Israelis and Palestinians

The majority of Jews’ historic existence has been spent trying to negotiate how to live in accordance with Judaism under the rule of another sovereignty. Being a small group without a homeland has its advantages: there is a dominant theme of returning home for everyone to concentrate/pray/yearn for; it is easy to complain about the ruling power and how life would be different if they were not living under these circumstances; and it is simpler for concerned external parties to speak out on behalf of the small and few. Since 1948, life for Jews has been either turned on its head or been righted. The establishment of the modern state of Israel gave the Jewish people the homeland that had been a dream for over two thousand years, but it also gave the leaders a new set of responsibilities. It no longer was permissible to complain about the lack of infrastructure that the British had neglected to create; it was time to take matters into our own hands.

The leadership of Israel has two responsibilities. Its primary duty is to the safety of its own people and secondly, it must look to the future and ensure that Israel will be safe and secure. The second task unfortunately is neither simple nor cut and dry. The responsibility to Israel’s future means looking at how the Palestinian neighbors are being treated. Destroying homes and bombing infrastructure continues to slow Israel’s prospects of ever having a true peace. However, the government of the Palestinians must also remember it holds the same responsibilities as Israel: to ensure the current and future safety and security of its land and people. It will take great leaders on both sides of the conflict who see that this fighting will continue until the end of time destroying both people unless there are those who are willing to compromise for the good of the Palestinians and Israelis today and tomorrow.

The wonders of the blogosphe: Raising Yousuf: a diary of a mother under occupation or the muqata.