, Afghanistan

America's military involvement in Afghanistan is now over fourteen years old.  What began as a quick and effective strike to overthrow the brutal regime of the Taliban has since then morphed into a protracted insurgency with no foreseeable end in sight.  America has largely shifted the role of direct combat operations to the Afghan security forces, but this fight has seen several setbacks in recent years.  The Taliban recently gained (and then lost) the town of Kunduz, while reconciliation talks with the Taliban have fallen apart.  While retaking the city, the United States launched an airstrike which destroyed part of a hospital being used by the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (known as MSF in French) and killed at least twenty-two people.  This terrible tragedy has raised numerous questions (and some serious accusations).  MSF immediately denounced the attack as a war crime.  So is the United States guilty?  Well the answer is a little complicated.

Taliban Territory In Afghanistan

If you are wondering why the United States is still involved in Afghanistan and can't understand why the mission continues over 14 years after it began, it is important to remember that Afghanistan isn't really a country.  At least not in the traditional "Western" sense.  It has (mostly) defined borders and is internationally recognized, but many of the people living within its borders have little concept of the State and certainly don't concern themselves with the politics of a capital city hundreds of miles away.  This remains one of the central problems with governing the country.  Though great strides have been made since the U.S. occupation to improve education and the quality of life in Afghanistan, building up a country does not happen overnight. 

Kabul: More Than Just Dirt Streets And Goat Herders

War is rarely neat and cordial.  The bombing of the Kunduz hospital proves that.  However, the nations of the world (in response to horrific conflicts like the First World War) have all attempted to create a standard set of rules by which everyone should respect when conducting warfare.  The regulation of indiscriminate weapons (poison gas, landmines), prohibition against targeting civilians, and the treatment of surrendered combatants are all the subject of international laws (like the Geneva Convention laws).  War crimes are very specific violations to these laws.

The International Court Of Justice In The Netherlands

The problem with international law is that it doesn't really exist.  One of the most important factors in determining law is its enforceability.  In the United States, the central government enforces laws.  But in the international community, there is no such central authority to enforce laws.  If a law cannot be enforced, is it really a law?  Though institutions such as the United Nations and the International Criminal Court can try to prosecute offenders, they tend to require a nearly unanimous effort by all of the world's major powers.  This worked well against the Nazis after the Second World War, but it is tough to prosecute a major world power when they have veto power on the whole process.  This is the problem right now in Syria with Bashar al-Assad launching indiscriminate attacks on his own people (Russia won't allow war crimes proceedings to go through).  Even if a trial was successfully conducted, then what?  Someone like Assad would not willing go to jail, so the problem of removing an offender from power remains.

Not Everyone Gets Away With It Though

So what good are laws of war if they can't be prosecuted?  Well even if a law is not always enforceable, it can often still be followed out of good conscience.  The United States could easily begin a campaign of intentionally bombing all kinds of civilian targets, and wouldn't expect any retaliation (a debate like this is stirring about America's use of drone strikes).  However, the stigma against such actions is usually strong.  America could expect widespread condemnation from its allies and would be hard pressed to find willing partners in continued military operations.  Like the United Nations itself, international law may not be completely effective at fulfilling its main goal, but it is better than having nothing at all.

Not Sure If Fully Legal Yet...

Can the bombing of the Kunduz hospital truly be considered a war crime?  Probably not given the circumstances surrounding the strike.  The Taliban had been using several buildings throughout the hospital complex to launch attacks against the Afghan security forces.  The security forces called in the airstrike to the U.S. military, which conducted the attack.  Everything else is speculation at this point.  However, this is central problem with these restrictions: the Taliban (and similar organizations) do not follow the rules.  By standing on the moral high ground, these forces are disadvantaged strategically.  Insurgent groups know which tactics are off limits and actively try to provoke incidents which violate these rules.  This is often done in order to isolate and alienate the invading force (this worked well in Iraq to help drive away the few allies still working with the United States).

Regardless of the circumstances, the incident in Kunduz is an absolute tragedy.  The Taliban are guilty for using a hospital complex as a fighting outpost, and the United States is guilty for using explosive weapons so close to a civilian site.  The U.S. government has been directed to perform a full investigation of the incident.  This would be used to determine if the strike missed its original target or was a miscommunication between the U.S. and Afghan forces.  Naturally, MSF has called for an independent investigation to be conducted by the international community.  Though an independent third party would be ideal for determining the full truth of the matter, it's unlikely to go forward due to America's dominant standing within the organization.  Whether accidental or intentional, it seems hard to believe that the American military would intentionally blow up a hospital for no reason.  Regardless, Kunduz reminds us all that civilians often suffer the most in the chaos and confusion of war.

Above: The Main Casualties Of War

On a final note, President Obama announced this week that almost 10,000 American forces will remain in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future.  Though the original plan was to draw down the military presence to around 1,000 by the end of next year, the recent setbacks of the Afghan security forces have shown that the country is not yet ready to maintain its own security.  It should be no surprise by now that this blog rarely advocates for a military option when others will do, but in this case it appears to be the appropriate action.  If Iraq is any indicator, the premature exit of a stabilizing military force can often cause problems down the road.  There will come a time when the American military is no longer needed in the country.  Unfortunately, it isn't now.

In all, these are the types of problems armies have to deal with all the time now.  Fighters don't meet in a neutral battlefield and shake hands.  Instead, they hide out in hospitals and force the stronger power to make these tough decisions.  This doesn't excuse the attack on the hospital complex, but it should help provide some important context for this tragedy. 

TL;DR: War is hell.

The Jewish High Holidays: New Year, Old Problems

This week's post comes to us from friend and colleague Matthew Spencer-Kociol.  Matthew is a graduate of the University of Utah in Middle East Studies and lives in Salt Lake City with his family. 

It's a celebration!

One big difference between Jewish Holidays and most other religious holidays (with the exception of Islam’s Ramadan) is that Jewish holidays can take days or even weeks to celebrate. This can seem overwhelming to non-Jews who are used to having one big holiday that, if they’re lucky, falls on a weekend. The last few weeks have seen a large number of these holidays, so let's take this time to learn a little more about them!
 

Many of the Jewish holidays occur back-to-back in the fall, and they’re called the High Holidays. The High Holidays should simply be a time of rejoicing and celebration for the Jewish people, but in Israel, they are not immune to the violence that is seemingly endemic to the region.

The first of these holidays is called Rosh Hashanah: or Head of the Year, and is the Jewish new year based on the Lunar Calendar in Jewish practice.  This holiday is celebrated with a wide variety of customs, and is the beginning of the High Holidays. Synagogue attendance is highly popular for the Jewish new year, but you have to buy your tickets in advance. Now you might be wondering about this, but while Christian and Catholic Churches raise money through Bazaars or weekly Tithings (handling money is not allowed on the Jewish Sabbath), Synagogues raise funds by selling tickets for major religious events and through annual memberships, both of which may be sliding scale. The blowing of the Shofar is a way of ushering in the New year, and often involves the ram’s horn, though the horn of other Kosher animals are often used such as the Cow. Yemeni Ram horns are highly prized for their size and sound.


 

If done properly the Shofar is both beautiful and haunting at the same time, and is evocative in a very biblical sense.  This is a great time to mention the Shemitah- there has been a conspiracy theory going around that Jewish New Years are often associated with biblical end times prophecy. Out in Utah, many of the Mormon faith stocked up on emergency supplies, expecting an impending economic disaster. Besides the Shofar, the prayer of Tashlich is most commonly performed on Rosh Hashanah. Tashlich prayer is the casting away of sins from the previous year. This is done in a rather creative manner. First, Jews will go find a running body of fresh water, like a river. Second, they will say the Tashlich prayer and contemplate on their sins or regrets. These sins are often “cast” into the river in the form of bread crumbs so the sins could be metaphorically consumed by fish (but in all likelihood, a goose might be eating your sins too!)

Food is a unique experience during Rosh Hashanah as well. Round foods are eaten, such as round braided Challah bread filled with delicious raisins to celebrate the roundness of the year ending and beginning. Bagels are great too, as they are also round. To celebrate the sweetness of a new year, sweet treats are often eaten, and the most popular of which is apples and honey.

Above, a large and round raisin Challah for Rosh Hashanah (courtesy of the author!)

Following Rosh Hashanah, a holiday known for its feasting, is the antonymous Yom Kippur. This is the day of atonement, a day when Jews fast. A common tradition is to donate food to the poor in the amount equivalent of what they had not eaten that day due to their fasting.  Some Orthodox Jews in Israel will often perform a ritual called Kapparot.  This involves a chicken being used to hold sins that they want to atone for and that is promptly slaughtered.  The freshly slaughtered bird is then donated to a needy family for food. However, this is a controversial practice. While some Jews consider this to be a merely a ritual slaughter and encourage it as a great way to celebrate the holiday, other Jews consider the practice to be not kosher, as the bird may be distressed by the ritual.  Lastly some Jews even consider the practice heretical and compare the ritual slaughter to animal sacrifice, which is forbidden in Judaism. 

The controversial practice of Kapparot (Courtesy wikimedia)

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year, and extremely religious Jews in Israel will try to visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque’s holy grounds.  This is because they see the Mosque’s foundation as having significant value to Jewish history sinceit was once a part of the old Temple of King Solomon. In Israel, there isn’t am established precedent of the separation of Church and state as we have in America.  Jews aren’t entitled to visit the Mosque to pray, because that can upset the fragile religious harmony in Jerusalem.  Israeli Security normally try their best to keep Jews from praying at the Aqsa Mosque. However, Jewish religious activity near this holy Muslim site can spark riots, and this is often the time that Palestinian Youth will stage angry protests and throw stones at religious Jews or at Israeli police, as has been recently reported in the news.

This year has been a particularly violent year at the Aqsa Mosque, and it is no small possibility that the coinciding of Yom Kippur with Eid Al-Adha could have caused increased tensions between the two religious communities in Jerusalem. Sadly, unlike in recent years, there has not been a strong campaign by Jewish And Muslim Leaders to promote tolerance during the two holidays. While it may seem to go without saying, the recent protests at Aqsa have far less to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict itself, and more to do with religious tension during this time of the year.  

Palestinian Protesters barricade themselves inside the Aqsa Mosque (Courtesy VOA news) The High Holidays in Israel are a time often marked by clashes between Palestinian protesters and police.

Sukkot is also known as the Festival of Booths, or the Feast of the Tabernacles. This holiday is a harvest festival but does have a biblical tie-in. It lasts for eight days and represents the temporary structures that Moses and his followers had built to camp in while wandering the desert.

Essentially, on Sukkot, Jews will build a temporary structure with a loosely thatched roof, three walls, and no floor foundation. In this temporary living structure, many Jews will eat their meals during the week long holiday. Some will even sleep in it, making for quite the outdoor experience! The Sukkah, as the structure itself is called, is supposed to remind you of being outside, and is supposed to expose you to the elements to some degree. This serves as a reminder to Jews of our relationship with the land and the wider world.

There’s a saying that if you are in a Sukkot, the roof must be built in such a way that while it may shade you from the sun, if it rains, you will get rain drops in your soup! So that said, while the walls are made of of thin wooden fencing or canvas material, the roof is often made of locally found branches.

The temporary structure Jews make and use on Sukkot (wikimedia)

As Rosh Hashanah is a holiday marked by the blowing of the Shofar, Sukkot is distinguished by the four spices, including the Lulav and Etrog. The Etrog is basically an exotic, but not very juicy lemon, and the Lulav is a leafy palm frong. Those two and the other two species of plants (Myrtle and Willow leaves) are all held together in a bundle. In the ritual of waving the four spices, a prayer is uttered while the four spices are shaken in all four cardinal directions- North, South, East and West.

The Lulav and Etrog are the main parts of the Four Species used during Sukkot. (courtesy BJSD)

For those who cannot build a Sukkah in their yard, Synagogues and Jewish organizations on college campuses will often host a Sukkah structure in their vicinity for all to enjoy. While most Jewish holidays accept non-Jewish people to attend and enjoy holiday events, Sukkot is most well known for being used as an interfaith activity. On Sukkot, many Jews will invite people of other faiths to come and share a meal in the booth. All are welcome to a Sukkot meal!

An interfaith meal and gathering in the Jewish Sukkah (courtesy Texas Interfaith Center)

While Sukkot may be a time to promote inclusiveness of people regardless of faith, this year Sukkot seems to be particularly marked by increased violence in Israel. There has been several shootings and stabbings resulting in several deaths in Israel and the West Bank during the holiday of Sukkot. There could be many reasons why this holiday season in Israel is marked with violence. Could it be the uptick of Israeli settlers visiting holy sites that a cause tensions with Muslim Palestinians? Or could it also be related to Mahmoud Abbas’s recent statement that the Palestinian Authority is no longer bound by the Oslo Agreement, thus giving a sort of unspoken green light to increases in violent protests and terrorist activities in the Palestinian Territories? The straight answer is most likely a combination of both, but whether Abbas’ recent statements are a reaction to recent violence in Israel/Palestine, or whether it is vice versa, could be as hard to resolve as a chicken-or-the-egg argument. 

(Courtesy The Guardian: Abbas gave a speech at the U.N. Claiming he plans on giving up on Oslo.)

The last holiday comes after Sukkot and it's Simchat Torah. This holiday represents the beginning and end of the Torah. The year on the Jewish calendar is divided into weeks with Torah Portions. Basically the Torah is divided into about 54 Torah readings from beginning to end in correlation to the Hebrew Lunar calendar. For example, during the first week of the year, the Torah Portion is the very beginning of Genesis, or the part where God created the world in seven days. Then the portions go in chronological order until we reach Simchat Torah where Jews study the last part of the Torah.
 
And those are the high holidays, and then some! After that, we take a rest from all those Jewish activities, and we don’t do anything wild and crazy until Hanukkah, which is a fun one, and way less formal too!

With Great Hajj Comes Great Responsibility

“Among the lessons I learned on Hajj was that I needed to be mindful and keep the inner connection with God at all times and that self-improvement is definitely a never-ending struggle.” -- Kristiane Backer, From MTV to Mecca: How Islam Inspired My Life

A Very Crowded Hajj Prayer

As one of the five pillars of Islam (primary obligations to be preformed by all Muslims), the pilgrimage (Hajj) to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is an extremely important event.  This year, nearly two million Muslims descended upon the holy city for their pilgrimage.  The event is often used as a celebration of life and as a reminder of Islam's emphasis on global unity.  However, this event has been marred in recent decades by a series of controversies and tragedies.  Last week, a stamped broke out in which 717 people were trampled.  This event, and a crane collapse earlier this month which killed 107, have once again placed the spotlight on Saudi Arabia's management of the Hajj.  Naturally, Iran (Saudi's regional rival) has also used these incidents as an opportunity to embarrass and shame Saudi Arabia.  So what is the Hajj and why is it so important?  This week we will investigate the meaning of the pilgrimage and uncover some of the scandals surrounding it.

As we mentioned before, the pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five primary duties of Muslims throughout the world.  These "Five Pillars" are the declaration of faith, daily prayer, charitable giving, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Mecca.  It should be noted that the pilgrimage (along with fasting and charitable giving) are only obligatory for those who are physically and financially able.  Muslims who are too poor to buy a plane ticket or unable to physically withstand the rigors of travel are exempt.  The Hajj is one of the great unifying experiences of Islam.  Muslims from all corners of the world gather together in one place for worship and contemplation. The Hajj often becomes a transformative experience for Muslims.  Malcolm X, former leader of the Nation of Islam (which did not believe that African Americans would ever be treated equally if fully integrated into society), converted to Islam and performed the Hajj in 1964.  He often said that seeing Muslims of all ethnicities and backgrounds helped turn him away from violence and towards the idea that all races could live in peace (albeit as Muslims).  The entire journey is to be performed from the 8th to the 12th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah.  In order for the Hajj to fulfill the obligation completely, it must be performed during this time.  Muslims can perform a "lesser Hajj" at any time throughout the year, but that experience is typically not as revered.

Contrary to popular belief, the Hajj is not just showing up in Mecca and walking in a circle a bunch of times.  There are actually a number of specific actions which must be taken on specific days in order for the Hajj to be considered valid (this makes crowd control much harder).  The entire process lasts for five days and includes visits to the plains of Arafat for prayer and meditation, the ritualistic "stoning of the devil" at Mina, a drink from the well of Zamzam, and several trips back to Mecca to circle the Kaaba.  The pilgrims also shave their heads, have an animal sacrificed in their name to represent the story of Abraham and Isaac (the meat is used to feed the poor), and wear a special all white gown (known as the Ihram).  The Ihram, in particular, is meant to show equality of all pilgrims regardless of social or economic status.  In all, the experience is intended to bring the pilgrim closer to God and highlight the unity of all Muslims throughout the world.

The Many Steps Of The Hajj

So where does Saudi Arabia fit into all of this?  Saudi Arabia has been administering the Hajj since the Kingdom was founded in 1932.  As the "Custodian of the Two Holy Places," Saudi Arabia enjoys both the prestige of this title and the responsibility of managing the millions of pilgrims who travel every year.  Whenever large numbers of people converge in one location, safety is always a major concern.  As more pilgrims have been journeying to Mecca in recent decades, Saudi Arabia's safety and security teams have been having a hard time keeping up.  In 1990, another stampede killed nearly 1,500 people, while similar incidents have occurred in 1994, 1998, 2004, and 2006 (usually during the "stoning the devil" step of the Hajj).  Fires, concerns about disease, and political unrest have also caused significant headaches for the Saudis.  One particularly bad incident occurred in 1987 when a group of Shia militants stormed the Grand Mosque and began taking hostages (page 55 on that link).  In the ensuing firefight, nearly 400 people were killed.  For its part, Saudi Arabia has stepped up its security measures and made numerous safety related changes to minimize these incidents.  Still, many are beginning to think that the Hajj itself is simply too overcrowded to safely maintain.

Throwing Rocks At The Satan Pillar!

This brings us to another Saudi controversy surrounding the Hajj: its perceived exploitation.  Though Saudi Arabia will spend nearly one billion dollars on the Hajj this year, the Kingdom takes in roughly 8.5 billion per year in Hajj fees and related tourism expenses.  A foreign pilgrim will usually spend anywhere from $4,000 to $5,000 during the trip.  This causes severe restrictions for poor Muslims (though Saudi Arabia does provide a small number of scholarships for those who cannot pay).  Saudi Arabia also places restrictions on who is permitted to attend (with wealthy and influential people often receiving preferential treatment).  In addition to the Hajj itself, Mecca has also come under scrutiny for its increasing commercialization in recent years.  What was once a humble city of Mosques and local businesses is increasingly becoming a luxury destination filled with high rise hotels, five star dining, and a massive 2,000 foot tall clock tower just outside the Grand Mosque.  The recent crane collapse earlier this month was part of yet another large construction project in the city.  This has led to many expressing frustration with the Saudis, accusing them of ignoring the humbling and unifying purpose of the Hajj.  

Mecca's Fancy New Skyline And Clock Tower

Controversy aside, the Hajj is often seen as the defining moment of a Muslim's life.  People return with a new appreciation for humanity and there is even evidence to suggest that communities hold fewer radical views when there are more Hajj participants.  Still, the tragedies of the Hajj in recent decades ought to be a motivating force for change in Saudi Arabia.  It is often a belief that the closer a Muslim is to mecca when they die, the better their afterlife will be.  But this is likely of little consolation to the hundreds of families devastated by this tragedy. 

They Don't Have To Live Like Refugees

"What is at stake is nothing less than the survival and well-being of a generation of innocents." -- Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Line For Food Rations In Damascus

Over the past couple weeks, it has finally become impossible for Europe and the "West" to ignore the dire situation currently being faced by millions of refugees.  Boats are arriving (or sinking in many cases) throughout Greece and Italy, while massive waves of people are walking through the countryside of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary to search for a better life in Germany or Scandinavia.  Europe is finally waking up to this as they can no longer ignore when tens of thousands of people all converge on its borders at once, but this problem has been going on for over four years.  To date, there are currently 7,600,000 Syrians internally displaced and about 4,000,000 classified as refugees outside Syria.  It should be noted that not every person migrating to Europe is a Syrian refugee.  Many of these people are migrating from places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and sub-Saharan Africa.  However, this post will focus predominantly on the Syrian refugee crisis.  Put simply, this is the single greatest humanitarian crisis the world has seen since the end of the Second World War.  There are a lot of misconceptions about these refugees, so let's start getting some facts straight. 

Europe Isn't The Only Place Affected By This

Probably the biggest misconception about these refugees is that they are all poor, hopeless people looking for European governments to provide them with welfare checks for the rest of their lives.  While it is certainly true that many (like hundreds of thousands) of refugees have very little money, there are very significant numbers of educated professionals and middle-class families making the long and dangerous journey.  They have plenty of money to spend to help improve their lives once they get to Europe, while some are even planning on continuing graduate studies and getting good jobs in places like Germany and Sweden. These individuals have the means to support themselves, but will likely require a little direction and assistance from European governments to get started.  Finally, they often cite political and religious persecution (this includes Christians AND Muslims), random bombings from loyalist and rebel forces, and conscription into military forces as the main reasons for fleeing the region. 

Not The Stereotypical Refugee

Another major misconception is that all of these refugees are pouring into Europe only.  To date, there are an estimated 600,000 refugees who have attempted to enter Europe from either the Middle East or North Africa (with many dying in the process).  However, the vast majority of refugees are ending up in the neighboring countries of Turkey (2,000,000), Jordan (600,000), Lebanon (1,100,000 million) and Iraq (250,000).  Jordan and Lebanon are quickly becoming nations with majority refugee populations.  Jordan's population was only eight million before this crisis (with nearly 2,000,000 of them being Palestinian refugees).  Lebanon had just over 4,000,000 inhabitants in 2010 (almost half of whom immigrated there), and has taken in at least 1,000,000 more Syrians.  Middle East cultures tend to emphasize large family support networks, so most of these people are staying with friends and relatives, not just in camps.  This has put a massive strain on families and governments alike. 

A Long Walk

So why aren't the Saudis and the other rich Arabian Gulf nations helping out?  Well they are, but few people are really paying attention to it.  So far, these nations have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to humanitarian efforts.  But admittedly they have taken in very few refugees into their own lands.  One of the main reasons these nations are not eager to suddenly welcome a million new residents is because this would dramatically alter the political landscape of these countries.

Saudi King Salman: "Let's Just Throw Money At The Problem"

Saudi Arabia, for example, does not allow for democratic elections, but instead provides massive public works programs and employment opportunities to its citizens.  Basically, the people are generally not calling for elections since life is still pretty good for them.  But this is very expensive, and the Saudis would not be able to extend these citizenship rights to all refugees at the risk of going bankrupt.  Even a "temporary" housing situation would not stay temporary for long since refugees very rarely return to their homeland.  To compare it to a common American debate, to some Arab Gulf citizens, the refugees would be taking jobs and mooching off the government.  They would be bringing criminals and terrorists (though some, they assume, are probably good people).  Not that any of that is necessarily true, but that is the perception many have.  Finally, many of the refugees themselves are not too keen to move to the strictly conservative Gulf states.  A majority do not particularly like the Gulf countries and would much rather go to Europe.

The Zaatari Camp In Jordan

Why are so many going all the way to Europe?  Well they almost all want the same stability, basic human rights, and freedom that we enjoy (what a concept!).  In contrast to the Gulf nations, they know they can expect a reasonable accommodation for their personal religious beliefs and lifestyle choices (anti-Muslim discrimination aside).  Many also speak European languages and have skill-sets that would be useful in Europe (or want to continue graduate studies in these countries).  Europe has pledged to take 120,000 and is debating measures to accomodate many more (though some expect as many as 800,000 will arrive by the end of 2015.  Unfortunately, there has been plenty of resistance to this proposal as well.  Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia have been especially outspoken against widespread accommodations for refugees.   Not wanting to be completely outdone, the United States has also stepped in to help.  So far America has pledged to take at least 10,000 refugees and said it will accept nearly 100,000 immigrants each year by 2017 (of all backgrounds, not just those from the Syrian Civil War).  America has always been a refuge for people seeking a better life and our inclusivity is what makes us great.  Though the American efforts are commendable, we should remember that there is always more that can be done for people in need.

The Joy Of Freedom

The last misconception we should clear up is that bringing refugees invites terrorists into the country.  We shouldn't deny that there is a small risk that terrorists would be posing as refugees to enter the U.S. and European countries.  Nobody denies that basic screening of refugee applicants would be necessary to ensure no obviously bad people enter the country (though it currently takes over a year for an applicant to be accepted).  But we can't let exaggerated reports of migrating terrorists and xenophobic attitudes stop us from helping those who truly need it.  ISIS (and its supporters) have been exploiting these fears in order to get people to pressure their governments to keep refugees out.  The truth is, people have been migrating to this country from unstable and dangerous countries for years.  In general, they are seeking to escape violence and terrorism, not cause it.

Top Destinations For Syrian Refugees

Overall, the "West" needs to support these people because it is the right thing to do and it helps prevent radicalization (because their improved economic system, stable living conditions, and education will naturally curb many of the leading causes of radicalization).  It also undercuts the theme that America and Europe do not care about Muslims (often used as a recruitment tool for terrorists).  Recently, nearly 360,000 people suddenly stopped receiving food aid from the World Food Programme.  That means 360,000 people are that much closer to complete desperation.  Ending the Syrian Civil War is hard.  Navigating the geopolitical implications of waves of migrants is hard.  Balancing the relationship among Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, and Syria is hard.  Feeding people and giving them shelter is easy.  We should show empathy, not fear, tolerance, not xenophobia, and warm acceptance, not cold rejection.  Because ultimately if you were in this situation, you would be asking for the same help which is being denied to so many.  Some people are more than happy to send bombs, guns, and operatives to Syria, but when asked to account for the human lives which have been upended, many sit back and say "not my problem."  Suffering is humanity's problem.  It is everyone's problem.  It is your problem too.

TL;DR: These are not just Syrians or Muslims who need our help, they are people.  What will you do about it?

Hint: Donate here.  Or petition here to get more refugees admitted to the United States.

My Brief Visit To The "Orient"

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley

The view of Istanbul from our balcony window

Last week, I returned from my first travel abroad experience with my wife Hannah.  As part of our long-overdue honeymoon vacation, we embarked on a two week Mediterranean cruise.  This was a very rare treat for us, since it took nearly three years (and most of our wedding donations) to save up for it.  During our trip, we briefly visited places like Venice, Istanbul, Athens, Pompeii, Rome, Florence, and Barcelona.  Needless to say, our excursions to the Blue Mosque, the Acropolis, and the Colosseum (among many others), were fantastic and allowed me the opportunity to finally view the places I've known for so long in my studies.  But this post isn't written to brag about how awesome everything was (though there is a little of that), this is an attempt to share a couple of reflections (both good and bad) I had while finally visiting a small part of the Middle East.

Inside the Blue Mosque....wow

My favorite place was, of course, Istanbul.  We only had about nine hours in Istanbul, but I feel like I could spend months in the city and still not fully experience its rich cultural and historical sites.  Like the Hagia Sophia (which was once a church, then a mosque, and is now a museum), Istanbul represents an eclectic mix of cultures all interacting with one another.  It was truly a treat to see such a great example of different people coexisting together.  Unfortunately, Istanbul has had a bad reputation lately due to its proximity to Syria and ISIS.  I (along with our tour guide, who actually turned out to be Jewish) spent far too much time on the trip trying to explain to people why they weren't going to get blown up or abducted just because they were going to a predominantly Muslim city.  I visited mosques and museums, dined on grape leaves and apple tea, and even haggled for some exotic spices.  In all, as the muezzin issued the evening call to prayer on our way out of the city, I was elated to have had this small taste of life in the Middle East.

Inside the Hagia Sophia.....also wow

One of the only things I didn't care for was the lifestyle presented on the ship itself.  Lavish buffets, string quartets, and even a jewelry store (featuring several items for only $1,000!) were all designed to part fools from their money and allow the wealthy to pretend that sadness doesn't exist in the world.  To me, the most ridiculous event was a "champagne waterfall" where over 700 glasses were stacked in a pyramid shape, and then cheap (though really expensive looking) champagne was poured from the top to fill the glasses below.  People loved it.  I wondered how many times that gimmick has come crashing down in a waterfall of hubris when the ship hit an unexpected wave.  But of course, these types of events aren't really geared towards a young honeymooning couple anyway.

Our view from the Duomo in Florence

Throughout the cruise, I would often return to the balcony of our stateroom (we got a free upgrade from our cheap interior cabin) and marvel at the beauty and serenity of the Mediterranean.  However, I could never shake the feeling that while I was casually enjoying the peaceful blue waters of the sea, others were almost certainly starving and drowning in those same waters.  Where I saw a majestic and seemingly endless expanse of maritime luxury, others saw a deadly and seemingly endless obstacle to their escape from poverty and persecution.  I felt somewhat better upon learning that this same ship had rescued a group of distressed Syrians on the sea during its previous voyage.  However, they were immediately dropped off at the next port of call (which happened to be Greece) to become the problem of the local port authorities instead.  Still, at least the ship had helped.

The Bay of Naples near Sorrento

My depressing pessimism aside, this truly was the trip of a lifetime.  It was a wonderful experience and I am reminded how fortunate I am to have had such opportunities so easily within my reach.  I know that such a short visit doesn't really endow me with any special knowledge or experience of the region.  These types of short visits are all about manufactured experiences, where people are herded along like cattle to gawk at the "mysteries of the Orient" while staying far enough away from any real mysteries so they don't feel too uncomfortable.  It was Orientalism at its finest.  I also won't pretend that after only nine hours in Istanbul, I suddenly understand what life is like for a kid growing up in a poor suburb of Amman, or that I can personally identify with a street vendor just because one tried to sell me a fake Rolex.  But despite my critique of the ship's primary clientele, at least the people on this trip cared enough to see these places and learn their histories.  And though I returned from my travels knowing about as much as I did before, at least I can stay that, for a short time, I was there.

Tl;DR: Go see the world!