Last week, as the BBC were covering the current deadly friction between Palestinians and Israel, they spoke to an Israeli citizen whose town had been hit by a couple of rockets. Shockingly, he suggested that it was time for his government's forces to "obliterate" Gaza, to "wipe it out".
But that is not the solution. The kettled Palestinians of Gaza and their compatriots within Israel and around the world have every right to exist, to dream of freedom, to dream of Palestine.
It's an awful, seemingly intractable conflict that goes on and on. Who would want to be in Gaza right now? The Israeli military are bringing down tower blocks under the pretext that they are occupied by "Hamas terrorists". How do they know this and what of the "collateral damage"? The mothers and the children, the old and the innocent?
Looking back through "Yorkshire Pudding", I see that I have thought of Gaza before. Here's a 2009 post and here's a post from 2014 and here's another from 2018. The tale of woe goes on and on and you wonder if there can ever be a solution. Not all puzzles can be unravelled. Perhaps it will always be like this - peaks and troughs in a never-ending cycle of calm and anger, life and death.
If you want a wrenching story of the other side of the coin, read 'The Lemon Tree'. Israel holds a lot of responsibility as to what is happening here.
ReplyDeleteThat book certainly sounds like my cup of tea Debby. From this viewpoint it appears that America has far more support for Israel than it does for the Palestinians. When Trump moved the American embassy to Jerusalem he was interfering in a delicately balanced and fragile period of relative peace.
DeleteFor many years, I always thought the problems in that region stemmed from post World War I when Britain and France assumed control of the region. But then I read a historical account and that region has been contested almost as long as we humans have populated the area. I don't think there will every be an acceptable solution for both sides and this will only continue on into the foreseeable future. Such is the nature of religious wars.
ReplyDeleteI believe your grim forecast is the correct one Ed.
DeleteI seriously do not understand how Israel thinks they can get away with these crimes against humanity.
ReplyDeleteSo far 200 Gaza residents have been killed in the past week and ten Israelis. The proportions are always the same but Israel knows that the USA is their best buddy.
DeleteThe Middle East and Africa are filled with conflicts resulting from tribal, cultural, religious, geographical and political differences. It's been that way for centuries. There are heart-breaking situations everywhere for which I see no realistic solutions.
ReplyDeleteIf only someone could wave a magic wand.
DeleteIt is indeed an intractable problem, and one that if I am honest my depth of understanding is somewhat shallow - certainly I have not read as widely as I have on other issues. I fear there are other forces at play than just the issues in the immediate region, but again I am not well versed. This is not a virtue on my part.
ReplyDeleteBut I do hope they can reach some accord that does not spill over into conflict as it seems to - does Northern Ireland for example provide a model? I am not sure...
As they say, it's complicated.
DeleteHow come no one is concerned about the rockets that the militants in Gaza continually fire into Israel? Is there a double standard? Doesn't Israel have a right to defend her citizens? Just feel like giving an opposing point.
ReplyDeleteThe amateurish rockets of Hamas have been like children's toys compared with the destructive power of Israel's weaponry - mostly supplied by the USA.
DeletePerhaps if the balance of fire power was more even dialogue might be possible and I'm not advocating arming the Palestinians. Other countries (and that includes UK) sell a lot of sophisticated weaponry to Israel.
DeleteGood points Tigger.
DeleteJust before I came to your blog I was telling Dave that I once thought there would be a solution to this intractable conflict within my lifetime, and now I doubt it very much.
ReplyDeleteThe further they get the harder it seems to become.
DeleteI have commented at least twice to the previous posts you have written on this horrific and dreadful repetition of violence against the people of Palestine.
ReplyDeleteI repeat........ And it continues ad nauseam................
The people of Palestine seem to be treated like second class human beings when they are first class.
DeleteSome people never get enough. One of these keeps occupying the others property. The balance of power is nonexistant.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed an unequal conflict.
DeleteIt is unfortunate that any criticism of Israel is seen as being anti Semitic and so much is affected by US politics.
ReplyDeleteYou have said a truth that seems at times to be unspeakable.
DeleteSo sad and so many innocent lives lost.
ReplyDeleteSo many children. What did they do wrong?
DeleteAnother one of those wars that grumbles on for decades all in the name of religion or greed. I feel for both sides to be honest. If someone lobbed rockets at us, I guess we'd pull out all the stops to defend our people, so it is not difficult to see why Israel responds in the way it does. I feel sorry for the Palestinians too who want their land back and are being treated unfairly. But they are under the thumb of Hamas. I have heard Hamas are getting their weapons from Iran and their money from Qatar, so the weapons are not as amateurish as you suggest.
ReplyDeleteWell, they don't seem to do much damage in comparison with Israel's bombardments.
DeleteIt is a terrible situation and I feel sorry for all the civilians affected - on both sides.
ReplyDeleteHamas' rockets may be wimpy by your standards but the only reason there aren't more deaths on the Israeli side is because of their iron dome defence system.
Israel often warns occupants of a specific target - Hamas does not.
Hamas sets up offices and transmission centres in civilian residences, showing no regard for the occupants.
Hamas knows exactly how Israel will respond - yes, by our standards very heavy handed - but they don't care - in fact they derive great publicity by then showing their dead and wounded.
For years people have tried to get various Arab neighbours to give up land to help set up a proper homeland but none of THEM want Hamas dumped on their doorsteps - why aren't they doing better?
I find it so sad that the people who were isolated in ghettos and gassed by the millions have turned around and done the same to another group of people. It would seem that humans don't learn from the past, especially compassion and empathy. I don't know what the answer is and there are bad people on both sides by Israel's reaction is overkill, literally.
ReplyDeleteI echo your other commenters on the unequal balance of power and weaponry and the intractable nature of this conflict.
ReplyDelete