What is a country supposed to do when it is constantly attacked? For a long time
Israel has been shooting down rockets aimed at its people. No one condemned those who were firing the missiles at Israel nor did they praise Israel's restraint.
Then three seminarians were kidnapped by those in control in Gaza and murdered. Israel retaliated. What a mess. A young Palestinian was murdered in return. The shelling of Israel intensified.
All these kidnappings and murders brought reactions. Those in the Gaza "celebrated" fiercely. The burial celebrations in Israel were more subdued. Neither side was right and reactions predictable. The reasons for all this probably go back deep into ancient history and neither side wants to admit that they have a common father or ancestor.
But ancestry is sometimes pushed aside by politics and even religion. Palestinians in the so called West Bank have remained rather quiet in all this and active in trying to bring some kind of peace. Yet a political group in Gaza is dedicated to the destruction of Israel and despite Israel's 'intrusion' keeps on shelling its perceived enemy. Who elected these people and their agenda and what does it say about them?
One cannot deny that both sides have a history and even that the august group called the United nations has much to be blamed for. I remember visiting the West Bank and talking to Arab people whose families had lived there over 400 years. Did the Jewish people have a right to a homeland? Did the Arab people need to be pushed out? It makes no difference now...it has happened.
The thing that surprises me is the economics of the region. I wonder what it would look like if both sides threw down their arms and instead joined in economic ventures that could easily rival the rest of the world and be a benefit to all living in that region. I wonder what would happen if sane people threw out all the religious radicals who instead of teaching peace and love incite riots and hatred. What a pipe dream. How unlikely. When people give up control and rely solely on what is assumed to be "gifted" leaders the consequences are clear.
If things do not change, sooner or later they will, and one side will no longer exist. Is this what is supposed to happen? When people choose to live this way perhaps there are no winners, although many delude themselves thinking that there are.
Israel has been shooting down rockets aimed at its people. No one condemned those who were firing the missiles at Israel nor did they praise Israel's restraint.
Then three seminarians were kidnapped by those in control in Gaza and murdered. Israel retaliated. What a mess. A young Palestinian was murdered in return. The shelling of Israel intensified.
All these kidnappings and murders brought reactions. Those in the Gaza "celebrated" fiercely. The burial celebrations in Israel were more subdued. Neither side was right and reactions predictable. The reasons for all this probably go back deep into ancient history and neither side wants to admit that they have a common father or ancestor.
But ancestry is sometimes pushed aside by politics and even religion. Palestinians in the so called West Bank have remained rather quiet in all this and active in trying to bring some kind of peace. Yet a political group in Gaza is dedicated to the destruction of Israel and despite Israel's 'intrusion' keeps on shelling its perceived enemy. Who elected these people and their agenda and what does it say about them?
One cannot deny that both sides have a history and even that the august group called the United nations has much to be blamed for. I remember visiting the West Bank and talking to Arab people whose families had lived there over 400 years. Did the Jewish people have a right to a homeland? Did the Arab people need to be pushed out? It makes no difference now...it has happened.
The thing that surprises me is the economics of the region. I wonder what it would look like if both sides threw down their arms and instead joined in economic ventures that could easily rival the rest of the world and be a benefit to all living in that region. I wonder what would happen if sane people threw out all the religious radicals who instead of teaching peace and love incite riots and hatred. What a pipe dream. How unlikely. When people give up control and rely solely on what is assumed to be "gifted" leaders the consequences are clear.
If things do not change, sooner or later they will, and one side will no longer exist. Is this what is supposed to happen? When people choose to live this way perhaps there are no winners, although many delude themselves thinking that there are.
