Israel's birth celebrated, mourned

REDWOOD CITY — Sarah Wienner was just 8 years old when the state of Israel was born.

She watched people dance in the streets of Tel Aviv after Israeli troops trounced the Arab Liberation Army in the 1948 War of Independence.

"We celebrated without end," said the now 68-year-old grandmother. "There was no more war. No more bloodshed."

On Thursday, a steady stream of revellers filled Temple Beth Jacob to celebrate Israel's Independence Day.

The flag of Israel was everywhere. If children didn't have one in their hand, they were making them out on the patio with blue and white construction paper.

Jonathan Alberts took everything in with a huge grin on his face.

"We're celebrating the bravery of Israeli soldiers who fought for Israel," said the 8-year-old with zeal. He stood next to Wienner, his grandmother. "It's a happy and sad day. Happy because we won the war, but sad for the people we lost."

However, outside the confines of the synagogue, another group of people was remembering Israel's 60th anniversary, but in a more mournful light.

Palestinians view the day as Nakba, the "Day of Catastrophe."

Noura Khouri, of Oakland, said Israel's occupation of the land destroyed 531 Arab villages, and 750,000 people were displaced from their homes.

Khouri is the organizer for the Free Palestine Peace and Solidarity Festival. It is a free event that will be held Saturday at San Francisco's Civic Center

"Sixty years is a landmark time for us," the 35-year-old said Thursday. "We want to share our narrative, and remind people that it is important to remember the Nakba in order for there to be peace in the Middle East."

Khouri grew up in Jerusalem's Old City. Most of her immediate family members were displaced after the Six-Day War in 1967 that drove out an additional 300,000 Arabs. Seven million people today are left in the diaspora as refugees.

Norman Licht, a member of Temple Beth Jacob, waved off the Palestinians' plight and said they have made attempts to re-write history.

"They (the Palestinians) think Israel doesn't deserve to be a state," the San Carlos resident said. "It's not really their home. People often wonder why it's so important we have the state of Israel. We have no place to go."

Libby Traubman, of the Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue in San Mateo, said there are two sides of the story that need to be told.

"At the happiness, joy and relief of the Jews who needed a homeland after a terrible experience with the Holocaust, it also brought suffering and loss to a lot of Palestinians," she said. "A lot of young Jews are taken to Israel every year, and they're told one narrative."

Adel Nazzal saw how the state of Israel affected his city on the central West Bank. The 60-year-old San Jose resident grew up in Ramallah, which was overrun by refugee camps. The area became economically depressed because of its limited resources.

"International communities seems to have forgotten what has happened there," Nazzal said. "I think about it all the time."

He wants the war to stop.

"Throughout the history of mankind, killing people never achieved anything," Nazzal said. "Both sides need to sit down without any pre-conditions. My hope is people will recognize that each other has a legitimate claim. Sixty years of war produced absolutely nothing."

Khouri said the Palestinians' strongest allies are the Jews — at least those not belonging to the Zionist camp. She wants Arab citizens to be viewed as equals, not as second- or third-class citizens.

"We're hoping to move forward," Khouri said. "Until Israel stops its human rights violations and honors international law, we're calling on the international community to boycott and divest itself from Israel, just as they did with South Africa in the case with apartheid."

Staff writer Christine Morente covers faith, families and can be reached at 650-348-4333.

or cmorente@bayareanewsgroup.com.