Peace in the middle east has been destroyed today..

[Marg of Arabia]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...l_palestinians

Huge explosion of violence. What will happen next?? And how much blame should the U.S. shoulder for all of this violence?? I happen to think we are partly responsible for what it has been coming to....

Any other opinions?? I know we have been over this a million times but, I truly do think this is a very black time for relations between Israel/Palestine. They are both wrong. And the U.S. is being seen as more of a "Great Satan" than ever before. I am not even sure that we can bring the two sides together. I am losing hope.

What do you all think will happen?? Do you think there is hope?? Do you feel that terrorism will be taken care of in a Sharon/Bush type of way?? Or do you think we need a Ghandi??

[mahdokht]

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[1jooj]

I heard on my way home from work today. Really awful. Obviously the "Sharon/Bush" way is not working...and I am afraid there are groups doing all they can to render Abbas impotent in any case.

I don't see anything good on the horizon, I am afraid.

[CollegeMama]

Re: Peace in the middle east has been destroyed today..

Originally posted by Marg of Arabia
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...l_palestinians
Or do you think we need a Ghandi??

I think it will either take many, many years of slowing changing everyone's perceptions over there or a miracle person like Ghandi to set things straight there. Since I don't see the first happening, as long as this violence continues, I suppose it'd have to be the later.

So sad, for everyone!

[Hilary Briss]

This is further proof of Shrub's lame duck status, and lack of credibility in the region.

[mahdokht]

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[barbara]

mahdokht, I really would like to hear what you have to say. I am at a loss, but I think perhaps only a Ghandi will do now.

[merpk]

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[jannan]

a new Ghandi would be nice. all Israel needs to do is to get off of Palestinian land. It is that simple. The Israelis treat the palestinians the same as Hitler treated the Jews, catholics, Homosexuals..........It is really bad.

[3boys4us]

Well everyone knows my opinion on this matter --- but just to clarify:

Under this Sharon leadership the Israeli govt. should shoulder half of the blame. Certainly the recent firing upon Rantisi's car and then following it up by firing upon the spectators who came out to look at the fired upon car was pretty stupid. Even though Hamas vowed not to follow the peace plan, most Palestinians disagree with them - eventually by Hamas will be marginalized. The fact that Israel receives $10 mil./day from the US taxpayers(although I think this figure is higher now) while our own economy is in disaray. Mr. Sharon refuses to acknowledge his own shortcomings in the peace plan while marginalizing Mr. Abbas (a "welcome" choice by Israel as the new Pal. pm) by saying he has been unable and unwilling to deal with the Hamas et al.


Anyway Mr. Bush is pretty poor at understanding world politics and unless he had a concrete plan to come down hard on both sides, he shouldn't have gotten involved.

[Delilah]

I'll be the last one to defend

Shrub, but the only thing I blame him for here is waiting two and a half years to even marginally become involved. I hate to say it, but I don't think he'll suffer any negative political fallout over the likely failure of The Roadmap. I don't think he's shown any real leadership on this issue, but I'm not sure it would even matter if these two peoples are determined to take the path they are on.

I'd love to entertain a more critical point of view about Shrub on this; let her rip!

[Devi]

Originally posted by Hilary
The prospect of peace, then and now, can be summed up in three words.

Pigs might fly.

Hey, that's what we need, a "flying pig" smiley...??

I honestly dunno what would bring peace to the region? Wish I had a clue...

I understand the complaints of both sides, but man there comes a time when one has to try and find a 'win/win' situation. Human life should be more sacred then any thing, KWIM?

[merpk]

My only response ...

jannan ...





Go and learn.

[Devi]

Amyrpk~I honestly can sympathize with both sides.

Not sure what more I can say. Sorry that's such a chicken sh$$ answer but that's how I feel.

[mahdokht]

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[Devi]

Mahdokht~Nope! I don't feel a bit defensive, just non-committal is all...

Sorry if I sounded 'defensive'...?

Edited to add, I thought Amyrpk's post was directed toward me. Woops! Can you say narcisist?

[RowansDad]

Good column by Tom Friedman 2day:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/15/op...rint&position=

But, the bodycount continues:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/303323.html

Still, after all the bloodletting this past week, there's still some effort for peace:
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/166/...urity_oP.shtml

[merpk]

Devi, I figured you misunderstood my post.

The post I responded to was not by any stretch of the imagination "sympathetic to both sides."

I, too, am sympathetic to both sides. And have lived that in my life, in my activism ... and in my posts.

[merpk]

RD, thanks for the link to T. Friedman's column, I'd missed it. A good one.

Rather than reflexive "anti" attitudes, it might be helpful to know that there are those working towards the dream from all sides, and all political streams ...

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...threadid=65872

[Devi]

Kids in the hell...

Article here

Few people want to talk about what this conflict is doing to the Israeli and Palestinian kids who don't get killed or maimed. But it's clear that the ever present specter of death is traumatizing thousands of little ones on both sides.