The Israeli Army Moves In

So, the Israeli army has decided to launch a ground invasion of Lebanon. This is a depressing and disturbing development. When Israel pulled out six years ago I thought that things might finally be on the right path. But as I watched developments unfold over the last couple of weeks, I have become very depressed about the situation. It is not fair that Israel punishes the entire nation of Lebanon for the actions of a few in Hezbollah. I don't see why so many people are locked into an immovable and binary view on the issues of the Middle East suggesting that one side or the other can do no wrong, and that the other side can do no right.

Personally, I believe that there is wrong enough to go around on both sides. It is wrong for Israel to occupy to the lands of other nations, be it Palestine, Lebanon, Syria or whatever nation. It is wrong that Israel causes the deaths of over 300 (as of Saturday, July 22) civilians in Lebanon to achieve the return of two prisoners taken by Hezbollah or one prisoner taken by Hamas fighters in Gaza. It is wrong to blow up the infrasructure that citizens need to carry on their lives, for example water treatment plants, generating stations and bridges to try to pressure for the return of prisoners.

It is also wrong that those fighting for the liberation of Palestine target the civilians of Israel. When fighting an occupation, one must fight the soldiers of the occupation, not kill citizens of the occupying power who might be opponents of their country's occupation. There is a significant peace movement in Israel, and the indiscriminate killing of civilians sets back the cause of this peace movement by years.

Ultimately, the right of Palestine's people to a state and to the right to live in peace without occupation must be respected. The right of Israel to exist and for its citizens to live in peace within their own borders must be recognized as well. I can't comprehend why the majority of the people in either country backs the continued fighting. The violence has accomplishing nothing. Occupation begets violence, which begets more violence, which begets further violence. And the fighting is not confined to Israel and Palestine. Now Lebanon, and Lebanon's four million innocent citizens have been drawn into the conflict and more people are being killed.

The role of the United States and the West in general is also fair game for consideration here. The headline in the Globe and Mail newspaper on Saturday, July 22 included the phrase "US revs up diplomacy" and yet part way through the article it was mentioned that the US is rush delivering precision guided weapons to the Israeli armed forces. How the Americans can believe they have a right to intervene here is beyond me. That is like asking the best friend of one party to a fight to decide who is in the right and what steps should be taken to resolve the fight. The fact that the Americans have said that Israel should be given a free hand to do what it likes to Lebanon is appalling. And the responses of other heads of state and government have been equally appalling. Stephen Harper, prime minister of Canada said that Israel's response is "measured." In what way is the killing of over three hundred people proportionate to the capture of two soldiers? In what way is it measured Mr. Harper?

A way must be found to move forward recognizing that continued fighting gets nowhere. The end to this dispute will not be found through one side blowing the other side into smithereens. Peace can only come when the leadership of this region realizes that there is more to be gained from peaceful cooexistance then there is from continued bloodshed and violence. I realize this sounds like a pipe dream, but only by dreaming of a better future can a better future be realized.

I have edited this post to reflect spending some more thought on the issue.

Cheers

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