'Israel appears to suffer from the same symptoms that plague Arab dictators; the failure to learn that they need to change before it is too late.'<blockquote>Despite its claims of superiority, Israel appears to suffer from the same symptoms that plague Arab dictators; the failure to learn that they need to change before it is too late. It's been too late for Mubarak, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Assad, Muammar Gaddafi and Ali Abdullah Saleh. Israel has oppressed the Palestinians for so long, and has incurred the wrath of the Arab masses whose revolutions are bringing hope to Palestinians.
Whichever way one looks at it, the Arab revolutions are the best news the Palestinians have had for decades.'
- Azzam Tamimi,
Our freedom is now closer, 2 May 2011</blockquote>
'..frozen in place for decades, the Arab world is thawing, with big change in the offing..'<blockquote>'Challenged by popular resistance movements that are difficult to suppress and won't be bought off, decrepit and desperate regimes throughout the Arab world are, in effect, engaged in committing serial suicide. By demonstrating their incapacity and unworthiness to govern, they forfeit legitimacy. Whether the end comes quickly or slowly, is messy or neat, it comes. In Tunisia and Egypt, it already has. In Yemen, the timetable appears set. In Bahrain, Syria and perhaps elsewhere, the clock is ticking, loudly and insistently. Although Libya's Kadafi is testing the proposition that brute force can turn back that clock, his efforts are doomed to fail. Even if he "wins" the ongoing civil war, victory will leave Kadafi a pariah, with his regime living on borrowed time.
Frozen in place for decades, the Arab world is thawing, with big change in the offing. As events have made clear, Washington's ability to direct this process (or even to anticipate its course) is negligible. Whether Arabs end up being governed by liberals or Islamists — or Rotarians, for that matter — is something that they themselves will decide.'
- Andrew J. Bacevich,
Arab uprising.., May 1, 2011</blockquote>
'..tired of living in a psychological prison of fear..'<blockquote>'Today we see many Syrians standing up and saying enough is enough. It is enough for so many who have been disappointed, abused and arbitrarily subjected to the vagaries of corrupt officials in the regime, both high and low. My friend, like many other Syrians, is tired of living in a psychological prison of fear that forces him to constantly look over his shoulder in public when having a discussion with a friend, or wondering if he may have offended someone who has the influence to send him to jail.
Syrian culture is rich with so many textures and flavours and the people themselves – strong and yet hospitable – deserve the right to choose their own future, be it political or personal. My friend takes part in protests wherever possible and one of his friends has already been killed. Yet I admit I have urged him more than once (guiltily) to leave the country rather then risk being killed or imprisoned – to which he has always responded: "Oh brother, this is my country and I will stay here and fight until we are free or until they kill me. Remember me and tell our story so the world knows what we did here." '
- Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff,
Life in Syria's psychological prison of fear, 29 April 2011</blockquote>