- The Ottoman Empire ruled over Palestine for about four
centuries and one of its laws - which survives in spirit even today - stated
that in order to keep his land, a peasant must work it. Many opted for
the easy approach and planted olive trees. Native to the place, they grow
easily, do not need much care, and provide two of the area's staple foods,
olives and their fine oil.
-
- Over time, the olive trees became a symbol of ownership
and people knew that wherever they saw them - maybe surrounded by some
mustard greens - they were looking at owned land. More time passed and
both the Ottoman and the British Empires disappeared with it. Newcomers
arrived and bought much of that land with money raised mainly through usury
- despite their declared religion forbidding the practice. After buying
the land, a new state was created. It was a strange one, it didn't have
any recognized borders - even its own people were confused about that issue
- and it didn't have a Constitution.
-
- As soon as they achieved statehood, they forbade the
buying or selling of state land, which comprised most of the country's
land. They took possession of land belonging to countless refugees who
fled abroad amidst wars and created a system of leasing land for ninety-nine
years, so that they would not be tricked in the same way they tricked others
- in a fierce misinterpretation of their own religious concepts.
-
- Discriminated against by new laws, the perennial peasants
continued dipping pita bread in olive oil and talking about their troubles,
while the newcomers, growing strong through usury and deceit, needed more
land to grow salads - their culinary flagship.
-
- The conflict increased and the dead piled up high. A
small symbol became a fixture of news reports and while largely ignored
by the international media, it was an infuriating aggression in the eyes
of the peasants. The usurper-usurers regularly bulldozed olive trees. "It's
for military reasons, we can't see the enemy hiding there," they explained
in a well-practiced laconic tone, as if they were in the lush Vietnamese
jungles. Olive trees grow low to the ground and scarce water forces them
to grow at big distances from each other. They do not create anything resembling
a forest. Ask any peasant there, and they will offer another explanation;
bulldozing the trees is a message - not too subtle - conveying illegal
termination of ownership.
-
- But olive trees are more than a symbol of ownership in
the former Ottoman Empire or a symbol of bulldozed peace in Western civilization.
In a sense, they are weeds. Not in the negative meaning of the word, but
in the context that they cannot be eradicated from their native land. They
will grow again. A great Teacher walked there in the distant past and told
us a parable about the least of all seeds: the grain of mustard. And it
is hard to understand it, unless we are aware that it is very hard to eradicate
mustard from the vegetable garden or from any other empire. The more you
try to get rid of it, the bigger it will return and the higher it will
grow until birds build nests in it; similarly, olives won't be transformed
into symbols of war, regardless how hard the usurpers try. Such is the
nature of Truth.
-
- _____
-
- Reuven Schossen is an Israeli political refugee, harassed
by security services across several continents since he chose to leave
his home country in disgust at the corrupt practises of Israel's leaders.
The four articles below were published after he signed a contract with
Publish America for his book, "Holygarchy," an account of his
political and spiritual awakening in Israel and a revelation to the world
of the racist, theocratic and "Big Brother" police state policies
of the State of Israel. His efforts to secure political asylum and a new
citizenship require the assistance of understanding individuals. Thorough
research indicates that the San Francisco area would be the best place
to apply for asylum in the US. Attorney fees will run to about $1,500.
We are asking for financial assistance and sancutary in the San Francisco
area so that Reuven can successfully secure political asylum here in the
US. If you can help in any way, please contact Reuven at (505) 982-3609
or schossen@gmail.com . His website is at www.schossen.com and it is possible
to donate via credit card or paypal from that site. During the Civil War,
Americans of conscience created an "underground railway" to shelter
African Americans who were brave enough to escape from slavery. Let's not
betray the American tradition of helping those in need by letting Reuven's
situation take a turn for the worse through our inaction. Even a brave
reform rabbi has been willing to help Reuven, so let's not be frightened
into paralysis by Israeli propaganda.
-
- Leland Lehrman, Santa Fe, New Mexico leland.lehrman@gmail.com
|