Walking Like an Enemy

I became so concerned after the name of the killer on a shooting spree at the military base in Texas was revealed. His name is Maj. Nidal Malik Hassan, a Palestinian American who served as a psychiatrist at Fort Hood Texas. Hassan opened fire on his colleagues, causing the death of 13 and injuring 30 others. The number of victims is still rising.

This situation may revive memories of Bush’s America: the depiction of Muslims and Arabs as “bloody terrorists” may surface anew. In Bush’s “strategy”, they are dealt with only by force or the “intimidation” that Israeli Premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, told Obama about!

However, one would wonder: is it mere coincidence that this accident coincides with the turning of the Obama administration’s compass towards the Palestinian issue [or the Arab-Israeli conflict]?

Indeed, Obama began his term while searching for a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and taking a decisive stance regarding the expanding Israeli settlements before getting involved in negotiations. Then the negotiation process became unconditional and an American-Israeli protocol on building settlements on Arab territories was established. In other words, the establishing of settlements and their extension into more Arab lands are issues to be included in the dialogues, which may as well extend to the “ghettos” of America’s Red Indians! So now, what will be after a Muslim and Arab American has shot and injured colleagues in one of the American military fortresses? Will Obama, also known for his prudence, humanity and enthusiastic rhetoric, be able to overlook the spasms of hate and political and societal reappraisal that is sweeping through communities of Arabs and Muslims inside and outside America?

Will we witness again an American raid on a Muslim or Arab state, after the pattern of what happened to Afghanistan and Iraq during the two terms of Bush Jr.? Maybe it would not be past Netanyahu to shed more Palestinian, Lebanese and Arab blood, blackening the image of Arabs and Muslims as the “enemy” even if they are American citizens and serve in the American military!

Who can know?!