This is such an emotional issue, and with good reason, and I haven't any answers, and the more research I do, the more I realize how thoroughly I am out of my element. But I try to remember a few things, and frankly, it's like a tennis match in my head.
The Jews have been persecuted, meaning hunted down and killed, for a few thousand years. This homicidal rage against them is sickening and given the Holocaust, I totally understand the view that only a homeland can prevent a complete genocide. But damn, the Palestinian people have been thrown off the land they have had for centuries if not longer. But then I think that Israel has defeated nations that attacked it and loss of territory is typically part of the process. But what about those settlements with 700,000 settlers? They are a thumb in the eye of the Palestinians! And the absolutely ghastly conditions in Gaza and the West Bank? But then I hear Israel's concerns about security, and Iran's funneling money and weaponry into the occupied territories and imagine what they might provide were there to be two states! But shouldn't there be two states? Isn't that the only possible political solution? Isn't it the decent thing to do? And then I recall some startling statistics: there are about 16 million Jews in the world and about 1.6 billion Muslims. That's one Jew for every 100 Muslims! There is one Jewish state and 49 Muslim-majority states! And if you were gay, or a woman, or an apostate or secular Muslim, would you rather reside in Israel or Palestine? And then I think of the thousands of innocent children and non-combatants who will surely die in the coming months. And I think of the unspeakable barbarism inflicted by Hamas, and know in my heart that these animals have to be eradicated. And lastly, and this is not my thought but it's really made me think. What are the INTENTIONS of the various sides? Israel could annihilate the Palestinians if it wanted to, but it doesn't. If its security concerns were satisfied, I think it could live quite happily next to a Palestinian state. But what are the intentions of Hamas? Nothing short of complete eradication of Jews everywhere, and that holds for Iran too. But what about the average Palestinian? I honestly don't have a sense either way. I'm sure some could quite happily live alongside Israel, and this would require massive aid from the world, as it should. Mostly I'm saddened by all of this, and I realize that it's ridiculous for me to offer advice given my obvious ignorance and privileged position as a citizen of the United States. But I do worry greatly for Israel, and the displays of anti-semitism around the world sicken and frighten me. And I worry for the innocents of Palestine who are suffering and will continue to.
Peter T.
