Gaza, for the Love of God
Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 09:42AM Writer Julie Arduini, one of my good blogger friends, just started a new blogging meme called Current Events Wrap Up Thursday, and I have decided to participate today by commenting on the current situation in Gaza between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Israel struck the Gaza strip again Wednesday from the air, killing 29 more Palestinians after leaflets were dropped warning residents to leave the area "because Hamas uses your houses to hide and smuggle military weapons."
The fighting continued into Thursday, bringing to the Palestinian death toll during Israel's 12-day assault to nearly 700 people. Ten Israelis have been killed as well, including three civilians, since the offensive began two days after Christmas.
The slaughter going on in Gaza saddens me greatly. I affirm the right of the Jews to have a homeland in Israel/Palestine. I understand the frustration of the Israeli people and government at the hate-fueled attacks they've continually suffered since 1948. But their current military response to recent rocket attacks is obviously fueled by anger and seems obscene in it’s disproportion.
Like Maria in West Side Story, who mourns the violence between the gangs of her brother and her sweetheart, I wish I could jump between the misguided enemies and beg them to look at what they’ve done. Instead I look on, like nearly everyone else including our government, with a dumb sense of helplessness.
The fighting between Israel and its neighbors began between the half-brothers Ishmael and Isaac, Abraham's sons, and will never stop as far as I can see. There have been and will be lulls. When the Jews moved to other parts of the world the hatred followed them, and so they must maintain one place they can call their own and attempt to live in safety. Maybe Israel’s military believes that "getting it over with" instead of constantly defending themselves here and there, around their borders and in their cities will buy them a time of peace. I don’t think it can.
The world can't be at peace, least of all in the Middle Eastern cradle of our civilization, until the love of God becomes priority number one for us all.
With that thought, I'm sharing here a video of the dynamic Patti Labelle and a young Israeli star named Liel Kolet singing a song that calls for us to treat each other right, "For the Love of God".
Reader Comments (1)
The video was a perfect end to your post. I have a burden for Israel and wish everyone could live in peace. I know that isn't how it's been or going to be, but I wish so just the same.
Thanks for participating, I appreciate it!