(I write this as if anyone will listen. That is my mistake, and it often causes me pain.) Israel/Palestine Neither side has credible leadership. Both sides refuse to make the difficult decisions necessary to find and implement a true solution. Both sides must rein in their zealots. Both sides must rein in their own speech. This round started with the tragic deaths of three innocent Jewish boys and the retaliatory death of an innocent Arab boy. Those cases should have been treated solely as matters of law enforcement. Instead, the reactionary on both sides ratchet up their hate speech, dust off their rocket launchers and tire irons, and start figuratively and literally cracking heads giving the calculating on both sides grounds for maintaining conflict as a matter of preserving themselves; as a matter of simple, personal self-interest. Israel uses isolated rocket fire as a grounds for continuing its war -- perennially of attrition though sometimes more directly as now of open aggression -- against the Palestinian people, and the militant elements of Hamas use Israels oppression to focus all discontent away from themselves. Both sides are failures. Israel is a failure. Palestine is stillborn. There is no state there worth saving as it is. Who would wish to support either side if those sides are founded and maintained simply out of fear and if that fear -- as it does today -- justifies the subjection and abuse of others for the mere fact that they are different and therefore easy targets? (It is a gross display of tribalism and nothing more, and when it happens in developing countries statesmen and women from every far-flung corner denounce it without fail.) Of course, Israel will argue her security concerns are legitimate. I would, however, ask Israel: when will you acknowledge your role in your own insecurity? You blockade an entire people. You keep them poor. You keep their hospital shelves empty and their hospital beds full. You make the Palestinian people live as if in concentration camps. You make them ask your permission to move freely and to work freely and to eat. You abuse their dignity and perpetually treat their lives as insignificant to your own. And, when you decide it your due and when you decide making them live without the basics of life simply not punishment enough, you make war on their territory and kill their innocent people excusing yourself by consigning their women and children to collateral in your efforts to secure your peace. You have made Hamas a legitimate party. Hamas provides services you do not. You have allowed Hamas a dual role as protector of the Palestinian people and aggressor against you. Perhaps if you were smarter or at least less committed to your own persecution you would provide for the Palestinian people? Perhaps you would then demonstrate for all the difference between true kindness and those who use kindness for some as a rationale for their hatred of others? Israel: if you were kinder to your enemies perhaps you would find you have far fewer enemies than you do today. Open your borders. Provide services. Disband the settlements. Invest in the future of the Palestinian people. Give them some smidgeon of their own land. Just as you needed a homeland because the world truly did not want you, they need their homeland because you do not truly want them. If some angry men continue to fire upon you, arrest them and place them in jail. I think if you do, you will find very few will fault you. If you do not, you will always live in a state of war. Note: I realize Israeli authorities detained six for the death of Mohamed Abu Khdeir; three being released and three being remanded. Responding as Israel does to every threat with double vengeance is the problem. No one should fire upon Israel and no one should be subjected to Israels perpetual blockade of the Gaza strip. Israel, as mandated by the UN, needs to get out of the West Bank -- i.e. truly take on its zealots by removing the settlers -- and investigate and prosecute every act of terrorism against Arabs by settlers and, of course, every act of terrorism against Israel should be investigated WITHIN LEGAL PARAMETERS NOT BY ROLLING INTO GAZA TO COMMIT ACTS OF WAR AND EVOKE SHEER TERROR IN AND ENSUING HATRED FROM ALL SUBJECTED TO THAT ABUSE OR BY BLOWING UP PEOPLES HOUSES. P.S. To any apologists, I would ask: which side causes more physical, psychological and emotional damage? Which side causes more loss of life? Which side evokes more fear?
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 20:59:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015