From Palestine with Love

It's an ancient feminist adage that the personal is the political, and while I'm weary of feminists ( their hatred for men and their anti-Islamic views irk me ) I must say they're right in that regard. I simply cannot date or have dealings with a man unless I know how he feels about my people. Would you advise a black woman to date a white guy who might be a Skinhead? Of course not. Then don't act surprised if a Muslim woman from the embattled nation of Palestine has certain questions for a Jewish guy before going out with him. It's simply a safety issue, alright?

I checked Benny Solomon's Facebook for anything that might shed some light on his political leanings. His Facebook profile only contains four pictures. Him with his parents and a Rabbi at his Bar Mitzvah, ages ago. His father Eugene Solomon is white, short and bald. His mother Jeannette Saint-Pre is tall, voluptuous and dark-skinned. I guess Benny gets his height from her. Pictures of Benny and his parents at his high school graduation. And most recently, a picture of Benny in soccer gear, standing next to some guys. His buddies, I guess. I saw that he supported a lot of causes, from Marriage Equality to the return of the Canadian Football League in Ottawa. Progressive guy, I see.

I combed Benny Solomon's profile for the usual red flags such as the English Defence League, the most pro-Zionist organization on Facebook, and Islam Exposed. These two give a really bad name to all Muslims and anyone who isn't pro-Israel and pro-Western society. Why they're still allowed on Facebook is beyond me. Proof as to who really controls the media, I guess. I get my news from Al Jazeera and no place else. Every other media outlet is a puppet of Zionism. I didn't find any such things on Benny's profile, and breathed a sigh of relief. Still, I had to find another way to gauge his feelings. What's a gal to do?

I sent Benny an invite to a group called Scholars Against Israeli Apartheid, and waited for his response. Shortly after I sent it, he accepted and joined. I watched his first posts. Benny introduced himself to the group, and announced that while a proud Jew, he didn't approve of Israel's mistreatment of the Palestinian people and stated that he prayed for peace. I smiled at that. Good. Satisfied, I called Benny, and casually asked him what's up. We ended up talking for more than an hour, about anything and everything.

A lot of times when I'm on the phone with a guy, it's hard to get ten words out of them. They'll let me talk and talk, without getting a word in edgewise. Not the situation with Benny. We're both talkers. He was excited about being in his final semester at Algonquin College. Next stop the police college, Benny said wistfully. I sensed a lot of excitement and some fear on his part as we talked about his career. You can totally be a cop, I said, recalling how Benny saved my skinny butt from getting flattened by a pickup truck the first time we met. Thank you for believing in me, Benny said.

This was getting a little deep for me, but I just rolled with it. No worries, I said to Benny. We talked about the school, the basketball team's prowess this past season, and the fact that even students from bigger institutions like Carleton University and the University of Ottawa were ditching them for little old Algonquin College. The career college that actually gets you a job instead of just a piece of paper and some fond memories. A funny thing about Ottawa being a government town? College graduates usually end up working at fancy offices downtown while university grads end up serving them coffee. College gets you prepared for today's working world. University gives you a piece of paper and a pat on the back. I wish I could run that as an ad online and in newspapers. That would be the day.

Benny and I both laughed about that, then he brought up a subject that surprised me. Typically, I'm the one who brings up politics, not the guys I date/befriend/deal with. I am a Jew who opposes the Zionist mistreatment of Palestinians but I respect Israel's right to exist, Benny said firmly. I took a deep breath. Seriously, I'd been meaning to have that talk with him but wasn't sure how to broach the subject. I am a Palestinian Muslim gal who respects all religions and nations as long as they respect mine, I said truthfully. I heard Benny exhale, then he told me we were on the same page. I doubt it, but isn't it a nice thing for him to say?

Benny's a nice guy with a good head on his shoulders, lots of ambition, along with a good heart, a tight body and a ridiculously sexy ass. Seriously, women must grab his butt every chance they get. One day I mean to feel on it. Once we get up close and personal. That's why I agreed to go to the movies with him. The following day, Tuesday, we met at Silver City theater in the east end, and watched The Single Moms Club. Benny was surprised when I told him I love Tyler Perry movies. So what? I'm an Arab woman and I can enjoy a romantic comedy as much as the next gal. Benny smiled at that and told me I'm a handful. You got no idea, I winked at him.

I had a good time at the movie, and I assumed Benny was honest when he said he enjoyed it as well. We walked out of the theater together, and went to the Blair mall food court for a quick bite. We laughed and discussed the movie ( and other things ) over Pepsis and cheese pizza. Afterwards since it was getting late, Benny and I hopped on the 95 Bus heading to Baseline. We live on opposite ends of town. I'm in Vanier, and can get home easily enough from the Saint Laurent Mall. Buses 9, 14 and 18 go near my neighborhood. Benny lives all the way in Barrhaven. Damn.

It's going to be a long trip but you're worth it, Benny said, smiling at me as we stood on the crowded bus. People were pressed against each other like sardines. Since I'm well, a short chick, my head barely comes up to Benny's chest. I'm tiny standing next to him. I got a wonderful wicked idea, and kind of 'accidentally' stepped on his sneakered foot with my high heels. Ouch, Benny groaned. As he leaned down, wincing in pain, I stood on my tippy toes and planted a wet one on his lips. Yup, that's right, I kissed Benny. I, the supposed shy, repressed and boring, stereotypically-seen-as-submissive Muslim chick boldly kissed the cute and worldly Jewish guy I liked in front of everybody.

To say that Benny was surprised by my kiss would have been a severe understatement. Still, he kissed me back passionately enough. Good to know the lad's got some skills. I'm a bossy chick who likes to take the lead but I don't want to have to teach him everything. When we came up for air, he looked at me, a stunned look on his face. Wow, he said breathlessly. Good night Goyim, I winked, and gave that ass of his a firm grab. Benny jerked up in surprise. Bet he didn't expect that from me!

Laughing, I squeezed my way toward the bus's rear door. We were nearing the Saint Laurent Mall bus stop and as cute as Benny is, I'm not going to miss my stop for anybody. Not in the dead of the Canadian winter. I waved a stunned-looking Benny goodnight, then hopped off the crowded bus. I was still giggling to myself as I boarded the 18 bus to head home. I checked my phone, and read a very promising text from Benny. Your lips taste sweet and we must do this again sometime, he wrote. Hmmm. Sounds good to me. This lad is very promising, though I'll have to teach him a thing or two. It's going to be fun. Stay tuned for more.

That's how our relationship began, ladies and gentlemen. The union of opposites, if you will. Who would have thought? A young biracial man born to a secular Jewish father and Haitian immigrant mother, and a young Muslim woman born to Palestinian immigrant parents. We're about as unlikely as a couple can be, but we care deeply for each other. My relationship with Benny was destined to change my life. Now, don't get it twisted. I am as passionate about Palestinian liberation as I've ever been. I simply learned to distinguish between Judaism, a beautiful religion, and Zionism, an oppressive and racist system. Through Benny and his family ( his parents were initially concerned but now they love me ) I met lots of Jews who oppose Israel's mistreatment of Palestinians. They're sincere about it, by the way. I had my doubts but they won me over.

Life, love and politics aren't simple. I lost several friends when I revealed to them that I, Mona Mahmoud, the Fire Cracker of the international group Scholars Against Israeli Apartheid, and a proud Palestinian Muslim woman, am in a committed relationship with Benny Solomon. He's half black, half white, AND he's Jewish. My parents were NOT pleased when I told them. In fact, they did everything from cajoling me to threatening me with bodily harm and familial exclusion if I did not end my relationship with Benny.

What's a gal to do in such a situation? I stood my group. Benny and I now live together. Thankfully his parents support us. They went through all kinds of hell as an interracial couple in 1980s Canada and can kind of relate to what Benny and I go through. I thank Allah for them. Benny is so lucky to have them. You see, I love this young man and wouldn't give him up for the world. Never mind that we're from different faiths and that our people seem hell-bent on murdering one another. We love each other, and we're both devoted to the one true God. The one I call Allah and whom Benny calls Yahweh. As for Israel and Palestine, all I can do is pray for them.

With Benny by my side, along with some Christian, Jewish and Muslim friends, I call for Palestinian liberation while respecting the right of the Jewish nation to exist, something that doesn't sit right with many Arabs. I honestly don't care. I choose to believe in love over hate, in peace over war. I was the most die-hard ( but nonviolent ) hater of all things Israeli. Now I'm an outcast from my Palestinian family for loving a Jewish guy. I guess the Christians are right when they say God works in mysterious ways. If someone told me a while ago that I'd walk out on my Palestinian Muslim family for the love of a mixed-race Jewish guy, I would have laughed in their face. Now Benny and I go to bed together every night, just another happy, loving couple in the Canadian capital. Maybe there's hope yet for our respective peoples.