There is no turning back. It is time to learn a new lesson: We do no longer recognize the state of Israel. We could not recognize the South African apartheid regime, nor did we recognize the Afghan Taliban regime. Then there were many who did not recognize Saddam Hussein's Iraq or the Serbs' ethnic cleansing. We must now get used to the idea: The state of Israel in its current form is history.

We do not believe in the notion of God's chosen people. We laugh at this people's fancies and weep over its misdeeds. To act as God's chosen people is not only stupid and arrogant, but a crime against humanity. We call it racism.

Limits to tolerance

There are limits to our patience, and there are limits to our tolerance. We do not believe in divine promises as justification for occupation and apartheid. We have left the Middle Ages behind. We laugh uneasily at those who still believe that the God of flora, fauna, and galaxies has selected one people in particular as his favorite and given it funny stone tablets, burning bushes, and a license to kill.

We call child murderers 'child murderers' and will never accept that such have a divine or historic mandate excusing their outrages. We say but this: Shame on all apartheid, shame on ethnic cleansing, shame on every terrorist strike against civilians, be it carried out by Hamas, Hizballah, or the state of Israel!

Unscrupulous art of war

We acknowledge and pay heed to Europe's deep responsibility for the plight of the Jews, for the disgraceful harassment, the pogroms, and the Holocaust. It was historically and morally necessary for Jews to get their own home. However, the state of Israel, with its unscrupulous art of war and its disgusting weapons, has massacred its own legitimacy. It has systematically flouted International Law, international conventions, and countless UN resolutions, and it can no longer expect protection from same. It has carpet bombed the recognition of the world. But fear not! The time of trouble shall soon be over. The state of Israel has seen its Soweto.

We are now at the watershed. There is no turning back. The state of Israel has raped the recognition of the world and shall have no peace until it lays down its arms.

Without defense, without skin

May spirit and word sweep away the apartheid walls of Israel. The state of Israel does not exist. It is now without defense, without skin. May the world therefore have mercy on the civilian population. For it is not civilian individuals at whom our doomsaying is directed.

We wish the people of Israel well, nothing but well, but we reserve the right not to eat Jaffa oranges as long as they taste foul and are poisonous. It was endurable to live some years without the blue grapes of apartheid.

They celebrate their triumphs

We do not believe that Israel mourns forty killed Lebanese children more than it for over three thousand years has lamented forty years in the desert. We note that many Israelis celebrate such triumphs like they once cheered the scourges of the Lord as "fitting punishment" for the people of Egypt. (In that tale, the Lord, God of Israel, appears as an insatiable sadist.) We query whether most Israelis think that one Israeli life is worth more than forty Palestinian or Lebanese lives.

For we have seen pictures of little Israeli girls writing hateful greetings on the bombs to be dropped on the civilian population of Lebanon and Palestine. Little Israeli girls are not cute when they strut with glee at death and torment across the fronts.

The retribution of blood vengeance

We do not recognize the rhetoric of the state of Israel. We do not recognize the spiral of retribution of the blood vengeance with "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." We do not recognize the principle of one or a thousand Arab eyes for one Israeli eye. We do not recognize collective punishment or population-wide diets as political weapons. Two thousand years have passed since a Jewish rabbi criticized the ancient doctrine of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."

He said: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." We do not recognize a state founded on antihumanistic principles and on the ruins of an archaic national and war religion. Or as Albert Schweitzer expressed it: "Humanitarianism consists in never sacrificing a human being to a purpose."

Compassion and forgiveness

We do not recognize the old Kingdom of David as a model for the 21st century map of the Middle East. The Jewish rabbi claimed two thousand years ago that the Kingdom of God is not a martial restoration of the Kingdom of David, but that the Kingdom of God is within us and among us. The Kingdom of God is compassion and forgiveness.

Two thousand years have passed since the Jewish rabbi disarmed and humanized the old rhetoric of war. Even in his time, the first Zionist terrorists were operating.

Israel does not listen

For two thousand years, we have rehearsed the syllabus of humanism, but Israel does not listen. It was not the Pharisee that helped the man who lay by the wayside, having fallen prey to robbers. It was a Samaritan; today we would say, a Palestinian. For we are human first of all -- then Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. Or as the Jewish rabbi said: "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?" We do not accept the abduction of soldiers. But nor do we accept the deportation of whole populations or the abduction of legally elected parliamentarians and government ministers.

We recognize the state of Israel of 1948, but not the one of 1967. It is the state of Israel that fails to recognize, respect, or defer to the internationally lawful Israeli state of 1948. Israel wants more; more water and more villages. To obtain this, there are those who want, with God's assistance, a final solution to the Palestinian problem. The Palestinians have so many other countries, certain Israeli politicians have argued; we have only one.

The USA or the world?

Or as the highest protector of the state of Israel puts it: "May God continue to bless America." A little child took note of that. She turned to her mother, saying: "Why does the President always end his speeches with 'God bless America'? Why not, 'God bless the world'?"

Then there was a Norwegian poet who let out this childlike sigh of the heart: "Why doth Humanity so slowly progress?" It was he that wrote so beautifully of the Jew and the Jewess. But he rejected the notion of God's chosen people. He personally liked to call himself a Muhammedan.

Calm and mercy

We do not recognize the state of Israel. Not today, not as of this writing, not in the hour of grief and wrath. If the entire Israeli nation should fall to its own devices and parts of the population have to flee the occupied areas into another diaspora, then we say: May the surroundings stay calm and show them mercy. It is forever a crime without mitigation to lay hand on refugees and stateless people.

Peace and free passage for the evacuating civilian population no longer protected by a state. Fire not at the fugitives! Take not aim at them! They are vulnerable now like snails without shells, vulnerable like slow caravans of Palestinian and Lebanese refugees, defenseless like women and children and the old in Qana, Gaza, Sabra, and Chatilla. Give the Israeli refugees shelter, give them milk and honey!

Let not one Israeli child be deprived of life. Far too many children and civilians have already been murdered.

"Tuhan selalu punya rencana, kita diminta menunggu jemputan-jemputan dari faktor X, ini tingkatan kita...."

Benarkah kita diminta menunggu jemputan-jemputan yang akan mengantarkan kita kepada rencana-rencana Tuhan? Pertanyaan itu muncul begitu saja, saat seorang teman mengirim sebuah balasan sms diatas. Sebuah pertanyaan yang kadang aku telah menemukan sendiri jawabnya namun terkadang aku tidak mempercayai akan jawaban yang aku temukan sendiri. Tuhan selalu punya rencana, ya, aku percaya itu. Dari dulu aku percaya bahwa Tuhan selalu punya rencana atas kejadian-kejadian dan ketidakterjadian ketidak terjadian dalam perjalanan hidup. Selalu ada alasan untuk kejadian ataupun ketidakterjadian.

Menunggu kereta datang menjemput. Sudah terlalu lama aku menunggu di dalam peron kegagalan-kegagalan dan ketidakberuntungan. Bekal yang aku bawa dari rumah sudah mulai menipis, untuk tidak dibilang habis sama sekali. Memang bekal itu telah habis selama aku menunggu dalam peron itu. Namun kereta yang akan mengantarkan aku ke tempat tujuan yang lebih baik belum juga datang. Kapankah kereta itu datang? Aku tidak tahu.

Semula, ada beberapa kawan yang sama-sama menunggu. Namun satu persatu kereta mereka telah datang menjemput mereka. Kini aku sendirian. Menuggu keretaku datang menjemput, kereta yang tidak datang-datang juga. Atau mungkin, aku lah yang akan menjemput kereta itu? Aku tidak punya cukup kekuatan untuk berjalan apalagi berlari untuk menjemput keretaku. AKu hanya bisa duduk diam di sini, di satu titik yang bukan apa-apa. Bukan satu titik yang aku harapkan sejak semula, bukan pula satu titik yang aku harapkan setelah itu. Aku hanya bisa menunggu.

Naon sih tujuh belasan teh? urang rek carita saeutik yeuh,

Kamari, basa urang hudang sare tea, tului leuleumpangan ka jalan. Euleuh-euleuh, geuning rame nya', aya arak-arakan sagala. Aduh, naon eta, ondel-ondel? naha ondel-ondel bisa aya di dieu? Pan ondel-ondel teh ceunah ngan aya di Jakarta. Ah, ari jelma kreatif mah bisa wae ngajieun nanaon oge. Tului loba pisan jelma anu leleumpangan di jalan teh. Parawe. Pinuuuuhh, jalan jatinangor teh. dina hari-hari biasana oge geus pinuh jeung macet tea, ieu aya arak-arakan. beuki pinuuuh wae jalanan teh. Ngan urang teu ningali ti mimiti arak-arakan eta teh. da urang kabeurangan hudangnya.

Tujuh belasan kapungkur nya', tahun 2005, urang mah teu tujuh belasan di dieu, harita urang ulin ka situraja utara, Sumedang. Ari Situraja utara teh tempat urang KKN baheula. reuseup lah pokokna di ditu. Ari di Jatinangor mah, urang ngilu jadi penonton, ari di ditu mah, urang ngilu jadi anu ditonton, ngilu pawe lah, cekasna mah. Pan urang teh jeung barudak jeung warga-warga di ditu mah geus ngahiji, asa di lembur sorangan lah urang di ditu mah, matakna, mun ulin ka ditu teh, sanajan teu aya nanaon oge, pasti weh aya nanaon anu bisa dilakukeun.

Ceuk urang nya, sapenglihatan urang, tujuh belasan di dieu jeung tujuh belasan di situraja mah, ramean keneh di ditu. ejeung, leuwih kreatif jelma ditu ceuk urang mah. aya wae anu bisa ditampilkeun dina arak-arakan teuh. Harita nya, basa urang tujuh belasan di ditu, aya nu ngarana helikopter dijieun tina kardus jeung kertas. Badaaag pisan, saukuran lah jeung helikopter sabenerna mah, tului aya nu ngarana tank, dijieun tina gerobak dihias ku daun-daun, bomna make bom karbit anu pas diledakkeun teh suarana JUEDDEEEERRRRRR, tarik pisan. Ejeung tank eta teh di dorong ku tentara. nya emang lain tentara nyaan, tapi barudak anu marake seragam tentara geuningan, bari beungeutna dicoreng-coreng jadi harideung.

aduh, jadi nyesel urang teu kaditu teh euy, geus lila urang teu kaditu deui. sugan teh aya baturan anu ngajak kaditu, eh, kalaka euweuh. lain eta sih masalahna mah, da biasana ge urang kaditu sorangan. Ari masalahna mah, urang keur loba masalah di dieu teh, keur loba gawean anu kudu diselesaikeun. jadi weh teu bisa ulin kaditu. ejeung, anu pang pentingna mah, urang keur teu boga duit. Tah eta intina. Mun rek kaditu pan kudu naik bus atanapi angkot, tah eta.

geus ah.

Selalu saja ada yang tidak sanggup aku katakan saat suara berat laki-laki di dalam telepon itu bertanya. Ada rasa bersalah yang begitu tiba-tiba menghentakku. Rasa bahwa diri ini begitu lemah. Kekhawatiran-kekhawatiran itu, rasa takut itu. Aku hanya bisa diam menahan rasa takut dan air mata yang tiba-tiba saja membuncah di pelupuk mata. Ingin aku mencurahkan segala sesal dan salahku kepadanya, berikut kata maaf yang meski aku ucap beribu kali takkan sanggup menghapus semua dosaku padanya.

Pak, tak ada yang bisa diharapkan lagi dariku. Aku, anak kecil dalam gendonganmu yang dulu merengek-rengkek untuk berlari sendiri, aku anak kecil yang dulu bermimpi dapat menaklukkan dunia sendiri, aku anak kecil yang dulu kau harapkan untuk bisa mengangkatmu lebih tinggi. Aku tak sanggup, Pak, aku telah gagal. Entah telah berapa peluh telah kau kucurkan untuk mengajariku berlari, bahkan terbang. Entah berapa keringat telah kau peras keluar dari tubuhmu yang ringkih itu untuk memberiku bekal. Aku telah menyia-nyiakan itu semua, pak.

Bapak, dulu kaulah yang mengajariku untuk berani bermimpi, kau lah yang mengajariku untuk berani berharap terbang ke langit. Terima kasihku yang tak terkira untukmu, pak. Tapi aku mungkin terlalu berani bermimpi, pak. Mungkin aku terlalu berani untuk terbang terlalu tinggi ke langit. Hingga saat aku terjatuh, aku sekarat, aku tak berdaya, aku kalah. Salah siapa? Bukan salahmu, pak. salahku sendiri. Aku telah mengabaikan petuah-petuahmu, aku telah mengabaikan petunjuk-petunjukmu.

Saat itu aku begitu terlena saat tubuhku tengah melayang tinggi.... (baca lanjutannya? Klik di sini), atau Klik Curhat

Sesobek kertas di sepatu kiri? Ah, mungkin itu hanyalah serpihan kertas yang telah disobek-sobek oleh orang, beterbangan ditiup angin dan mendarat di sepatu kiri kita. Namun, siapa sangka, sesobek kertas di sepatu kiri berguna layaknya sebuah software chating yang meniscayakan komunikasi dua orang tanpa tatap muka dan suara. Itulah kiranya sekilas tentang cerpen berjudul Sesobek Kertas di Sepatu Kiri yang menjadi judul buku kumpulan cerpen Shofa Muhammad, penulis muda kelahiran Kota Batik Pekalongan.

Resensi Lengkap, Klik di sini

Menyusuri jalanan Babakan, sebuah desa sebelum pantai wisata Pangandaran, kau akan mendengar deru ombak pantai yang bersusulan berkejaran tak pernah berhenti. Deburan suara itu akan mengundangmu untuk mendekati, mencari darimana suara itu datang. Ia tidak jauh. Pantai itu tidak jauh. Dengan berjalan melewati gang kecil di samping rumah di pinggir jalan, lalu berbelok ke arah belakang, lurus, kau akan berjumpa dengan pantai. Kau akan berjumpa dengan laut.

Pantai itu terlihat alami, tidak ada beton-beton penahan gelombang. Karena memang gelombang dan ombak lautan yang menghempas pasirnya tidak terlalu tinggi. Ada sebuah perkampungan nelayan disana. Di saat kau berjalan untuk menuju pantai itu, kau pasti akan disapa oleh seorang ibu atau mungkin seorang bapak yang tengah merajut atau menjahit kembali jala-jala bekas menangkap ikan tadi malam. Atau kau akan disapa oleh seorang bapak yang tengah menambatkan perahunya di tepian pantai.

baca lanjutannya ya.. masih panjang kok.

Bocah lelaki itu menggenggam tangan legam kakeknya yang tengah melangkah tergesa menyusuri jalanan kota yang baru saja bangun menyambut udara pagi.

”Punya. Ibumu itu orang kaya. Jika kau sudah bertemu dengannya, kau tidak usah mencari duit lagi di perempatan-perempatan kota menjual suaramu yang jelek itu.”

(baca lanjutannya?)