Thoughts on the Middle East - continued
Some updating is required on the Middle East situation, given events since yesterday. A meeting of key Middle East players has taken place in Rome. Participants included Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United States, the European Union, Russia, and others. Fine. But it remains unclear just who all must be included to get resolution. Hezbollah and Hamas, of course, and Israel. And Lebanon. Also Syria? And Iran?
Then to go beyond this, why would anyone think that any agreement can be reached, and, were it to be reached, that it would be honored? The past suggests that it would not be. But it could be noted that, arguably, the populations affected might want peace and live-and-let-live, while it is those in power who are more likely to want war, for various reasons, most having to do with power and legacy questions. And money. Anyone who has been watching might have observed that in the war in Bosnia, for example, and in Jerusalem, ordinary people were/are trying to get on with their daily affairs, and it's noteworthy to an observer like myself that they seem to do pretty well. In the US too, people are coming out for peace. We have to keep looking for ways to communicate this to the leaders and to make it important to them.
I admit to a great deal of naivete here. In all of this. But to continue, doing the best I can, I think a theory of human nature is involved here. I think humans are born with an urge to construct, to build, to achieve. Sure, humans find a certain satisfaction too in tearing things down. It can be fun, for a little while anyway. But I think the former urge is stronger. It's also harder. And it demonstrably leads to a better life. This notion is not what prevails in some circles. But I think we have to keep demonstrating it, whenever and wherever possible.
This philosophy is what has made me approve of what the Israelis have tried to do: to make the desert bloom like a rose, to set up schools, and all the rest. The Palestinians have not demonstrated such a mindset, at least in recent years. But they once had a powerful civilization, their days of glory. I would venture that the same human nature is there, it just hasn't had a chance to flourish for quite some time.
The immediate question seems to be whether an immediate cease-fire should be mandated, and how it would be achieved. We don't know the answer.
Moral: we just have to keep trying, by both deed and example. And to keep trying to understand more.
Then to go beyond this, why would anyone think that any agreement can be reached, and, were it to be reached, that it would be honored? The past suggests that it would not be. But it could be noted that, arguably, the populations affected might want peace and live-and-let-live, while it is those in power who are more likely to want war, for various reasons, most having to do with power and legacy questions. And money. Anyone who has been watching might have observed that in the war in Bosnia, for example, and in Jerusalem, ordinary people were/are trying to get on with their daily affairs, and it's noteworthy to an observer like myself that they seem to do pretty well. In the US too, people are coming out for peace. We have to keep looking for ways to communicate this to the leaders and to make it important to them.
I admit to a great deal of naivete here. In all of this. But to continue, doing the best I can, I think a theory of human nature is involved here. I think humans are born with an urge to construct, to build, to achieve. Sure, humans find a certain satisfaction too in tearing things down. It can be fun, for a little while anyway. But I think the former urge is stronger. It's also harder. And it demonstrably leads to a better life. This notion is not what prevails in some circles. But I think we have to keep demonstrating it, whenever and wherever possible.
This philosophy is what has made me approve of what the Israelis have tried to do: to make the desert bloom like a rose, to set up schools, and all the rest. The Palestinians have not demonstrated such a mindset, at least in recent years. But they once had a powerful civilization, their days of glory. I would venture that the same human nature is there, it just hasn't had a chance to flourish for quite some time.
The immediate question seems to be whether an immediate cease-fire should be mandated, and how it would be achieved. We don't know the answer.
Moral: we just have to keep trying, by both deed and example. And to keep trying to understand more.
posted by Gladys at 6:40 PM
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