It's going to take more than prayer. What a shame more Americans don't pull their heads out of the sand until they get their butts kicked. "Suddenly there is a world out there!". Maybe this will help them realize their petty differences regarding skin color, gender, and age are pointless.
In the US we don’t get a balanced view of the conflict. The bias is in favor of Israel. Our politicians must support Israel to get elected. I was shocked to see the real situation when I traveled to Israel years ago. That’s why it’s important to be informed about each side.
Did you visit Palestine or any of the other 47 Muslim countries? I have a problem with countries ruled by their religion. It's important, but often not rational.
“I saw an interview Sunday with a Defense Department contractor who has visited Israel dozens of times over many years on DoD work. He recounted the steady decline in any belief in a peaceful settlement of the Israel–Palestine crisis that he has detected since 2007. For most Israelis, he observed, it is down to violence now. A headline in Monday’s editions of The Times, recording these changing desires and expectations: “I Don’t Have That Empathy. It’s Not Me Anymore.” This is the voice of a nation that has demolished itself in its attempts to destroy others.
A couple of weeks ago in this space I published a commentary asserting that the two-state solution to the Israel–Palestine question is dead, and a single, secular state is the only way forward. I had some mail afterward to the effect that a one-state solution is too far from reality to think about. I will reply here that these readers have it upside-down. A one-state solution is now the only realistic idea worth considering. Until Israelis accept that they must live in a single nation wherein Palestinians dwell as equal citizens, there is no more future for them than there is for Palestinians. They, Israelis, will be condemned to live in a walled-off garrison state that will come to look ever more like a commodious version of the “open-air prison” we speak of when we speak of Gaza.”
"Until Israelis accept that they must live in a single nation wherein Palestinians dwell as equal citizens"
Tom, don't you wish that the two gametically identical Semitic people, the Palestinians and the Israeli's, were not separated by fundamentalist religions? Because, if neither people had a religion at all, then, they might notice they are identical people.....and equal....and worth getting to know and marry and live with and prosper together with.
But, as long as God is on the Israeli side AND a different God is on the Palestinian side and both consider themselves their God's chosen people, well, we will have big problems.
I mean, who is more right than a person God has chosen?
Yup. And religion is a convenient tool to use against others. Every religious cult has done that for eons. Protestants vs Catholics. Protestants against Protestants. All the same horrific nonsense. My god and my dogma is better then your dogma. Accept my dogma or die. And now we have a Leader of the House of Representatives who believes the same ignorant anti-democratic crap. He is a throw back to the Middle Ages.
I think our species has still not evolved enough to be capable of self management. We can't even agree to manage the health of the only planet that will support life as we know it!
We are like too many rats in a cage. And we are doing what they would do if deprived of the basics of life.
Bill, that’s what psychologists wrote about years ago. Then the UN (1970’s) and Paul Ehrlich (scientist) gave us a population warning. Then there was Denny Hastert (speaker of the House) and “the Hastert Rule.”
The problem is ... [I know. Everybody says this. The "real problem, the root problem is..." But still I'm going to say it anyway because religion is only being used to justify the real problem which is what each party wants.] The real problem is LAND. It's physical. It's real.
Two bodies can't reside in the same square meter at the same time. Somebody gets to have that spot and the other person will be left to find another place to be.
Beneath THAT problem is the incomprehensible potential for forgiveness. At this point the conflict is all about retaliation and proving a point (he hit me first).
Forgiveness cuts through the problem of the present and sets up a new future.
"Forgiveness is giving up all hope of having had a better past." – Anne Lamott
Lebensraum: getting more living space was an idea that thrived in Germany to the end of W War ll where they lost land and still their population grew and prospered. It can be done...but perhaps the real problem is just human beings.
White people literally enslaved Black people in this country. There were bloody slave revolts and far more bloody crushings of them. It propelled us into a civil war. We are still struggling with dwelling as equal citizens 160 years later. So there's that.
I have given up hope getting the facts from reading The NY Times...I am tuned into youtube: Norman Finkelstein, Edward Said, Gideon Levy, Dr. Alice Rothchild, Noam Chomsky. Prof. Sam Vadni and substack..... Olear and some others ....BTW: I'm exhausted.
Complicated by a power hungry extremist who’s only hope of remaining out of jail is for him to remain in power. His power is supported by the contingent of men that want to “settle” the West Bank by bulldozing its residents, or simply terrorizing them with death so “they” can proceed with their own version of Manifest Destiny
First step toward solution; end Bibi’s reign and keep the Settlers out of the West Bank.
Bibi’s only hope of success is getting Hamas to surrender That’s a tall mountain, so his carnage in Gaza is his last hope of staying out of jail. We’ve seen this movie recently, haven’t we?
I think that it boils down to a lack of respect and an attempt at trying to understand that others see the world from a different perspective than each of us - individually - and yet we all have to try and live together by respecting one another’s differences!!!
… and yes, I know that there are just some despicably evil and selfishly greedy people who are mentally warped and are probably not fit to fit in - but they’re here.
MLMinET, I sure hope you’re right! A large problem is we don’t have much of a leg to stand on. Netanyahu even put that in our face in at least one of his speeches. There is no way he is going to do as we say, not as we do - unless Biden threatened to cut off aid and support or some such thing - which would open up a huge problem. I have said so many times since Biden was inaugurated that I’m sure glad I’m not him. I can’t even imagine dealing with all that he has to deal with!!!! I am glad he is our president now. Who else had the knowledge and experience to do so!? I do wish he were making different decisions regarding Israel, etc now. I’m wondering if his hands are tied (so to speak).
I have never trusted Biden although I certainly voted for him but I lost even more respect for him if possible when he bald-face lied to the world when he said he had actually seen pictures of beheaded babies when we now know he had seen no such thing because NO SUCH PICTURES exist. The White House itself euphemistically “walked back” these comments only a short time later saying the President hadn’t actually seen the pictures himself but had been told they existed and so used that in his speech. He has shown no backbone in standing up to Netanyahu and his mealy-mouthed protestations about protecting civilians came far too late and in spite of the money the US is giving have zero credibility when he’s giving that money with one hand and giving out more money to the Israelis with the other hand to keep bombing and fund a catastrophic ground invasion.
What an incredibly complicated world we suddenly find ourselves living in. Pray that it resolves peacefully.
It's going to take more than prayer. What a shame more Americans don't pull their heads out of the sand until they get their butts kicked. "Suddenly there is a world out there!". Maybe this will help them realize their petty differences regarding skin color, gender, and age are pointless.
In the US we don’t get a balanced view of the conflict. The bias is in favor of Israel. Our politicians must support Israel to get elected. I was shocked to see the real situation when I traveled to Israel years ago. That’s why it’s important to be informed about each side.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2013/11/25/the-aussie-who-taught-putin-body-language-a29910
Did you visit Palestine or any of the other 47 Muslim countries? I have a problem with countries ruled by their religion. It's important, but often not rational.
Actually, it’s not complicated. Israel has been running a concentration camp in Gaza. That is unsustainable.
https://scheerpost.com/2023/10/31/patrick-lawrence-deeper-into-depravity/
“I saw an interview Sunday with a Defense Department contractor who has visited Israel dozens of times over many years on DoD work. He recounted the steady decline in any belief in a peaceful settlement of the Israel–Palestine crisis that he has detected since 2007. For most Israelis, he observed, it is down to violence now. A headline in Monday’s editions of The Times, recording these changing desires and expectations: “I Don’t Have That Empathy. It’s Not Me Anymore.” This is the voice of a nation that has demolished itself in its attempts to destroy others.
A couple of weeks ago in this space I published a commentary asserting that the two-state solution to the Israel–Palestine question is dead, and a single, secular state is the only way forward. I had some mail afterward to the effect that a one-state solution is too far from reality to think about. I will reply here that these readers have it upside-down. A one-state solution is now the only realistic idea worth considering. Until Israelis accept that they must live in a single nation wherein Palestinians dwell as equal citizens, there is no more future for them than there is for Palestinians. They, Israelis, will be condemned to live in a walled-off garrison state that will come to look ever more like a commodious version of the “open-air prison” we speak of when we speak of Gaza.”
"Until Israelis accept that they must live in a single nation wherein Palestinians dwell as equal citizens"
Tom, don't you wish that the two gametically identical Semitic people, the Palestinians and the Israeli's, were not separated by fundamentalist religions? Because, if neither people had a religion at all, then, they might notice they are identical people.....and equal....and worth getting to know and marry and live with and prosper together with.
But, as long as God is on the Israeli side AND a different God is on the Palestinian side and both consider themselves their God's chosen people, well, we will have big problems.
I mean, who is more right than a person God has chosen?
Yup. And religion is a convenient tool to use against others. Every religious cult has done that for eons. Protestants vs Catholics. Protestants against Protestants. All the same horrific nonsense. My god and my dogma is better then your dogma. Accept my dogma or die. And now we have a Leader of the House of Representatives who believes the same ignorant anti-democratic crap. He is a throw back to the Middle Ages.
I think our species has still not evolved enough to be capable of self management. We can't even agree to manage the health of the only planet that will support life as we know it!
We are like too many rats in a cage. And we are doing what they would do if deprived of the basics of life.
You’ve entwined most of reality in a short few sentences Bill. Well done.
Bill, that’s what psychologists wrote about years ago. Then the UN (1970’s) and Paul Ehrlich (scientist) gave us a population warning. Then there was Denny Hastert (speaker of the House) and “the Hastert Rule.”
Way too many rats in this cage.
I agree religion is the problem. It separates us from our fellow man merely for a belief. Why this idea that we must all be the same?
The problem is ... [I know. Everybody says this. The "real problem, the root problem is..." But still I'm going to say it anyway because religion is only being used to justify the real problem which is what each party wants.] The real problem is LAND. It's physical. It's real.
Two bodies can't reside in the same square meter at the same time. Somebody gets to have that spot and the other person will be left to find another place to be.
Beneath THAT problem is the incomprehensible potential for forgiveness. At this point the conflict is all about retaliation and proving a point (he hit me first).
Forgiveness cuts through the problem of the present and sets up a new future.
"Forgiveness is giving up all hope of having had a better past." – Anne Lamott
Yes, land and water
Lebensraum: getting more living space was an idea that thrived in Germany to the end of W War ll where they lost land and still their population grew and prospered. It can be done...but perhaps the real problem is just human beings.
You got it right. Humans are the worst animal...ever.
We make God in man’s image instead of understanding God/Source as Love and man and woman made in the image of Love. Now there’s a religion.
Mike S, this is what's so scary about the new House Speaker.
Yes, Angela. The separation of church and state is front and center. As is my love of spirituality vs religion .
Walk not Talk and certainly not kill any other because someone else won’t adhere to your Path.
Deep.
Bingo! Remove G-d and religion and we would have something like peace reign. Or would they squabble over something else?
White people literally enslaved Black people in this country. There were bloody slave revolts and far more bloody crushings of them. It propelled us into a civil war. We are still struggling with dwelling as equal citizens 160 years later. So there's that.
Nat Turner: a hero.....he killed 45 whites.
I have given up hope getting the facts from reading The NY Times...I am tuned into youtube: Norman Finkelstein, Edward Said, Gideon Levy, Dr. Alice Rothchild, Noam Chomsky. Prof. Sam Vadni and substack..... Olear and some others ....BTW: I'm exhausted.
Exponentially more complicated and thus the fear of what next that we have not imagined.
Complicated by a power hungry extremist who’s only hope of remaining out of jail is for him to remain in power. His power is supported by the contingent of men that want to “settle” the West Bank by bulldozing its residents, or simply terrorizing them with death so “they” can proceed with their own version of Manifest Destiny
First step toward solution; end Bibi’s reign and keep the Settlers out of the West Bank.
Bibi’s only hope of success is getting Hamas to surrender That’s a tall mountain, so his carnage in Gaza is his last hope of staying out of jail. We’ve seen this movie recently, haven’t we?
Yes we’ve seen this movie over and over and if tfgcrazymanbaby gets anywhere near the White House, watch for it in 2025.
I think that it boils down to a lack of respect and an attempt at trying to understand that others see the world from a different perspective than each of us - individually - and yet we all have to try and live together by respecting one another’s differences!!!
… and yes, I know that there are just some despicably evil and selfishly greedy people who are mentally warped and are probably not fit to fit in - but they’re here.
........ too late for that prayer.
I'm so very tired of people offering "thoughts and prayers".
I agree - how about "think and vote"
Donate and demonstrate!
Mike, I think Biden has been a restraint (to what degree, I don’t know) on Bibi, who wanted to go in and annihilate Hamas at what ever cost.
MLMinET, I sure hope you’re right! A large problem is we don’t have much of a leg to stand on. Netanyahu even put that in our face in at least one of his speeches. There is no way he is going to do as we say, not as we do - unless Biden threatened to cut off aid and support or some such thing - which would open up a huge problem. I have said so many times since Biden was inaugurated that I’m sure glad I’m not him. I can’t even imagine dealing with all that he has to deal with!!!! I am glad he is our president now. Who else had the knowledge and experience to do so!? I do wish he were making different decisions regarding Israel, etc now. I’m wondering if his hands are tied (so to speak).
Yes, Linda. To a degree his hands are tied. And our democracy is so imperiled that he cannot tip any balance we have or may be perceived to have.
I have never trusted Biden although I certainly voted for him but I lost even more respect for him if possible when he bald-face lied to the world when he said he had actually seen pictures of beheaded babies when we now know he had seen no such thing because NO SUCH PICTURES exist. The White House itself euphemistically “walked back” these comments only a short time later saying the President hadn’t actually seen the pictures himself but had been told they existed and so used that in his speech. He has shown no backbone in standing up to Netanyahu and his mealy-mouthed protestations about protecting civilians came far too late and in spite of the money the US is giving have zero credibility when he’s giving that money with one hand and giving out more money to the Israelis with the other hand to keep bombing and fund a catastrophic ground invasion.