Deep down, we all know that peace is best
Ray Hanania
Being Palestinian is like living on a roller coaster, a ride that has its ups and downs, its fear and its excitement. There are some days where I am angry about the violence that takes so many lives. And there are other days when I am frustrated by the lack of common sense.
Still, there are a few days when reason overcomes emotion, and deep down I know that if Israelis and Palestinians were to ever sign a peace agreement creating two-states, and then gave it a little time to heal the passions, we would be the closest of peoples.
Yes, Palestinians and Israelis would be allies in the Middle East. Everyone in the Middle East has paid a price for the endless Arab-Israeli conflict. Everyone is a victim. The only things that really separate us are politics, religion and our attitudes.
ItÂ’s not easy being human and itÂ’s not easy as a human to turn the other cheek and ignore an insult, or forget about pride. ItÂ’s not easy to forgive an enemy, or to remember the victims of violence without also stoking the flames of vengeance with hatred.
I agree with this part.
Hate is a byproduct of mixing anger and frustration. ItÂ’s a state of mind that causes people to act against someone else. During the past few months, weÂ’ve seen violence on both sides. Palestinians and Israelis trying to kill each other and inflict harm. Sometimes they have succeeded. Depending on where you stand, the chronology begins at your own suffering.
In the generic sense, this is true. However, within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the violence and suffering by each side, is not equal. It's not even close. One side has committed 100 times the violence and caused 100 times the suffering for the other side. So lets keep things in perspective.
I agree with this.
This is correct and could not be stated more.
The conflict is about
"land and fear"; it is not about Judaism and Islam.
That requires people to do something their not willing to do, which is look at themselves personally and see what their role has been in helping to create the conflict.
"What have I done wrong?"
"How have I contributed to the hatred?"
"What role have I played in all of this?"
Many people aren't willing to do that. For me personally, this conflict doesn't affect my daily life in any way. I'm not a jew and I'm not muslim. I'm a white, Irish Catholic living in Southern California and yet, I have to admit my own role in this conflict, whether I like it or not.
That's the first step all of us have to take. To stop lying to ourselves. Until you can do that, we cannot proceed to the next step.
That is true. Except the big problem with Abbas and the Palestinian's, is they view him as a corrupt politician and an Israeli puppet who does not have the Pals best interests in mind.
See what I mean? He doesn't have the Palestinian's best interests in mind.
Abbas is wrong to say that. One of the big problems in this conflict is people unwilling to hold Israel accountable for the crimes it has committed. The BDS movement is holding them accountable.
Now that's bullshit! If someone robs a bank, you do not cut deals with the bank robbers that allow them to keep some of the loot. If they break the law (or commit an injustice), you bring them to justice and hold them accountable for their crimes. That's exactly what happened to the ones who started WWII with the following Nuremburg trials.
Palestinian's hate Abbas for the reasons I mentioned above. That's why they voted for Hamas. Because they believe Hamas will look out for their interests more than Abbas.
Or how about just obeying the damn law? The United Nations Charter was created as a mechanism for people to settle their differences peacefully and without conflict. By honoring its Charter, peace can be attained. But by showing nothing but contempt and disdain for that Charter, peace will not happen.
That will happen when people have their
"Eisenhower moment". Just like average Germans refusing to believe the Holocaust, until Eisenhower made them bury the dead and it became impossible to deny it any longer. In this case, it will happen when people stop accepting the violence and start rejecting it.
Well, I hope you get your wish.
It's a good wish!
It's captivated me because I think far too many people in my country kiss a little too much Israeli ass.
Change only comes from within. The only one you can change, is yourself. That's where the focus must be. Always blaming the other guy, won't get it done. Like I said above, you have to look at your own role in all of this.
Oh c'mon! Israel is the big dog on the block. There isn't a single country in the ME that can whip their ass. The last time someone tried, they got their ass kicked in less than a week. And nothing has changed since. Israel exists and they're not going anywhere. Unless we give them Wisconsin (the Mormons already took Utah).
Anger and hatred can change things, or reason and compassion can change things for the better. Reason and compassion can help secure the future for everyone.
I agree with this.
If Israelis were to be more reasoned, and Palestinians less angry, maybe we could see each other for who we really are, cousins with the same past and the same future. I hope that future is peace.
The Palestinian's are angry, because Israel is not reasonable.