CRISIS IN GAZA: Middle East Extremism Must Go!

Time For Real Change

By Joseph Allen

The rants of Muslim, Jewish or Christian extremists are the primary cause of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.  Their ranting led to actions by a minority and has manifested itself into many forms.

At what point are the true adherents of all three religions, with humanistic teachings as their basic core, going to expel these extremists from their ranks.  This, of course, is idealistic.  But look at the consequences of realism and its devastation.  An intelligent being might say it’s time to be idealistic and actually act on it. A non-intelligent being stays with the status quo and fans the flames.

The fringe, be it state or non state actors, can be isolated and eventually outlawed.  Countries, and groups can be isolated.  Especially in these difficult economic times, their demise is can be ten fold.  This transformation involves admitting guilt by sympathizers of violence in all its forms with honesty becoming the operative word.

Civilians are civilians on both sides of this conflict. Armed elements are fair game. It’s the road they choose.  A new rule in society, based on truth, becomes widely accepted. This being applied and accepted by all nations. The last time an endeavor of this sort took place was the Geneva Convention.

Since then, a grey and unenforceable area has emerged. This leeway, is what we see today in Gaza and else where. The term "collateral damage", refers to objects, such as buildings, infrastructure, instead of human beings. Torture and occupation along with civil responsibility all have been moved to the grey area.

Hezbollah was right in 2006 when it targeted the Israeli army in its foray and the abduction of armed soldiers, from a hostile entity, it was dead wrong on rockets to civilian areas, and lost all moral credibility.

Israel was dead wrong, in it’s response in 2006 and now, in it’s devastation, destruction of civilian infrastructure. If you “cannot” target armed combatants, then you have to go back to the drawing board, look at many other options, even negotiations, and imagine that.

The US in Iraq/Afghanistan, the Russians in Georgia, all had no regards for civilians, even though they took great pains to claim they did, as the Israelis in Gaza and Lebanon. Look at the Turks, regardless of your political views on that particular issue. They target their foe, the PKK only. They have not bombed civilian areas. Although the subjugation of their own Kurdish minority is another issue.

Since the powerful countries, do not play by the rules, then what? Apparently what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. This is wrong no matter how you look at it.

Then what are the real solutions, especially to intractable conflicts, and future pop ups. Do we not learn, do we not look at mutually beneficial rules, or do we stagnate in one disaster after another?

Temporary victory without solving core issues are useless. What we see is “MAD”, "mutually accepted destruction". Ask the Irish after 90 years of conflict, if they prefer to go back to that horror.

If the picture is continually framed in white hats and black hats, then what we see is man’s inhumanity to man. Since the sanctity of human life only applies to white hats, the ”good guys’, the death of their foe’s civilians are “their” fault. How convenient the deception, how convenient the inhumanity. Stop the lies, and you stop the slaughter.

If Israel has a free hand, cart blanch, diplomatic, military and financial cover and we will replace all expended hardware. Imagine giving your teenager, a credit card, gun, drugs to do what he wants and tell him if he wants more, just ask.

Once American  Jewish Senators (The Liebermans/Shummers), Congressmen (Congm’s King R NY/Israel D NY to name a few), Mayors (The Bloombergs), Executive Branchers (The Emmanuel’s) stop using their power for this inhumanity , until then we bear a heavy price. If they truly become “Americans first”, "Jews second", only then, we might move possibly  in the right direction. Just look at their Israel voting records, or vows of support. Henry Kissinger would be proud; he became Sec of State of this democratic country, and called for the breaking of arms and legs of Palestinian protesters. “Our”  Sec of State or theirs,  not quite sure, or is obvious?

They do Israel and the US/the World no favors, by being so “Pro Israeli”. The lives lost on both sides of the border, lay on their conscience.  Hitler had no conscience, Bin Laden has no conscience. Meacham Begin/Ariel Sharon had none, neither did Saddam. How are they different? A Jewish life, is more precious, then an Arab/Muslim life? That’s what Hitler said, A German’s life is more precious.  A Jewish life was expendable, trash to be burned, tortured, how are they different? Instead of ovens, that Hilter used, they use F16’s/Cluster/Bunker Buster Bombs in crowded civilian areas??

The Islamic Extremists have their own demons, as they commit crimes in the name of God. That would be God, the Merciful, as uttered by a suicide bomber as he detonates himself among civilians.  That would be again, God/Allah the “Merciful”.  Again not understanding this simple word "Merciful", as they detonate.

Do we understand the word, do the Israelis? Apparently not. We devalue, negate and fund the extermination of “Israel’s” enemies from the Palestinians, Lebanese, Iraqis and soon the Syrians and Iranians. Hamas is dead wrong, Israel is dead wrong, our unconditional support for Israel is dead wrong. What’s right?  It only takes fairness, an new human rights accord,  and pressured settlements by accepted and respected notables. Otherwise the extremist animals among us and on all sides take us to oblivion.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joseph Allen is a syndicated independent columnist, writer, and poet.  He is originally from Haifa Israel, a graduate of California State University Long Beach and is an expert on Middle East Politics and Policy frequently speaking in radio and media about the Middle East Conflict.