Remembering Last Year's War in Gaza

The COGs teach people to view events in a simplistic black and white manner. One side is good. The other side is bad. Many high demand groups teach people to view matters in a black and white way because it is easier to manipulate people inclined to view matters in that way. Such an attitude can all too readily teach people to be unmoving and stubborn when that may be unwise.

In regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict the COGs generally just cast one side as the good guys (the Israelis) and the other side as the bad guys (the Palestinians). Among the COGs there is no attempt to challenge one's self in seeing if there is something previously unknown about it to be found. Rather the conventional wisdom about it from the perspective of the leadership of the various COGs is continuously repeated to the membership.

Last year war broke out in Gaza, the latest chapter in the tragic, brutal and dehumanizing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Although fighting ended the month afterwards the political problems that led to that war have still not been resolved and despite the mass loss of life that occurred there is no reason to assume that such violence won't happen again.

That armed conflict was a symptom of the severe political crisis between the State of Israel and Hamas led Gaza. Unless the political problems that caused this conflict is solved, or at least mitigated to a considerable degree, it seems practically certain that war like this will occur again in Gaza. That is absolutely terrible and tragic for all concerned.

I strongly hope that someone, anyone, will prevent such a terrible thing occurring. May no more blood be shed on any side. May the solutions to this conflict be found and enacted quickly.

In the hope of providing resources for anyone who should happen to be interested in being informed about the conflict that occurred last year here are some resources regarding that conflict.

This is How We Fought in Gaza (Breaking the Silence). 

Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict.

No More Impunity: Gaza's Health Sector Under Attack.

I encourage people to read widely about this conflict, and especially I encourage people to read the side you do not agree with. Not necessarily to agree with the other side but to at least be familiar with what they are saying amongst themselves.

Ultimately enough people from one side will have to find a way to reach out to the other side and connect in just the right way for peace to be created. May that day soon come. It cannot come soon enough.

May the day soon occur in which peace and prosperity come to everyone within the Holy Land and all may live in peace and safety and all may work to build a just and prosperous society at peace within itself, its neighbors and the world.

May peace soon come to the Holy Land.