HOPEFULLY OBAMA IS NOT ANTI PALESTINIAN

One of the crucial moral issues in progressive politics is the question of Israel and Zionism and the situation in Palestine/Israel today. Currently it seems to me that there are progressive ideas about Palestine and Israel that allow for either one united secular state or two viable unconquered states at peace with one another.

The Palestinians continue to be terribly oppressed and abused in Gaza and the West Bank. The sieges of Gaza and other Palestinian areas are crimes against humanity as well as war crimes. Siege has long been condemned by international law. Nor is siege an appropriate response to the asymmetrical attacks on Israeli territory because the scale of those attacks is quite limited and ineffective although sometimes quite deadly, admittedly.

I think the Israelis and Palestinians should become one family, to put all the so called values that supposedly divide aside and to adopt one another into each others families. A religion that divides the oppressed of yesterday from the oppressed of today is an idolatry. Many already see that racial purity and this or that piece of territory is not what is crucial. A real, just peace among the two and several peoples is what is holy, not the land, not the land. Remember the golden calf when Moses came down from the mountain with the law. Call it what you may, the ten commandments or the one thousand commandments. It was the law and it is what so many who want more land say they are following.

Negotiations with Hamas have already ratcheted down the missile attacks on Israel. Isn't it possible to secure a peace agreement between Israel and all Palestinian factions and government officials.

It is time for Israel to stop trying to social engineer the future of the Palestinian people. Let's see that genius applied for the embrace of both parties, both sides, one by the other so that everyone succeeds. Of course the Israeli extremists need to be coaxed into a peaceful frame of mind. This may be a great challenge but the nonviolent struggle with, not against, these settlers by Israeli society at large could be a model for struggling with and working out a just, stable peace with Palestinians.

Consider the practicality of peace in a world of crisis. Who has not betrayed the Palestinians and now they are divided into two camps. Lets have an honest and transparent foreign policy and domestic policy towards Israel. How can Israel protect itself from the threats of the violent extremists who oppose accommodation, peace and a fraternal relationship with this close and indigenous people?

Presumably those who are for peace should not be intimidated if some are martyred in the cause of peace. Yitzak Rabin should not be the only Israeli willing to die for peace and as a peaceful Israeli leader. So some extremists may kill other Israeli leaders for peace. If so they could have other leaders ready to go, and another replacement team several replacements deep ready to go on short notice. It sucks to be in this sort of position but what is the point of dying for endless war or killing for endless war? Peace is better for everything and everyone as long as it is a just peace.

It seems that if violence trends downward that this is a good sign and that military brutality may not be the best input into the "peace process" at that time.