Not political

Chatted with a guy yesterday who explained that he was going to work for some weeks at a house with Jews and Palestinians in east Jerusalem but it wasn't political.

Not political?!

It amazes me that people can feel that not engaging in political debate means that you are not being political. Really it means that you are being deliberately ignorant - not engaging is itself a political position. It strikes me that there is no (defensible) apolitical stance.

This position seems to be rooted in the myth of 'balance' in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The idea being that the best approach is to be even-handed (the easiest way to do this being saying nothing for either side). However, this approach neglects the present injustice and the drastic extent to which the situation is currently out of kilter.

A true balance would come through achieving an equality of rights. Whilst this 'see-saw' is currently so out of balance it is necessary to unashamedly speak up for those who don't have a voice of their own, whilst remembering that the aim is not to take a side but to achieve a just peace for all.