Dearest Readers, it has been some time since I have contributed an article to Indymedia, but alas I felt compelled to contribute this small opinion to those that might feel interested in some thoughts. Recently, an article written by Sami El Saoudi, was taken off this site for reasons of ' lies, zionism...' Sami is an always has been of Arab Palestinian descent. He lives and works inside Israel due to the fact that he has Israeli citizenship. He also maintains very close and intimate ties with what scholars refer to as the Palestinian left-wing opposition. Within this left-wing one will find political and scholarly actors such as Sari Nusseibeh, who is a close homologue of the extreme-left wing activist Yossi Sarid and Beilin amongst others. Nusseibeh was until recently the respectful PA representative at the Palestine House in Jerusalem, most distinguished post to be held by a Palestinian (represent the Palestinians within Israel). It is clear that Sami, Nusseibeh and others have conflicting views from that held by the Palestinian Leadership in place. One could call these opinions as more moderate than those actually being advertised within the territories. However, having different opinions from the current leader Arafat can surely not be deemed as not appropriate to be posted on Indymedia. It would be like giving one's opposition to allowing the publishing of articles written by the Iraqi opposition during this time of war. I am not sure you understand! Iraq is probably going to war or is being dragged into a war, believe you it to be just or unjust it is happening. So all against the war want to do everything in their power to stop the war before it starts. This is good in principle. However, wanting to stop the war, does not imply that one must systematically obscure the true facts relative the Baas regime installed in Baghdad for the past 20+- years. Would it then be appropriate to ban Iraqi opposition criticism of the Iraqi regime from Indymedia? I think not and I challenge anyone to tell me the opposite. Constructive criticism is a must even if it does not pleasure you to hear it, you must accept it as a possible reality. Why accept one accusation while totally obliterating another accusation? The authors of Indymedia Belgium, are now going as far as accusing any Palestinian critical of the Palestinians or their leadership of being a pro-Israeli or a zionist or a collaborator. So let us say that if tomorrow all the Palestinians would decide to overthrow Arafat because they are sick of him, Indymedia and its authorship followers would go to Ramallah to sit in as human shields to protect him from the Zionist lying Palestinians. I believe it to be quite 'triste' that we have arrived at such a low and depressive point on indymedia. As, if I understand well, all criticism of the PA will wholly be dissallowed on this site! To me that sounds like imperialism and dictatorship albeit to a smaller scale extent. So then Indymedia is no better than Imperialistic mediums of communication such as the US or UK media's which tend to be slightly manipulated by the censors (the Government). How can people who continuously fuel accusations on this site claim to be devout humanists. How can you be on the one hand a humanist andf on the other a person who remains indifferent to death on any side of a conflict. Life is precious, Palestinian life, Jewish life, African life, Asian life, yes life in general. This is why I was saddened by Indymedia today when reading like I did in many Arab-source newspapers, that they were actually rather happy with the death of the Israeli astronaut. What satisfaction does one get from claiming hapiness from the death of another? How can you urge the world or the Israeli's to search for tears in their eyes when a Palestinian is killed innocently when you yourself do not do the same in such instances. I believe, based on a steady and full readership of the opinions marked down by the authors of Indymedia Belgium, that this is a site which is prone to a dislike of Israeli's and Jews in general. You seem to dislike the concept of death with strong vigour unless it is the death of an Israeli or a Jew.

With my complements and in the sincere hope that you will not censure my article for the sole purpose of serving your own passions.

ANEWVOICE