Israelis and Egyptians read this blog. They read this blog in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, and throughout the Middle East.
My recent article comparing the UN’s response (lack of) to Egyptian actions in Gaza to the UNs typical response to Israeli actions continues to draw tremendous readership from all these locations.
Is this an opportunity?
To my friends, to my readers in Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, the UAE, and throughout the Middle East, I have a question for you. Have you read my series of three articles on the potential for the Middles East if peace between Israel and the Palestinians can be achieved?
-Obama, Israel – Palestine, and A Dream Leading to Peace
-The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Can Be Broken By a Dream
-Israeli-Palestinian Peace – La Convivencia II
Have you considered the potential of peace on economic growth, and yes –for the growth and development of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity? The potential for the region, if the goal changes from the destruction of Israel to building synergies between the three great religions and their economic, intellectual, cultural, and religious components is simply awesome.
Peace is achievable but the proponents have to focus on the real problem, and that problem is not the existence of a tiny country clinging to the shore of the Mediterranean. The problem is that this tiny country has been made the problem, and as such, they have been made hyper-defensive.
So the question: Have you, the Palestinian people, ever marched through your streets demanding that your government, your leaders, deliver peace? Have the Egyptian people ever demanded their government cease supporting the hateful anti-Israeli rhetoric? Have the Saudi people insisted that the Palestinians use the money they, the Saudis, send, to build infrastructures for education and economics?
Readers, I want you to think about something; to the Palestinian people and the Muslims surrounding Israel the situation is about pride. For the Jewish people the conflict is about survival. How do you give the Palestinian people the freedom to have a future and the pride that they need, and how do you give the Jews the freedom to have a future and the security that they need?
That is a basis for an economically, politically, and religiously dynamic Middle East. That is a starting point for a real movement toward peace but only if the people of the region have the vision and demand it become reality.
Please read my three articles and thank you.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Bob–
I appreciate your historical references and perspective.
Think about this (and this has always encouraged me): Organized religion in that part of the world did not exactly catch on over night, but it did eventually catch on. Maybe we can hope the same for democracy?
Prior to Judaism, the people of that entire region were Zoroastrians, that is, they practiced an ancient pagan religion that started around 1500 BC in Persia. By 900 BC, the Kingdom of Israel was firmly established and in fact somewhat of a regionally superpower, and so there was organized Judaism in the region. By 200 AD, organized Christianity began to emerge in that part of the world. But the majority of people in that part of the world missed out on organized religion, and were still pagans.
Still, organized religion did eventually spread to the majority of the people in the region…it just took a little longer. Using 700 AD (perhaps simplistically) as the date of the beginning of the spread of Islam, it took 500 years from the spread of Christianity, and 1600 years from the beginning of organized Judaism, for Islam to catch on in the region.
It is not unreasonable to think, as we have just entered the information age, that 2500 years after Greece and 2000 years after Rome, it’s time for democracy in the region, and La Covivencia II.
Thanks for the history lesson…We’re now dealing with a totally different type of barbarian. New thinking outside the sandbox is necessary.
I know people like you and Robert like to use talking and negotation as a way to get enemies to play nice. And killing seems to be passe.
So here is a two-pronged solution where you get to talk alot and negotiate too..No blood…
1st–.Any new births in Gaza will be bought by the Israeli government and put up for adoption in Israel. Price? TBD
2nd–Pay Palestinians male and female, a lump sum if they will agree to sterilization. Cost? Priceless..
It may take 60 years to complete, but look what the last 60 years have wrought….