Ambassador Ross' Arab-Israeli course lacks 'Palestinian narrative'

Salma Khaleq

Tribune Staff

Since I've been at Marquette, I have never seen students and staff take such a profound interest in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as I did on Feb. 22, when Ambassador Dennis Ross spoke to a crowd of about 200 people. That deep interest in a political issue, one which involves an entrenched history of the Middle East, is surprising to a Palestinian like myself. It's understandable however, a distinguished politician makes his way to Marquette and the first thing we want to do is shake his hand — celebrity phenomena.

For Marquette, it's an achievement. For his students, it's the experience of a lifetime. But for Arabs and Palestinians, it's somewhat bittersweet. On the one hand, many have taken interest in my people, my cause, my history. The presence of Ross on campus makes people recall a distant reality. On the other hand, Ross doesn't present our "narrative" as he says he does.

In a course on the Arab-Israeli conflict in which one must present material to students essentially unaware of the issues (let's face it, unless you have a real interest in the region, you won't struggle through the complicated facts and history), Ross is unable to provide the Palestinian narrative in its entirety. When the only textbook is his own work and Edward Said, well renowned Palestinian intellectual, is left out of the course's required texts, then the class lacks one perspective.

For all of those who argue the War in Iraq is intended to liberate Arab voices silenced through oppression, let me be the first to say, my people's voice is among them. The Palestinian narrative need not be retold by others, for it speaks for itself.

When every person under the age of 38 has lived under brutal military occupation all of their lives, the Palestinian story need not be recounted — it all exists documented in the names of those who died in clashes, in the names of those who were slaughtered in massacres. The Palestinian narrative is present in every stone thrown to resist injustice, in every remnant of a house demolished by Israeli aggression, in every child who grows up under the grip of hatred for the occupier.

The Palestinian narrative if not spoken by Palestinians, can be seen in the evidence that the entire international community has recognized. If some fail to see it, they have already been blinded by their own biases. When you accept one perception as reality, you've already fallen victim.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Mar. 8 2005.

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