The violation of foundational humanity is at times so shocking that no political rationale can justify it. Yet humanity requires that in the end political solutions must be sought and found.
Thanks, Joe for your thoughtful and nuanced take on this horrendous situation. I’m glad you ended on a hopeful note at a time when despair is an almost unavoidable reaction. My own natural optimism has been failing me.
Joe, as always thank you for all your effort in articulating these challenging issues. After reading your piece and the comments that support the state of Israel and it's right to defend itself I am trying to understand for myself why I always come down on the side of the Palestinians. Am I one of the misguided leftists who is just so tired of the complete oppression of Palestinians all these decades and so frustrated by the inability to formulate a peace process that sticks, that I cannot give myself over to Israel's tactics and defense? That the always disproportionate response from Israel invokes so much anger in me? I love Israel and its people, I was there in "98 for the 50th anniversary and I have family and friends who live there. And since I was in my 40s at the time I had a deep awareness of the occupation and an uncomfortableness knowing I was so close to that oppression. What happened last Saturday is about as horrible in war as things can get. I am sickened by it and I'm sickened by what is happening now. So this is my solution. WE (that is average people going about their lives) have to ask the Vietnameses Buddhists who are descendants of the Vietnam War and were active in that process of reconciliation and the Paris Peace Talks to intervene with the Israelis and Palestinians as neutral arbiters of peace. Something different has to happen because as of today nothing is different than every other incursion and response. Let the Buddhists have a hand at bringing peace to these people. They have to tools and the capacity to do it. Bring in people who have no skin in the game. This is what gives me hope....the idea that there are people who can mediate peace from a completely different perspective. I don't mind being overly idealistic. "Idealism leads to change." If anyone else has any new ideas please share them because whatever we have been doing up until now is not working. And thanks for listening.
It is well written but is mostly one-sided. Hamas has undoubtedly started this act of terrorism killing over one thousand Israeli civilians but Israel's response has also killed so far nearly two thousand innocent Palestinians. It must be condemned. Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have been living under horrible conditions for decades. The establishment of several illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank cannot be ignored from where the settlers have attacked nearby villages killing Palestinians. One such attack took place following the Hamas' terrorist attack of last Saturday and killed 5 innocent Palestinians.
This article represents my views so much better than my efforts. I too am gravely disappointed by my left-wing friends who fall back to shop worn slogans ranting against western imperialism imposing Europeans into the Mideast, unequal power by Israel, and Israeli privilege (a terrible steal from the valid concept of white privilege). As if these slogans justified wanton terrorism. It is as if they would rationalize ISIS or Hitler's depravity because of a bad deal for Germany following WW I. I too hope (even without much expectation) that somehow a brighter future for Palestinians will rise from the ashes of what will undoubtedly happen in Gaza.
Thanks, Joe for your thoughtful and nuanced take on this horrendous situation. I’m glad you ended on a hopeful note at a time when despair is an almost unavoidable reaction. My own natural optimism has been failing me.
Let us keep Hope Alive that a move amiable authority will emerge in Gaza
Joe, as always thank you for all your effort in articulating these challenging issues. After reading your piece and the comments that support the state of Israel and it's right to defend itself I am trying to understand for myself why I always come down on the side of the Palestinians. Am I one of the misguided leftists who is just so tired of the complete oppression of Palestinians all these decades and so frustrated by the inability to formulate a peace process that sticks, that I cannot give myself over to Israel's tactics and defense? That the always disproportionate response from Israel invokes so much anger in me? I love Israel and its people, I was there in "98 for the 50th anniversary and I have family and friends who live there. And since I was in my 40s at the time I had a deep awareness of the occupation and an uncomfortableness knowing I was so close to that oppression. What happened last Saturday is about as horrible in war as things can get. I am sickened by it and I'm sickened by what is happening now. So this is my solution. WE (that is average people going about their lives) have to ask the Vietnameses Buddhists who are descendants of the Vietnam War and were active in that process of reconciliation and the Paris Peace Talks to intervene with the Israelis and Palestinians as neutral arbiters of peace. Something different has to happen because as of today nothing is different than every other incursion and response. Let the Buddhists have a hand at bringing peace to these people. They have to tools and the capacity to do it. Bring in people who have no skin in the game. This is what gives me hope....the idea that there are people who can mediate peace from a completely different perspective. I don't mind being overly idealistic. "Idealism leads to change." If anyone else has any new ideas please share them because whatever we have been doing up until now is not working. And thanks for listening.
A thoughtful and reasoned analysis. Let's hope for a good outcome for all.
It is well written but is mostly one-sided. Hamas has undoubtedly started this act of terrorism killing over one thousand Israeli civilians but Israel's response has also killed so far nearly two thousand innocent Palestinians. It must be condemned. Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have been living under horrible conditions for decades. The establishment of several illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank cannot be ignored from where the settlers have attacked nearby villages killing Palestinians. One such attack took place following the Hamas' terrorist attack of last Saturday and killed 5 innocent Palestinians.
This article represents my views so much better than my efforts. I too am gravely disappointed by my left-wing friends who fall back to shop worn slogans ranting against western imperialism imposing Europeans into the Mideast, unequal power by Israel, and Israeli privilege (a terrible steal from the valid concept of white privilege). As if these slogans justified wanton terrorism. It is as if they would rationalize ISIS or Hitler's depravity because of a bad deal for Germany following WW I. I too hope (even without much expectation) that somehow a brighter future for Palestinians will rise from the ashes of what will undoubtedly happen in Gaza.
Remarkable, Joe. Can you try to get it published more widely?
I had read that the early accounts of decapitated infants was unsubstantiated