Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Arab Radio Podcast intro
    • Radio Baladi Detroit
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Toggle search form
  • Bavaria non-Alcoholic
    Ziyad Brothers congratulates brewers of Bavaria non-alcoholic beer for receiving international award Business
  • ADALAH confronts racist laws
    Civil Society Organizations to the Israeli Supreme Court: Cancel the Racist Admissions Committees Law Activism
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, announced Tuesday (Sept. 19, 2023) the filing of a lawsuit with a dozen plaintiffs seeking an end to the government’s secret watchlist that almost exclusively targets Muslims for harassment and humiliation when they travel.
    CAIR Announces Lawsuit in D.C., Mass., N.J., Mich. Seeking End to Secret Government Watchlist American Arabs
  • Furquan Ahmed serves as the Wayne County Community College District’s (WCCCD) Senior Vice Chancellor and President of the Northwest Campus.
    AHRC’s Announces its 2023 “Spirit of Humanity” Gala Awardees American Arabs
  • Congresswoman Debbie Dingell Wikipedia
    Flooding slams Wayne County in Detroit Michigan: Dingell releases statement of support Michigan
  • MBC launches new satellite channel focused on Saudi Culture
    Saudis launch new Satellite TV channel dedicated to Saudi Culture Arab World
  • The names and faces of the 14 Palestinian engaged in an open hunger strike to demand freedom from administrative detention, imprisonment without charge or trial. Graphic by Samidoun. You can join Samidoun's campaign here and find useful resources.
    Palestinians mount hunger strike campaign against administrative detention Arab World
  • “A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom & Human Rights,” McCormick Place, August 14-18, for the largest, worldwide gathering of global, faith-based, and social change leaders. 
    Largest global interfaith gathering coming to Chicago this week Christian & Muslim
  • State rep. Cyril Nichols, Democrat, 32nd Illinois House District
    Relationship between Arab Americans and African Americans needs more balance, Black State Rep says American Arabs
  • Syropotamia Online Magazine logo
    SYROPOTAMIA online magazine launched to Illuminate Arab American Stories American Arabs
  • Detroit’s true freedom fighters, activist, trailblazer, and leader Rev. Dr. JoAnn Watson who died on July 10, 2023
    AHRC Mourns the passing of Rev. Dr. JoAnn Watson, Freedom Fighter and Detroit Icon American Arabs
  • Abed Ayoub ADC National Director (Aug. 2022)
    ADC launches Arab American Business Advisory Council American Arabs
  • Rev. Jesse L. Jackson celebrates the 35th Anniversary of his 1988 campaign for president, an event which empowered Arab American voters.
    Rev. Jackson to host 35th Anniversary of his historic 1988 candidacy for president American Arabs
  • The grand opening ceremony and special ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Muhammad Ali Park in Detroit was held on Wednesday, June 21 at 12:00 p.m., with H.E. Mr. Meshal Bin Hamad Al Thani, Ambassador of Qatar to the US; Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit; Mayor Abdallah Hammoud, Dearborn; Mayor Amir Ghalib, Hamtramck; Eric Sabree, Wayne County Treasurer; and a number of civic and religious leaders.  
    AHRC Salutes All Who Made the Muhammad Ali Park in Detroit a Reality  American Arabs
  • Rev. Jesse L. Jackson celebrates the 35th Anniversary of his 1988 campaign for president, an event which empowered Arab American voters.
    Zogby to speak about Jackson’s role in supporting Arab empowerment at Rainbow Push conference July 14-19 American Arabs
Christian and Muslims iconic religious images in Occupied Jerusalem, Palestine. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

Guest Op-Ed: Samaritan Values in understanding the facts in the Israel-Palestine conflict

Posted on July 16, 2019July 17, 2019 By rayhanania 1 Comment on Guest Op-Ed: Samaritan Values in understanding the facts in the Israel-Palestine conflict
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Loading

Guest Op-Ed: Samaritan Values in understanding the facts in the Israel-Palestine conflict

By Froy Jimenez 

Chicago Public School World History Teacher Froy Jimenez
Chicago Public School World History Teacher Froy Jimenez

As a World History teacher, one of the major skills I encourage students to develop is a balanced, evidence-based position on complex topics.  Politics in the Middle-East is complicated to say the least.  To be more specific, the topic of territory and political control between Israel and Palestine in that area is definitely worth a balanced discussion.

Yet, beyond trying to figure out who the land belongs to and how it should be divided politically, the more pressing discussion is how centuries of conflict on this topic continues to generate oppression, violence, and how it fuels hatred here in the U.S.

As an immigrant from Mexico, now U.S. citizen and a devout Catholic from Chicago, I was intrigued recently by a homily from our local pastor which illuminated the story of the “Good Samaritan” as a clear example of unity, avoiding being bystanders and choosing to help those most in need regardless of race or creed.  The Palestine-Israel political dilemma in the Middle-East is often misunderstood and has increased the anti-semitism in this country and pushed Americans to be less like the “Good Samaritan” and fueled more and more hatred.

The word “anti-semitic” itself is often only used to describe hostility towards Jewish people and although that is partially true, it actually originates from the term “semitic” which according to Merrian-Webster can be defined as, member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs or a descendant of these peoples speaking a Semitic language.

So the correct use of anti-semitic is discrimination to any person from the semitic area, including Jews and people from Palestine. Ironically, Ancient Samaria, is actually located in present day West Bank of the Jordan River, where Israel and Palestine continue to battle for this territory.

Jared Kushner addressing the Peace to Prosperity Conference, providing details for a strategy to empower Palestinians as a part of a planned political solution with Israel. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
Jared Kushner addressing the Peace to Prosperity Conference, providing details for a strategy to empower Palestinians as a part of a planned political solution with Israel. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

Most recently, the Trump Administration under the direction of White House Advisor, Jared Kushner, the President Trump’s son-in-law, who happens to be Jewish, sponsored a conference in Bahrain to propose deal to accommodate tensions in the area.

The Trump administration has already made several key foreign policy decisions in this area, all of which seem to favor Israel, including the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the new capital of Israel, previously Tel Aviv, moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, downgraded the Palestinian consulate, shut down the Palestinian office in Washington D.C. and cut foreign aid to Palestinian areas.

The “Peace to Prosperity” proposal by Kushner, consisted in the U.S. sending roughly $50 billion in economic incentives to Palestine so long as Palestine agrees to share the West Bank territory with Israel.  Palestine wants to have its own independent country and therefore not entertaining any economic aid without first settling on a political arrangement, and not just a bribe.

Our country’s foreign policy decisions on this topic, appears one-sided.  Add the fact that President Trump also recognized Israeli sovereignty of Golan Heights, another area of tension, and that Israel will name a town in that area, Ramat Trump, in his honor.  A recent poll from the American Jewish Committee reported that President Trump is very popular among people in Israel with a 79% approval rating, mostly attributed to his foreign policy decisions in the area.

Christian and Muslims iconic religious images in Occupied Jerusalem, Palestine. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
Christian and Muslims iconic religious images in Occupied Jerusalem, Palestine. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

All this makes many people question the impartiality decision-making of U.S. government in the Holy Land, and most importantly causes people in the U.S. to develop anti-semitic views based on actions and topics that are far away from our shores.  In other words,  Jewish-Americans get blamed for the political decisions of Jews in Israel and Trump’s obvious bias towards Israel.

Another recent factor inciting Americans are the comments by U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) implying that American politicians in the U.S. Congress support Israel only because of the substantial contributions by Israel to U.S. lawmakers.

The Center for Responsive Politics estimates that the Israeli government spent $34 million on lobbying in Washington since 2017. This is ironic, since 71% of American Jews have an unfavorable opinion of President Trump according to by a survey conducted in May of this year. So while President Trump is widely popular with Jews in Israel, he is not very favorable by Jewish-Americans in his own country.  Clearly there is a big difference in affinity towards Trump and his policies.

More importantly, often times Jewish people in the U.S. get painted with the same brush as Jewish in Israel, and often times Jewish people in U.S. get blamed for the policies of President Trump and the Israeli government.  And while there is a connection between the State of Israel and Jewish people, they are not exactly one in the same.  There has been a spike in Anti-Jewish crimes in America and that’s very unfortunate but it is worsened by co-mingling a political state with a religion. Also worth noting is that there is another set of troubles and oppression happening to people of Palestine.

The Palestinian communities in the Middle-East, particularly in the West Bank, Gaza and surrounding areas live in dire conditions in desperate need of help. The United Nations continues to try to serve as a neutral, unbiased, mediator but there continues to be little to no progress between Palestinian-Israeli relations. As neighbors in the Holy Land, the example of the “Good Samaritan” does not play out very much in Middle-East and after centuries of this dilemma, this is not not a surprise.

What is surprising is that there is conflict, hatred and Anti-Semitism, Anti-Jewish, Anti-Arab sentiments in this country. Our country is being polarized as it is by domestic politics any further factors only fuel more disunity.  As a History Teacher, I have and will continue to partner with the Facing History organization which educates and advocates for being “Upstanders” when witnessing injustice, discrimination, and inequity. Facing History does a wonderful job of explaining among other things how bigotry and the horrors of the Holocaust took place. More importantly it applies those lessons to our world today.

The story of the “Good Samaritan” and the lessons in altruism mirrors these values and should be a constant reminder that here in America we can do better to fight the urge to buy into divisiveness, polarization, and hatred.  Instead we can recognize and do something about injustice in our own country and educate others to eliminate Anti-Semitism, Anti-Immigrants, and any other negativity that takes the United out of our United States.

(Author Froy Jimenez is a Chicago Public Schools teacher who teaches World History, and a candidate in the 1st Illinois Senate District. Follow him on Twitter at @FroyforILSenate.)

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Ziyad Brothers congratulates brewers of Bavaria non-alcoholic beer for receiving international award - September 22, 2023
  • Civil Society Organizations to the Israeli Supreme Court: Cancel the Racist Admissions Committees Law - September 22, 2023
  • CAIR Announces Lawsuit in D.C., Mass., N.J., Mich. Seeking End to Secret Government Watchlist - September 19, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Palestine & Jordan, Politics Tags:Christians, Froy Jimenez, Good Samaritan, Israel, Jews, justice, Muslims, Op-Ed, Palestine, peace

Post navigation

Previous Post: This Land is Your Land: God Blessed America for Me
Next Post: The Squad VS Ethnocracy by Trump and Tribe

Related Posts

  • Annual Update for Vanunu Mordechai, Israel’s nuclear whistleblower and Captive Arab World
  • Michigan Legislators cite Kayrouz for supporting anti-ambulance chasing law American Arabs
  • Syrian refugee camp in Turkey. Photo courtesy of Abdennour Toumi
    ADC protests US failure to grant Syria refugees sanctuary Activism
  • News media, reporters, microphones, Journalists at the UN School in Beit Lahi, Gaza Strip wait for the press briefing by António Guterres, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations. Guterres visited Palestine August 29 and 30, 2017. Photo courtesy of Mohammed Asad.
    Israel closes Palestinian youth media office in East Jerusalem, alleging terrorism Arab World
  • A protester holding a placard in Tahrir Square referring to Facebook and Twitter, acknowledging the role played by social media during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Same practices are now being applied in Israel to target Palestinian activists and use postings as evidence in legal persecutions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
    Israel’s ‘Cyber Unit’ illegally censors social media posts Arab World
  • Christian and Muslims iconic religious images in Occupied Jerusalem, Palestine. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Official Statement by President Trump on Jerusalem Arab World

More Related Articles

Asmaa al-Ghoul in Rafah (2014). Photo courtesy of Fares Al Ghoul and Doppelhouse Press Palestinian human rights activist publishes memoir on Arab Spring Arab World
AlDowayan exhibit continues through March 26, Miami American Arabs
US Veterans to Deploy to Standing Rock: #Donald Trump #DAPL #DakotaPipeline #standingrock American Arabs
Edward Said Festival Gaza October 2019. Photo by Tarek Masaud Gaza hosts Edward Said Institute for Music Education festival Arab World
Madama West Bank where Israeli soldiers and snipers shoot and fired at Palestinian civilians who were protesting. The soldiers were cheering eac time they hit or killed a civilian. The video is courtesy of B'Tselem, the Israeli civil rights organization Video: Israeli soldiers cheer shooting of Palestinian civilians Arab World
PLO Ashrawi urges Britain to recognize Palestine State Activism

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Windows at many American Arab owned stores were broken the day after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 14 Americans who "looked' Middle Eastern were murdered in the six months after the terrorism by Americans, most of whom were never prosecuted. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Disrespecting the memory of the 2,977 murdered victims of Sept. 11, 2001 by fueling a hatred of Arabs and Muslims
    September 11, 2023
  • Magdi A. Mofadal is the ambassador of Sudan to Austria
    Factors Stalling the Peace Process in Sudan
    August 28, 2023
  • Arab Americans and other minorities will suffer if automakers eliminate AM radio
    August 28, 2023
  • Magdi A. Mofadal is the ambassador of Sudan to Austria
    Reviving the Bread-basket Strategy: The Backbone of Sudan’s Recovery
    August 10, 2023
  • grab634.jpg
  • Ziyad-300x300FIndStore.jpg
  • NEWS
  • Bavaria non-Alcoholic
    Ziyad Brothers congratulates brewers of Bavaria non-alcoholic beer for receiving international award
    September 22, 2023
  • ADALAH confronts racist laws
    Civil Society Organizations to the Israeli Supreme Court: Cancel the Racist Admissions Committees Law
    September 22, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, announced Tuesday (Sept. 19, 2023) the filing of a lawsuit with a dozen plaintiffs seeking an end to the government’s secret watchlist that almost exclusively targets Muslims for harassment and humiliation when they travel.
    CAIR Announces Lawsuit in D.C., Mass., N.J., Mich. Seeking End to Secret Government Watchlist
    September 19, 2023
  • Furquan Ahmed serves as the Wayne County Community College District’s (WCCCD) Senior Vice Chancellor and President of the Northwest Campus.
    AHRC’s Announces its 2023 “Spirit of Humanity” Gala Awardees
    September 18, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, announced Tuesday (Sept. 19, 2023) the filing of a lawsuit with a dozen plaintiffs seeking an end to the government’s secret watchlist that almost exclusively targets Muslims for harassment and humiliation when they travel.
    CAIR Announces Lawsuit in D.C., Mass., N.J., Mich. Seeking End to Secret Government Watchlist
    September 19, 2023
  • Furquan Ahmed serves as the Wayne County Community College District’s (WCCCD) Senior Vice Chancellor and President of the Northwest Campus.
    AHRC’s Announces its 2023 “Spirit of Humanity” Gala Awardees
    September 18, 2023
  • MBC launches new satellite channel focused on Saudi Culture
    Saudis launch new Satellite TV channel dedicated to Saudi Culture
    August 18, 2023
  • Abed Ayoub ADC National Director (Aug. 2022)
    ADC launches Arab American Business Advisory Council
    July 14, 2023

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Events

  • Amer Zahr's 1001 Laughs Palestine Comedy Festival returns in 2023
    Amer Zahr's 1001 Laughs Palestine Comedy Festival returns in 2023
    16 Sep 23
  • Light in Gaza: Born of Fire Upcoming Book Tour Dates for Portland & Washington State
    Light in Gaza: Born of Fire Upcoming Book Tour Dates for Portland & Washington State
    30 Sep 23
  • US Council of Muslim Organizations to hold 10th anniversary Fundraiser
    US Council of Muslim Organizations to hold 10th anniversary Fundraiser
    15 Oct 23
    Oak Brook
  • Arab American Democratic Club to host 40th Anniversary celebration Nov. 1
    Arab American Democratic Club to host 40th Anniversary celebration Nov. 1
    1 Nov 23
    Bolingbrook

POPULAR POSTS

  • AHRC’s Announces its 2023 “Spirit of Humanity” Gala Awardees AHRC’s Announces its 2023 “Spirit of Humanity” Gala Awardees The American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) is pleased to announce its ... posted on September 18, 2023
  • Disrespecting the memory of the 2,977 murdered victims of Sept. 11, 2001 by fueling a hatred of Arabs and Muslims Disrespecting the memory of the 2,977 murdered victims of Sept. 11, 2001 by fueling a hatred of Arabs and Muslims ... posted on September 11, 2023
  • Factors Stalling the Peace Process in Sudan Factors Stalling the Peace Process in Sudan By Magdi A. Mofadal Sudan’s partners are sounding the alarm over the deteriorating ... posted on August 28, 2023
  • Arab-American influencers Furrha Family share secrets of their success Arab-American influencers Furrha Family share secrets of their success Salem Furrha and his eight children @theFurrhaFamily on TikTok and Instagram represent ... posted on February 6, 2021
  • CAIR Announces Lawsuit in D.C., Mass., N.J., Mich. Seeking End to Secret Government Watchlist CAIR Announces Lawsuit in D.C., Mass., N.J., Mich. Seeking End to Secret Government Watchlist The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) ... posted on September 19, 2023
  • Flooding slams Wayne County in Detroit Michigan: Dingell releases statement of support Flooding slams Wayne County in Detroit Michigan: Dingell releases statement of support Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) released the following statement ... posted on August 27, 2023

Recent Posts

  • Ziyad Brothers congratulates brewers of Bavaria non-alcoholic beer for receiving international award
  • Civil Society Organizations to the Israeli Supreme Court: Cancel the Racist Admissions Committees Law
  • CAIR Announces Lawsuit in D.C., Mass., N.J., Mich. Seeking End to Secret Government Watchlist
  • AHRC’s Announces its 2023 “Spirit of Humanity” Gala Awardees
  • Disrespecting the memory of the 2,977 murdered victims of Sept. 11, 2001 by fueling a hatred of Arabs and Muslims
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Glory to God int he Lowest by Author Rev. Donald Wagner
    Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land
    February 18, 2023
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Comedian Ahmed Ahmed at The Comedy Bar in Chicago June 9 - 11, 2023
    Comedian Ahmed Ahmed performs in Chicago June 9-11, 2023 at The Comedy Bar
    June 9, 2023
  • Ziyad Food item
    Essential recipes and ingredients during Ramadan 
    April 4, 2023
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme