http://www.bruneitimes.com.bn/details.php?shape_ID=33758 Is Oprah blind to the perils of taking sides? <http://www.bruneitimes.com.bn/images/h_gradient.gif>
Manal Alafrangi 18-Jun-07 SHAME, shame, shame! These are the thoughts on many people's minds from the Middle East who learned that Oprah Winfrey has decided to go to Israel for a "solidarity visit". Invited by Elie Wiesel, a Jewish American novelist, a political activist, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a Holocaust survivor, Oprah declared that she sympathises with the suffering of the people of Israel and that she would make the trip with Wiesel soon. On his part, Wiesel said Israel was where the "major war against terror is currently taking place". What a way to sell his country _ using language that even the hawkish neo-conservative US administration has recently chosen to tone down. To begin with, there has always been an American "sacred bond" that attaches its well-being to Israel. But for a personality with such far-reaching influence as Oprah Winfrey to display one-sidedness or rather, total obliviousness to the flip side of the coin _ the Palestinians _ is shocking. Winfrey is known for her humanitarianism and compassion with those in need or those being treated unjustly and, in this instance, she cannot only visit one side of the conflict. When Hurricane Katrina hit the US, many Americans turned to Winfrey to find ways of helping those affected. She put her investigative cap on and, subsequently, her opinion mattered to people in such a way that her visit and consequent efforts in the state of Louisiana were widely discussed and praised across the nation. Winfrey is undoubtedly one of the most recognised figures on television. Here in the Arab world, hundreds of thousands of fans get to see her show every weeknight through MBC4. In the US, people listen to Oprah and many celebrities have joked she should run in the US presidential elections because she would win. This powerful lady is embarking on a very influential trip and I am not certain she realises its magnitude. Once she starts her "pilgrimage" to Israel, she will most likely be taken to the Jewish holy sites to visit. But will she consider visiting the Arab side of Jerusalem (that is, occupied East Jerusalem)? Will she consider visiting Palestinian towns like Ramallah, Gaza, Jenin or Bethlehem? Will she take time out to experience the checkpoints imposed on Palestinians by the occupying Israeli army? Will she ask to see the "separation wall" that has been dubbed an apartheid wall by most eye-witnesses? Will she meet with victims of Israeli aggression? Oprah should know that several other high profile celebrities have made their presence in Israel but they also visited the Occupied Territories. Last year, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters moved his concert in Israel from a Tel Aviv park to a joint Jewish Arab village once he realised the injustice Israel metes out to the Palestinians. Brazilian footballer Ronaldo also visited both sides. Unfortunately, the plight of Palestinians does not feature heavily in Western media but given the justness in the Palestinian cause, Arabs in general and Palestinians in particular, should have won the media war against the Israeli public relations machine in the West. Yet today, they continue to lose pretty badly. Arabs continue to be misperceived thanks to biased coverage of the region, specifically the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the war on Iraq. Some will say Arabs are simply not making enough effort and there is some truth to that; they have historically shown a lack of organisation or mobility amongst themselves when it comes to Western media; they still don't possess a common strategy that would have ensured long term success. Collectively, Arabs are divided. Many Arab representatives who make TV appearances are accused of being too emotional or out of tune (and out of style). Presentation is key and unfortunately, Arabs have fallen into the trap of showing too much emotion on television thus proving incapable of departing from their posture of simply recognising Western bias. But when it comes to news about Palestinians, Western media (specifically US media) is inherently biased. They always shy from reporting the Jewish state's wrongdoings. In this case, it's the duty of the Palestinians (government, US-based organisations and the people) to ensure that Winfrey is at least offered a defined and complete travel package in the Occupied Territories so that she can gain complete experience, even if her aim is to show compassion for the Israeli people. Oprah, give the other side a chance to show you their daily lives; that's all anyone is asking for. Gulf News [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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