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Land for peace
Q: In a statement Monday, Vice President Biden said the U.S. is consulting with other nations "on new ways to address the humanitarian, economic, security, and political aspects of the situation in Gaza." What are the religious and moral considerations in determining those "new ways," especially in light of Israel's raid on an aid flotilla from Turkey bound for Gaza.
In the mid 1990's, I took the opportunity during a California visit to show my gentile wife Sharon a side of Judaism she hadn't seen from this Jewish atheist. We went to a free dinner sponsored by Chabad-Lubavitch, a very Orthodox sect. Sharon was quite surprised when men and women were required to dine at separate tables. After dinner we all watched a short film honoring the recently departed Rebbe Schneerson, whose return as the messiah many attendees were hoping to witness soon.
The film showed Schneerson, a so-called humanitarian, telling his sect never to make territorial compromise in Israel. Afterward, I asked one of the leaders, "Would you be willing to cede a little territory if there were somehow 100% assurance that there would be peace in the land?"
I thought my question was a no-brainer. I expected my Lubavitcher host to argue that 100% assurance would be impossible. No such thing. He thought my question was indeed a no-brainer, but in the opposite direction. He looked at me as if he couldn't believe a Jew would ask such a strange question, and said, "How can we give away to someone else a gift God promised to us?" Ever since that day, I've been pessimistic about peace breaking out in the Middle East. Unfortunately, my pessimism has been more than justified.
As for the current situation, I haven't a clue. The players keep changing and the incidents keep changing. The only thing that doesn't change is continued violence. Each side blames the other, with some justification. Israel has blockaded Gaza in answer to thousands of rockets aimed from Gaza at Israeli citizens. Are the severe economic deprivations of the people in Gaza worse than the dangers to Israeli civilians of being hit by rockets? Both situations are unsupportable.
The government of Gaza (Hamas) is at war with the government of Israel, and both governments are intractable. In every war civilians bear the heaviest costs. I think only the people of Gaza and Israel can force their governments to change policies. The two countries believe in opposing religions, but the current situation is simply the latest layer of a multi-layered onion of conflict developed over centuries. If anyone in any country can come up with a way to end this timeless war, now's the time to try it.
Each side has religious extremists who value land more than peace. We can't hope for a lasting peace until both sides agree to cooperate in marginalizing such fanatics. Even then, it will be far from easy. But it would be a start.
By
Herb Silverman
|
June 8, 2010; 8:59 AM ET
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Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 12, 2010 9:13 PM
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"The British R' Coming" "The [Bloody] British R' coming" ...!
U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 12, 2010 7:34 PM
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. F I F A -- W O R L D -- C U P
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. S O U T H -- A F R I C A -- 2010.
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....................... GOoooooAaaaaaaLL !!! U. S. A.!
. GOooooooooooAaaaaaaaaaaaLLL !!! U. S. A.!
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Credits to "jj" @ http://onwapo.com/
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Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 12, 2010 3:32 PM
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land for peace or land of peace?
nothing fail nations and mankind like hypocrisy.
what ever happen to the promised land and jesus land?
what ever happen to secularism ,the way the truth and life?
Posted by: mono1 | June 10, 2010 12:37 PM
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...............................................(((STOP Hate-Boat Stop!
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Credit to "jj" .... http://onwapo.com/
Posted by: shaheed-yahudi | June 9, 2010 7:27 PM
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nothing will fail nations as hypocrisy,and double scale ignorant criminal heads,
america crossed the atlantic to liberate iraq ,spareing more than 5 million human soul and homeland bankrupcey ,BUT ,
fail to demilitarize the sacred land of palestine?????????????
double hypocrisy .
on the theological scale as well as the secularism scale.
Posted by: mono1 | June 9, 2010 8:42 AM
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Reminds me of our Congress. Can't anyone compromise anymore?
Posted by: demamcmillan | June 8, 2010 7:31 PM
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Once again, Dr. Silverman's comments cut to the heart of the matter. With this type of mentality on both sides, peace seems all but impossible in the Middle East. As Christopher's Hitchens wrote: "Religion poisons everything."
Posted by: bomhard | June 8, 2010 4:52 PM
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Both sides use religion to justify heinous acts. It is time for secular governments to begin to demand that their ally’s stop hiding crimes behind religion and do the sane thing, separate religion from their governments. I just wish there were a way for those of use that believe in separation of church and state to bring this to fruition. Watching various religions justify killing in their name for god is very frustrating.
Posted by: veginpost | June 8, 2010 4:42 PM
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After visiting Israel in 1998 I have been fascinated by the fact that there isn't more unrest throughout the country and region considering that the world's three major religions are geographically sitting side by side and in many instances in such opposition to one another.
When someone explained to me that there is another layer of architectural treasures lying underneath Jerusalem and that to bomb or threaten one parcel would be to jeopardize all, I began to have hope that peace was a possibility at some point in the future in the Middle East.
Regardless, peace is always worth hoping for, and worth our continued efforts in working toward.
Posted by: LorettaHaskell | June 8, 2010 3:34 PM
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A large part of the problem here is the total support given by supporters of both sides. By this I mean that those who support each side (it doesn't matter which side we are talking about) wholeheartedly support that side in everything that they do and can see no wrong in anything that they do, it is all the fault of the other side who are totally in the wrong. Until these people are willing to acknowledge the wrongs done by "their" side and that the "other" side have rights as well, then I do not see much progress being made.
And for those who do give this unconditional support I would just like to say that I consider you to be as guilty as those that pull the triggers/set the bombs/etc.
Posted by: GMartin-Royle | June 8, 2010 2:33 PM
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