The majority on both sides genuinely want peace and move on, a few, however are messing everything up. It’s been painful to see people massacred, and painful to see the ruthlessness and arrogance.
This conflict is not good for either Israelis or Palestinians – Israelis are certainly piling up guilt on their psyche messing up the next generation of people from living normal life, while Hamas has not been able to channel how to express their frustrations other than sending the rockets.
The problem is with leadership, unless the Israelis and Palestinians rise up to change the leaders who have not delivered normalcy to the people, the problem will continue. It has to come from within. We can hold dialogues to communicate that. Neither side have normal leaders.
If there were to be any guilt, it would be on us the Americans. We have the ability to bring a closure to this, and bring long term security to Israel and Justice to the Palestinians through Israel Palestine Dialogue .
Shamefully we (Americans) are unwilling to do it as we are influenced by our might, and want to resolve everything by guns and bombs, and a few short sighted people who buy our congress to make wrong decisions. It would take a grass root movement like Jews for Peace, J- Street and other organizations who are gradually gaining momentum.
I am doing my tiny share of work in communicating, and I urge every one- to express pain and grief and pray and speak out… but avoid using the language of pushing each other, and please adopt a re conciliatory language, and the language of peace. they are going through pain, let’s not burden our frustrations on either of them.
May God give us all sense. Amen
Here is my previous article:
Peace Prayers for Jews and Muslims
The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is a humanitarian one, and it would be wrong to label it as Jewish and Muslim or between Judaism and Islam. We have to guard ourselves from labeling each other as enemies which we are not, and we shouldn’t be. Of course a few among us look to the other as if they have wronged us. No, none whatsoever. I have not wronged any Jew and neither my Jewish friends have wronged me, nor our relationships should be marred by the conflict.
The conflicts should not tear us apart; instead it should bring us together to build a cohesive America, and hopefully cohesive societies across the world where no human has to live in fear of the other.
On the other hand we need to put breaks on the words that depreciate the efforts of peacemakers among Jews and Muslims in the United States, who are making all out efforts to find solutions, calling it a Jewish and Muslims problem amounts to belittling their efforts. Let’s guard ourselves from such short sightedness.
I must add that I have been to several Mosques during this month of Ramadan, and was good to hear supplications seeking justice and relief to the Palestinians, but no hatred for Jews was expressed and that was the right thing to do, what a relief it was! It is a good thing in a place of worship, seek help, and seek guidance, but not propagate hate. I will be visiting a few synagogues and churches in the coming weeks and I hope to hear no hate for Muslims in their places of worship either.
Dear God guide us from keeping the places of worship free of malice
Dear God lift us above pettiness
Dear God give us guidance to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill.
Dear God remove hatred and bias towards fellow beings.
Dear God give us strength to speak up against bias and hatred in our gatherings.
Dear God help us heal our relationships between fellow Americans.
Dear God each one of us an instruments of peace and harmony.
Amen
A full article will be published in a few days.
Mike Ghouse
www.IsraelPalestinedialogue.com
www.FoundationforPluralism.com
www.MikeGhouse.net