Two ladies, and one "secret word" - Fawwaz Traboulsi on Helen Thomas and Hanin Zoubi

Once again, I continue to refrain from blogging on the many issues on my mind and the many issues I'd like to blog about - partly due to an intellectual need to refrain from momentary, anger-driven expression of opinions, and partly due to other commitments. However, I came across this article on the Lebanese leftist As-Safir, by AUB professor and civil war ideologue, historian and veteran Fawaz Traboulsi which I simply couldn't help but forward unto my blog and comment on.

In his article, Fawaz Traboulsi writes of two women, and one Freedom Flotilla. Both ladies fell victim to politically-driven harassment at "the work place:" one has been forced to resign her very successful lifetime career and the other on her way to the same fate.

90-year-old Helen Thomas, chief White House correspondent was harassed-until-resigning by "hands behind the scene" and the Jewish Lobby in the US. Helen retired on June 7, 2010, in the wake of widespread criticism following her saying in an interview that Jews should "get the hell out" of Palestine and "go home" to Europe and America. Helen Thomas has served as presidential correspondent since the election of John F Kenedy to the White House in 1960-1961 and has been the White House's "Sitting Buddha" ever since.

90-year-old Helen Thomas from Kentucky

Arab-Israeli Member of the Knesset, Hanin Zoubi is the second lady. After her incident with her "own country's" naval forces on May 30, Hanin attempted to give a parliamentary statement explaining what happened from the perspective of someone who was on the boat, not cheering at the port of Ashdod. A right-wing Jewish MP from the "Israel Beiteinu" (Israel is our Home) attacked and hit Hanin in the Knesset. The elegant Palestinian Hanin told her attacker "go back to Russia [if you don't like my presence]."

41-year-old Hanin Zoubi from Nazareth

The veteran, and oldest-serving White House correspondent was forced to resign under accusations of anti-Semitism, racism and terrorism! An inquiry has been opened and Hanin is threatened of losing her parliamentary privileges and perhaps membership of the legislature.

I wonder if this could possibly qualify as coercive violation and repression of freedom of opinion and freedom of expression in two countries that take pride (perhaps in other cases, rightly so) in their legacies and traditions of democracy and free expression?