No matter how often that charge is made, it will never be true. But it is a tragedy. No matter how much energy each side expends on justifying its actions and no matter if one side really is more justified than the other, it remains a tragedy. Instead of scoring PR points on each other, I wonder if all sides could start by admitting that. Could we begin by admitting that what's going on is terrible for people on both sides of the Israel-Gaza border?
I wrote earlier about why people make such inflated claims as this ground war being a new Holocaust, how such claims actually retard the search for lasting peace, and I will do so again later. But instead of adding one more voice to a conversation in which almost nobody is listening to anybody telling them anything other than what they already believe, I opt to ask questions.
Albert Einstein said that no problem can be solved at the level of consciousness which created it. He was right then and remains especially correct about this conflict. Of course, each side can tell a compelling story and find its supporters--increased missiles, new ground forces, etc.
Each side can rehash a specific narrative which keeps it mired in the same old processes. And we can keep on killing each other--the bombs and bullets don't really care which side is morally superior. Or, with the safety of thousands of miles, we can begin a new conversation based on new questions which might lead to a new and safer reality for all.
And after nine days of trading bombs and justifications, what has been accomplished? Where is the calculus between 10,000 missiles falling on civilians in Israel, driving an entire population into shelters and claiming many lives, and bombing, artillery and ground forces, which, no matter how surgical, have claimed the lives of over 150 civilians according to UN sources? Does either make sense? Will these actions achieve the stated goals of either side?
Israel's stated goal, one which makes perfect sense to most people, is to lessen (forget about ending) the steady rain of rockets on Israeli civilians. But since the number and type of weapons flying out of Gaza has only increased in recent days (though numbers are down from pre-war highs), one wonders if this is the best way to achieve that goal.
Hamas' stated objective is the destruction of the State of Israel, a goal no longer shared even by most in the Arab world, witness the response of most Arab heads of state. They blame Israel for the proportionality of its response but admit that Hamas ended the cease fire and provoked this war with their endless missiles. And do they really think that Israel is going to allow itself to be destroyed in any case? It's not going to happen.
But having just managed to upset people on both sides of this conflict, I ask you, what do you suggest Israel and Hamas do? What would you do if you suddenly found yourself leading either government? What are your long-term aspirations? What would you offer in order to achieve them? What would you demand?
Please spare us the justifications for the side which you happen to support, why you are the innocent victim, etc. Even if you are right, there is little evidence that those you most wish to hear you can possibly do so right now. And there is no scenario in which only one side has to make all the changes, so forget about that as well. None of that will bring peace. So I ask, what will?
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Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
Dev,
In the real world, if you are an adult, you gauge your position. Your response to a threat or provocation probably depends on what you believe your capabilities are in comparison to the person or situation threatening you. And then, if you are an ethical adult, you consider whether the action you are leaning toward is one likely to achieve the security goal you set for it or whether it is gratuitous.
But to say, "We will win because HASHEM is on our side," is naive at best. But let's go with this. The only win worth attempting is the achievement of security for the greatest number of people within one's sphere of action. I do not consider that we have won until there is security. While tactics may necessarily be ruthless, tactics must at the earliest opportunity give way to strategy. Strategy sees the big picture and can reasonably evaluate what results may follow what actions.
If you set a strategy aimed at the greater good, you may find yourself on HASHEM's side. It's not very likely that we will ever find HASHEM on OUR side against other humans.
Peace,
Pavvel
It is sad that the Children of Abraham are out to kill one another, whether with rockets or bombs. Will Allah/ Elohim be proud of his "children"? Is the commandment " Thou shall not kill",valid in both the Judaic and the Moslem faith, an optional sort of a commandment?
Where does our God given intelligence and creativity at finding solutions come into play? Moslems and Jews are cousins and fellow human beings. What a shame that each side has recently failed to acknowledge the humanity of the other. I am hoping that this will change, somehow, sometime in the near future.
I suggest trying to get to really know a person from a different faith community, with different sympathies in this conflict. You might be surprised to realize that the enemy is you, wearing a different skin.
Peace to all.
As a born again right wing conservative christian, I believe that the Bible is inerrant. Therefore, when it says that peace will only come when Jesus Christ (The Messiah) returns to Earth, I have to believe that this is the case. Many well intentioned people have tried to resolve the conflict over Israel's existence in the Middle East by political means. This, however, is not a political war. It is spiritual in nature and can only be resolved in a spiritual manner. Either the Muslims are right and Allah will destroy the Jews or Jehovah is right and the Messiah will destroy the Muslims. Each of these people hold these beliefs to be true, but only one (at most) can be right. It is a hard reality and I personally wish that there was another solution, but I don't have one, and obviously neither do the leaders of the world. God himself will have to solve this one.
Phil,
"Either the Muslims are right and Allah will destroy the Jews or Jehovah is right and the Messiah will destroy the Muslims."
You have misunderstood Gods message, God do not choose a certain group of people and destroys another.
We are all the same.
Maya
glORA,
your post is totally irrelevant to the truth of her statement that Israel will only have peace with arabs when they love their children more than they hate jews. What kind of sick mind hates so much that it celebrate a child's suicide because he took some jews out in the process.
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