Exclusively in the new print issue of CounterPunch

HOLLYWOOD AND THE CIA — Film historian Ed Rampell details Hollywood’s entangled relationship with the CIA and the Pentagon; HOUSES OF THE DEAD: Nancy Kurshan exposes the cruel human rights offenses taking place inside America’s vast gulag of Control Unit Prisons; BROTHERHOOD OF SUMMER: David Macaray charts the history of the most powerful union in the US: the Baseball Players Association; TAR SANDS COME TO AMERICA: Steve Horn explains how the Keystone Pipeline debates have diverted attention from Big Oil’s other plans to transport Alberta’s oil into the US. PLUS: Jeffrey St. Clair on CONSTITUTIONAL ENTROPY; Mike Whitney on HOW THE BANKS TARGETED BLACKS; Chris Floyd on THE RISE OF BRITAIN’S TEA PARTY; Kristin Kolb on THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE; Kim Nicolini on the FILMS OF WILLIAM FRIEDKIN; and Lee Ballinger on POETS VS. THE ONE PERCENT.

Weekend Edition May 10-12, 2002

The Holy Lands: A Peace Vision

The Holy Lands, a Peace Vision

by Joady Guthrie

The Jews of the Holy Land decide they’ve had a Jewish state long enough; having gathered in enough of themselves. Now the Jewish state is causing more divisiveness than it’s any longer worth. They decide a modern Democratic Republic of the Holy Land would be better than a pseudo-Israel that tries to recreate ancient Judea and Samaria. They tire of being the only officially quasi-racist country. They are tired of the wars and guerilla wars conducted against them.

They pull down the Star of David flag, and hoist up a flag bearing the symbols of the three monotheistic religions. One main objective is to restore safety to the world’s religious pilgrims, of all three faiths, and, secondly, to tourists!

Another objective is peace forever. No longer do the Jews there think about a place of safety for the world’s Jews, because that safety is not obtainable there for them, given the divisiveness over who possesses which portions of the poor Holy Land, and over the means by which whoever obtained said possessions.

Perhaps in several generations time, this will come to pass. Such a vision certainly could only come true if pragmatically it was THE VISION that guaranteed greater peace. It’s a vision of the citizens of the Holy Land seeing themselves as the custodians or stewards of the Holy Land in its entirety.

One thing I like about this vision: Jewish settlers could remain living in the West Bank. All of today’s Jewish and Palestinian lands would be united as one. Within this framework a lot of things could be worked out.

Joady Guthrie, the second youngest child of folk singer Woody Guthrie, lives in Albany, California.