Gaza Again – OpEd

When will Israeli governments learn that violence will never settle the Israelo-Palestinian dispute. Certain sections of Hamas are just as unreflective and irrational. Both are paving the way to newer conflicts and creating insecurity for their own citizens. Given the massive imbalance of means on the ground, one would have thought that an Israeli effort to make a ceasefire would have stopped some of the present killing and violence. It is already too late to convince future generations of Israelis and Palestinians that violence begets more violence.

Is that so difficult to understand? Political philosophers might use the dialectical law of the negation of the negation to prove this point. By negating Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza, the right wing extremist government in Israel is ensuring the future insecurity of its citizens and even raises the possiblity of an all out war with its Arab and Muslim neighbors. The double negation using violence will result in further insecurity, bloodshed and instill a permanent lack of hope in those on both sides seeking to raise the voice of reason and humanity.

Ben Gurion would roll over in his grave if he could see what has happened to his beloved Israel. 

People of good faith (reason not religion) all over the planet believe in a just and peaceful state of Israel. Many states have difficulties with their neighboring states. As an ex-diplomat, I was trained to talk and resolve issues, and not exacerbate difficulties for their people. If these provocations are deliberate, then the issue of what is the political mission of a government has to be asked? Is it to ensure a peaceful future for their citizens? Or one where bloodshed even of their own citizens becomes a domestic politcal football furthering the interests of those who are not morally qualified to govern.

When TV cameras show us President Biden’s oval office, there is the bust of Robert Kennedy behind the desk. Is he senile? Perhaps. However Secretary of State Blinken has no such excuse. Nor does Hezbollah in Lebanon or those radical factions in Hamas. Meanwhile Palestinians are being butchered in the streets of Gaza.

RFK was a great leader. His life, and the hope he engendered for love and solidarity in the USA, was snuffed out by violence. My message to the US President is to remove RFk’s bust from his office. You have betrayed that sacred moral trust and philosophical high ground. To have it remain behind your desk is pure hypocrisy. RFK studied the ancient Greek philosophers to mourn his brother’s death and to renew his belief in America, in life and values generally. Both Biden and Blinken would be well advised to do the same. 

Et tu Brute?