Back on Nov. 17 November, we published on our Shmoos page an inspirational picture: Posing together for Instagram at the Miss Universe pageant in Togyo, Miss Iraq, Sarah Idan, posted: “Peace and Love from Miss Iraq and Miss Israel.”
The countries do not have diplomatic relations, so it was a courageous sign of desiring peace and coexistence, and for seeing people as individuals, beyond labels.
In return, Miss Israel, Adar Gandelsman, caption on Instagram called Idan “amazing.”
Fast forward to December and the family of Miss Iraq, has been forced to flee their country. How messed up is that?
As Idan makes clear, she posted the picture “to express hope and desire for peace between two countries,” not out of support for the Israeli government or callousness to Palestinians.
Gandelsman was spot on about Idan’s courage. Following the family’s expulsion, Idan tweeted:
I’m not the first nor the last person to face prosecution over a matter of personal freedom. Millions of Iraqi women live in fear. #freeiraqiwomen https://t.co/Vt0YjFbyf4
— Sarai (Sarah Idan) (@grrrciara) December 15, 2017
The story of her family’s forced expulsion is an excellent microcosm of the hatred of Israel that exists in the Middle East. When it comes to Israel, no nuance is allowed, no expression of a more positive future. It’s all intolerance all the time. And woe betide anyone who dares express a different view.
Sadly, this turn of events isn’t surprising to anyone who has studied the culture of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If only all those in the UN currently denouncing President Donald Trump for his decision to acknowledge the obvious — that Jerusalem is and always will be the capital of Israel, even if the borders of that capital have to be defined — would spend just a moment trying to address the reality of the hatred that is fomented throughout the Middle East and Arab world against Israel, perhaps then peace and coexistence might have some kind of fighting champ.
Since that particular desire is pure fantasy, in the meantime, all we can say is Brava, Miss Iraq!
