ARE YOU FOR ISRAEL OR PALESTINE?
The Israel versus Palestine debate is polarising many people around the world.
In Northern Ireland, where I live the Roman Catholic/Nationalist communities are ignorantly flying the Palestinian flag in their areas.
On the other hand the Protestant/Unionist communities are ignorantly flying the flag of Israel.
Both Catholics and Protestants here are re-fighting the Irish/British war through the tragedy of the Middle East. I find this nausating and repugnant. No one, anywhere, should be jumping on a bandwagon about what is such an awful human tragedy.
The TRUTH is that BOTH the Israelis and the Palestinians have valid claims and arguments.
But the TRUTH also is that BOTH the Palestinians and Israelis are also doing wrong.
Because of its wealth and power Isreal is doing most wrong just now.
But if the Palestinians had Israel's wealth, power and weapons they would be doing the exact same as Israel is now doing - and maybe worse!
Both nations have a long sad history. Both nations have suffered greviously over the course of time.
And the International Community - in history - has been part of the sufferings of both nations.
It is a horrible thing that Israel's armed forces are killing hundreds of innocent civilians in Palestine.
But is it not also horrible that HAMAS is firing thousands of rockets into Israel from built up civilian areas - almost inviting retaliation?
In fact it suits Hamas' propaganda war that Israel kills hundreds of Palestinians. It's like the violent women with a child in her arms saying: "Are you going to hit me with the child in my arms". The child should not be there in the first place.
Hamas cannot win a war against Israel. Israel cannot defeat Hamas by military means.
They are BOTH coming at the tragedy from the wrong perspective.
Only a peaceful solution can last.
The Israelis and the Palestinians are going to have to realise that the land they are fighting over is going to have to be shared by their two nations.
They are going to have to agree borders. They are going to have to learn to be good neighbours.
They are going to have to share the city of Jerusalem - as a shared capital city.
They are going to have to decide that Allah and Jehovah is their ONE God who wants his children to live in peace.
In the meantime those people around the world who are "taking sides" and regarding the tragedy as some kind of military "world cup" are going to have to come to their senses.
All reasonable, decent, moral people should only be on one side - the side of Peace and Reconciliation between Israel and Palestine.
Anything else is a REMOTE partaking in the cup of hatred, bloodshed and death.
+Pat Buckley
22.7.2014.
I find it very sad, yet very telling, that this excellent and important posting has attracted not one single comment until now. I have been waiting to see if anyone would post one. Yet when you post blogs about the church, popes, bishops, scandals, priests with big penises...inundated with comments! What does it say I wonder? Children being murdered as we speak by the state terrorists of Israel = no comments. Ecclesiastical tittle tattle = numerous comments. We are a fickle and shallow lot on here. (not even the ever present, ever vocal Sean has anything to say). Oh the pity of it.
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point.
ReplyDeleteIts one of the problems about being a Blogger
Pat
Hi Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteHad I not been away for a few days, and "wi-fi'd" out, (cycling around Rathlin Island), I certainly would have complimented Pat's spot on comments on this unfolding tragedy.
I've learned a lot recently from other on line blogs and commentaries on the Israel/Palestine conflict, particularly about the Hamas tactics and apparant provocation. While we certainly cannot condone excessive "defensive" (?) retaliation by Israel, we can place it in perspective.
Pat's blog is very fair comment, and correct in that the only resolution is through give and take negotiation. Unfortunately, the future of the ordinary people are in the hands of the extraordinary, .....the power hungry versed in the dark arts of manipulation.
MourneMan Michael
Further reflection (while running in the forest, ...best place for thinking!) led me to wonder if the absence of comment you lament of may be related both to the fact that the conflict is seen as "far off", not particularly relevant to people "here", mostly in Ireland, and being far removed from readers' personal experience, they don't feel they can usefully contribute.
ReplyDeleteOther factors may be a realisation both/either of the sheer hopelessness of it all and the pointlessness of contributing?
MournemanMichael
I don't think you should be quite so judgmental about others. Silence often means many things. Many a true statement is followed by silence as one has nothing more to add. I read this and it reminded me of a conversation with a friend this week and about Israel and Palestine. I very quickly wanted to keep quiet as I realised we were debating someone else's nightmare and terror. Sometimes like this blog says we should stop the remote commentary. It seems to me that we today have all too much to say and little wisdom.
ReplyDelete