Thank you Ann-Charlotte Andersson for forwarding this video. This is a very difficult three minutes of film to watch. There are many horrors out there for helpless animals… and this is indeed one of them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p6lyRZ66-s

Today I watch the world news and see protests around the world against Israel’s governments actions. (while I receive emails from many of my Israeli friends that are very disappointed in their governments actions… remember all the US citizens that protested the US invasion of Iraq but had no effect on Bush?) It’s election time in Israel which may be playing a factor for I know for a fact the rockets from Gaza have been hitting Sderot, an Israeli town, for over a year and half.  The Israeli people and their government have vowed to never let anything take a foothold that would allow another Holocaust in their future, which I can understand with all my heart. Unfortunately what may be happening is that through the violent protection of Israel’s interest, the government may just be ensuring that there is nothing but aggression in their future… and this, along with loss of precious lives on both sides, is the most unfortunate by-product of using violence to bring peace.

Israel has the absolute right to defend itself… but in my opinion, seeing the anger that is now inflamed in Egypt, France, England, Washington DC, Baghdad, Jordan, all over the world against Israel, one has to question the wisdom of trying to quell the rocket attacks instigated by a few thousand people of Hamas. Since Hamas have been elected they have been cut off from the European, Israeli, and US government communities because of their violent methods used during the Intifada and many other reasons, at least in the eyes of those who oppose them. But there was a time when Hamas was the ‘good guys’, back when Yassir Arafat was leading the protest against Israel and before Ariel Sharon stepped foot into Al Aska Mosque territory. My fear is that this situation in Gaza may meet the short term goals of Israel, but what it appears to be doing is that it is ensuring the hatred and revenge in the hearts of millions around the world… no matter what their religion or creed. Can this be deemed as success?

As for Israel’s actions… how is Israel’s government suppose trust an organization such as Hamas who’s leadership works toward Israel’s destruction and demise, mostly due to their economic strife and oppression? This is why the Arab League, the European Union, and especially the US government needs to step up to the plate and get these two warring sides together to talk. Palestinians need a country… they need to be free… free to travel… free to have a life. How to get there is the complicated part… and the core of that solution is ‘trust’, ‘communication’ and ‘respect’ from all sides.

The images from Gaza are horrendous, we all know this… as is the terrorizing of any people including the Israeli citizens and their children in the South of Israel and their dead soldiers and people for the years past and today. Until we are willing to sit down with our enemies and discuss, talk, compromise and build trust, this conflict in Israel / Palestine will be the fuel thrown on the flame of world discord. As a good friend of mine Yoav, an Israeli, once told me… “You don’t make peace with your friend… you make peace with your enemy.” Amen to that…

On January 21st, the day after President Obama’s celebration of being elected is over… I will be looking for his words and actions to help broker conversations between those who will not speak to each other… and I can only hope that there will responsible and dedicated leadership on both sides of this conflict to come to the table and be real ‘leaders’ and not people who only wish for revenge and violence and looking ’strong’ in the face of aggression. This form of bravado will bring the world to it’s knees in time.

Please support Israel acting wisely and being the true leaders they can be and not use violence. Please support the Palestinians using non-violent protest to meet their goals as Gandhi freed his nation from British rule by never firing a weapon… and please learn as much as possible about the history of this conflict. It is perhaps the most complicated situation I have ever tried to wrap my head around. I lived there for three years and still grapple with it all.

All countries were birthed out of violence. England, America, France… the list is endless. Israel is a real country, it fought for it and is alive. Now in 2009 is the time to communicate and resolve our past… and help build a responsible, economically viable and sustainable Palestine. Now is the time… Dan

Below is a link to a very beautiful video that begins with the conflict that we are all aware of, but soon transfers to showing some amazing images of potential brotherhood between the descendants of Issac and Ishmael… the forefather’s of Judaism and Islam, both sons of Abraham born over 4000 years ago. Abraham in Hebrew is Avram… and in Arabic, Ibrahim… but it is indeed the same man, same father. The conflict we are witnessing in Israel / Palestine is a family feud born many years ago, but if some day wisdom and compassion take hold, this rift between blood brothers may some day come to balance. This video below is a small reminder of that future day. Thank you, Adi Hadani for passing this on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taS4tKO-J1w