Israel Vs. Palestine - Again
Here we go again.
Israel Vs. Palestine - Palestine Vs. Israel. 2023 edition.
This is probably one of the most dangerous moments in this long-long timeline between these two nations.
A Young Israeli Woman
A young Israeli woman hides under a table in a room. She is injured and terrified. Hamas fighters enter the room. They discover her due to her loud whimpering. They take a moment and then shoot the young woman at point blank. They murdered her.
A Palestinian Family
A Palestinian family living in relative peace are given hours to leave their home. The reason is that Israeli settlers want it. The family are removed. The settlers destroy the old home. They then build on the land. There is no compensation. The family are valueless to Israelis and now homeless.
Another Young Israeli Woman
A young Israeli woman is picked up on the streets. She is dragged from the rear of the car bloodied and terrified. Her hair is matted with blood as are her legs and clothing. Later she is seen lying face down with her legs distorted and twisted. Men rejoice and cheer on her killers and her death.
A Young Palestinian Man
A young Palestinian man complains to a Jewish settler. Words are exchanged. The Israeli police stand close by. The Jewish man in the heat takes his gun and shoots the young Palestinian in the heart. The young man falls to the floor dead.
An Old Story A New Chapter
What we are watching is a recent picture of a millennia-old story.
What Hamas did last weekend was a disgrace against humanity. It was a disgrace for many reasons. One reason because it is clear Israel would respond in full. The leaders of Palestine have put the lives of the nation on the line for their belief systems. Yet if you read history it was no shock.
How Israel responds is also a disgrace. It is what they joyously call a ‘full siege.’ Cutting off water, food, energy, and supplies of all kinds and then endlessly carpet bombing Gaza. They have ordered 1.2 million Palestinians to pack their bags and walk south. Many have been killed by the Israeli army during that walk.
Gaza is currently one of the most highly populated areas in the World. Where will these people go? Yet if you read history the response is no surprise either.
Nothing New Just More Barbarity
This isn't a new siege or a new war. It’s an argument that neither can settle.
From Abraham to Issac and Jacob, Arab leagues, and Accords. The Ottomans, the British, the Intifada, the six-day wars, The Turks, the Americans, Sunni Muslims, Jews, and Christians.
This is an endless ticking time bomb that has never been resolved. It has ticked over years, decades and even millennia of endless seeds of hatred on both sides and is as good as impossible to resolve.
Resentment
Millennia of resentment, murder and hatred grew into moments of unenforceable restraint until it exploded again. More death, more misery and more pain.
Palestinians kill Jews. Jews kill Palestinians. It’s a sad, sickening repeat portrait of life in this area.
Take a Side Or Else
The nations once again demand you take sides.
Most want you to fly the flag of Israel whilst condemning the reality of Palestine.
If it was only that simple.
Most are compliant waving that Israeli flag yet the same ones are asking questions about the brutality and eradication of helpless Palestinians. They dare not speak and ask for restraint. If they do they risk being cancelled as a nation - for now.
I visited Israel in 2013. We were warned about the trip as there was an increase in conflict at that time. What we saw was the exact opposite of what we had been reading and been warned about.
Israel and Palestinians Living Peaceful Lives Together
We saw Israelis and Palestinians and a huge mix of others living happy, settled, and peaceful lives together. This is the people. This is the public. This is the majority.
Israel is not the people.
Hamas is not the people.
Both are groups led and built by men of power.
Tough guys.
Bullies.
Gangsters.
It is elevated and haughty.
They are always willing to sacrifice the people for their cause.
Yet what is that cause?
All For God?
If it is for God both sides are proclaiming that God has taken a side and is good to see slaughter of the innocents. Does God really want that? It is true there are many times in the Bible where the slaughter of the masses has taken place. According to those scriptures, slaughter was demanded by God.
In the law of Deuteronomy 20:16–17, given to moses, God commanded the Israelites, “In the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you.” A similar command is given concerning the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 15:2–3. Why would God have the Israelites exterminate entire groups of people, women and children included?
I am not writing this to give you a Bible sermon or lesson. Rather it is to reveal a reason some will give for violence towards another nation.
New Puritans Love a War
We see how Russia has began to take a religious view claiming to be holy whilst the world turns into Sodom and Gomorrah. This is the reason they are now giving for the death of hundreds of thousands.
What has taken place in Israel and Palestine is a disgrace to humanity of any faith. Yet there is no excuse for the endless hatred - on both sides - regardless of beliefs.
Frankly, it would be stupidity on my part to offer an answer for something so extremely complicated. This blog isn't doing that. Neither is it giving any support for any side.
No One Is Going Anywhere
Death, murder, abuse, and destruction plays no part in my own life view yet I feel sick for both sides. It just goes on and on and on until both sides become exhausted, rest a while and then start again.
Israel will never remove the Palestinians from Earth.
Palestine will never remove Israel from the Earth.
Ask The Children
A Palestinian child whose mind has seen and experienced these atrocities was asked how would he solve it. His reply was to kill all Israelites.
An Israelite child was asked how he would resolve it. His reply was to kill all Palestinians.
A child who has never experienced the same level of hatred and death was also asked for a solution said this.
“There is enough land for everyone. Let's share it and everyone can be happy.”
How simple.
How true.
From the mouth of babes comes the most logical solution.
Yet there is nothing logical taking place here. Nothing reasonable. Nothing balanced or making any sense.
This is looking more like just another repeat-like chapter in the history book of Israel Vs Palestine.
Sad.
Heartbreaking.
And yet I don't think we are even close the the beginning of the end of this chapter.
Right now it is in the hands of Israel.
They have promised to change the look of the middle east. They have promised to destroy hamas forever. They are warming other Muslim countries to not try them.
A Very Dangerous Moment
Make no question this is a very dangerous moment in human history.
Lets hope sense takes control of rage.
Let’s hope peace arrives once more - at least for now.
Yet it looks like the best outcome right now is the two million Palestinians just surive this.
It’s a sickening scene that’s been played out many times before.
I think this time the outcome could be very different.
Philosophy and Revelations.
Alan Forrest Smith
