Zechariah's Vision for Gaza

Advice for those who ponder the situation in the former British-mandated Palestine:

The Jews and the Arabs have been contending with each other in this land for at least 120 years.

The news, the headlines, and the scripts have always been the same during that time.

What you'll read in the newspapers on New Year's Day tomorrow will be the same stories I read in cafes on Dizengoff Street over fifty years ago, and saw on the AP teletype in Washington in 1967.

This conflict will not be settled during the lifetime of anyone now living on this planet, including those born on January 1, 2009.

Knowing this fact, and accepting its reality, provides a basis for dealing with the news from Israel-Palestine in a sane manner, without hope, fear, or anxiety, and without becoming exhausted at following this never-ending pageant.

Buddhism's advice for dealing with any and all thoughts is helpful here.

Consider any thought or perception about Israel-Palestine as if it were a white cloud passing overhead through a blue sky.

Take note of it quietly, without being either attracted to or repelled by it and its passage.

Propagation of stupidity is the contribution of atheism/evolution to religious extremism. Have you wondered why religious extremists hold weapons like AK-47 and RPGs? In the future, these people will be holding more destructive weapons courtesy of atheists/evolutionists. Birds of the same feather flock together and if they have stupid feathers, they will burn together.

Who are the people who undermines the economic sanction against Iran?

Evolutionists, atheist/communists and false religion are the 3 STOOGES of this world leading it towards Doomsday.

Re: Honorswar26, sorry to disappoint you, but the policy of blockading the Gaza Strip does not exist because of the policies of Hamas. They exist because the Zionnazi's, those in power in the Israeli government, do not want any Palestinian people in "the Land."
Must we, the American people back a rogue regime, which is using methods of genocide not seen since World War II? Why, of all the countries in the world, is the government of the US continually backing a regime that hates its opponent, will not sit down with the duly, legally elected representative government of the Palestinian people? And this statement is backed up by the fact that both the US and Israel have refused any peace offers from the Hamas-led government.
Why oh why, do the nations rage? Is it because with the use of power, that the Israelis have become that which they have abhorred? The Israelis
are certainly committing acts that are not righteous and definitely not ones which lead to understanding and amity.
Starvation of children, lack of medical supplies, lack of fuel to power generators which supply electricity for sewer and water plants, the lack of compassion on either side, these are the reasons that Israel commits such terrible atrocities that I am ashamed to be part Jewish.
I grieve for the powerless and helpless in this current situation. The innocent are paying the price for a small minority of guilty. This is not war but GENOCIDE! You cannot, expect a people who with nothing more than home-made rockets against the military might of the United States and Israel
to prevail in a pitched battle that does not kill the intended targets but the innocent, who want nothing more than to raise their children in peace in their own country.
Why, do the nations rage? Is it because the Israeli government, uses the most modern weapons of mass destruction, i.e., bunker busting bombs-
and not against bunkers- loaded with depleted uranium, cluster bombs, which have been outlawed by every civilized country in the world, and laser guided missiles which are targeted not at buildings which contain Hamas fighters, but university students and innocent children, pharmacies and hospitals and other necessary civil
service buildings that are essential to the running of a country?
I am appalled that the people who are part of my heritage, can so blithely and with malice, kill innocents that have nothing to do with the current
conflict. Should there be a change of heart, there must be reparations, there must be parity on the part of US policy, yet this will not happen
until the people rise up and proclaim loudly that we will no longer support any administration that chooses to back just one side in this conflict.

Well, Hamas could adopt the non-violent methods of protest and resistance used successfully by the US civil rights movement.....

But I suppose this option would be completely unacceptable to Hamas since it would not cause the death of a single Jew.

The blockade of Gaza exists because of Palestinian trade policies....the import of weapons and explosives....the export of suicide bombers and terrorist gunmen targeting Israeli civilians in restaurants and social clubs. If Hamas wants peaces, it has to stop trying to eradicate Israel and the Jews.

Spidermean:
"The stupidity that atheism and evolution produce feeds or contributes to the rise of extremist false religions"

FYI: atheism doesnt breed ANY religion, thats the point of it.

Again, just to repeat, evolution has f%^king nothing to do with the Israeli Palestinian conflict. I dare say religious extremists like Hamas and devout Jews, like you, do not believe in evolution. Its a moot ridiculous argument that is franly embarrassing.

Just wondering, why is everything except what you believe stupid?

Is there no room for interpretation beyond what u believe? Why not?

The stupidity that atheism and evolution produce feeds or contributes to the rise of extremist false religions. The Hamas problem can easily be solve if the rest of the world are not idiots themselves. It won't be solved in order to serve as a spark for the destruction of stupidity like atheism, evolution and anything that is stupid in this world.

Stupidity has no other end but destruction.

Spidermean 2:

"False religion, atheism and evolution are the root causes of these kinds of war"

U are so full of s*%t. Atheism and evolution have zero to do with this religious conflict. Explain how they have anything to do with it?

How do u know Christianity isn't false? U dont, u just have faith it isn't.

As for doomsday, wack jobs like you have been predicting it for over a century, certain it will happen in their lifetime and guess what?

We are still here.

Stop wishing us all death and just live you massive wanker.

Mr. Waskow,

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to think Palestinians would be pissed off for having their land stolen from underneath them by outsiders and then given to the Jews. Everyone sympathizes with the Jews and rightfully so. But a wrong doesn't make a right.

Does anyone think Americans would stand by and let the U.N. or anyone else issue a mandate and give Florida back to the Native Americans? To Spain?

And if some think the Bible and religious fanaticism doesn't play a role in all this, give this a thought. Whomever the ancient Greek was who questioned the existence of Gods was a genius. Would this problem exist no one believe in God(s)?

In a thousand years Earthings will look back and shake their heads in amazement of the ignorance. That is, if we don't kill each off first.

This has nothing to do with 'god' or any other mythical figure. Injecting fairy tales into the debate only distracts from the real issues.

I would like to see how much restraint any other country would exercise, when being continually bombarded by rockets.

Hamas is a bunch of murderous thugs who exist only to hate. They will not stop hating or killing, because they have no interest in peace. I applaud, but question the wisdom of, Israel's restraint.

While the good rabbi's ideas should be considered by Israel and her supporters, true peace cannot begin to develop until the constituents realize that each one must take some responsibility for the ongoing hostilities.

United States and Europe must admit that by encouraging and aiding the foundation of the Israeli state, they were principally interested in assuaging their corporate guilt for centuries of Jewish persecution that ended in the death of 10 million innocent people, including 6 million Jews. This evil, grave as it is, cannot be assuaged by stealing the land of another people and creating the Israeli state, without a true, concomitant determination to address the injustices as well..

Hamas and others not reconciled to Israel's existence must accept that what the West did in an effort to expunge its guilt cannot be undone. The realpolitik is that Palestinians and Israelis must accept each others humanity, existence, and ensure that the dignity and potential of each person is not limited in anyway by the political agendas that have no meaning in the contemporary setting.

Israel must acknowledge the injustice and dehumanization that accompanied the founding of the Jewish state. This realization must finally derive not from historical understanding, or from the acceptance of Palestinian rhetoric. It must arise while embracing the spiritual constitution of Israel, the Law and the Prophets. G-d has always conditioned the existence and vitality of Jewish nation upon that people's just and compassionate care of the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. Who is the widow, the orphan, and the stranger for Israel, if not the Palestinians living in and around it?

Marcedward1:

“I just believe that Israelis have a much stronger incentive to negotiate with Hamas than our government has to negotiate with Native Americans.”

Sure they do. Unfortunately it takes two to negotiate. When Hamas agrees to negotiate with Israel, please let me know.

“Could the Israelis stomach carrying out a 'final solution' of their own?”

Of course not. They have never done it and they would never do it, so let’s stop the idiotic whining about murdering and stealing and other imaginary atrocities. Until you agree to turn over your property to the Native Americans and get out of this country, you’re in no position to preach morality to the Israelis.

“Keep in mind, Israel's treatment of Palestinians isn't much different from Hitler's treatment of Jews from 1933-37 (pre Final Solution). Hardly a position of moral authority.”

If you truly believe that, then I strongly recommend that you go back to school and demand a refund for your history classes. You know nothing about the treatment of Jews in Germany of the 30’s, or in the centuries preceding that period. And needless to say, the ensuing events gut this argument altogether.

“I highly doubt Saudis think of themselves as Syrians or Libyans, but perhaps you can find some backing for your unique assertion.”

Of course the Saudis don’t think of themselves as Syrians or Libyans, but the Saudis, the Syrians, the Lybians, the Egyptians, the Morrocans, the Iraqis, all think of themselves as Arabs. Is that earth-shattering news to you? Furthermore, they all think of themselves as Arabs first, Muslims second, and Syrians or Libyans or Saudis third. Read Zogby’s comprehensive research of 2002 about identity in the Arab world, based on surveys done in 13 Arab countries, and see for yourself. What on earth does racism have to do with it?

“That's a silly assertion, because the choice isn't about dying or living. Hamas rockets are less of a threat to Israelis than the daily commute to work.”

If you don’t think that the choice is between living and dying, I invite you to read the Hamas charter. Hamas is officially committed to the destruction of Israel. The reason it has failed so far is not the lack of will to carry out its mission but the lack of power to do so, and this lack of power is the result of Israel’s ongoing efforts. Had Israel stopped defending itself, there would be nothing to stop the Hamas and other Arabs from wiping it out. That is the simple choice between living and dying. What part of it do you find hard to understand?

Thank you Rabbi Waskow for your truly enlightened comments. I would like to point out a few things.

1) One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Hamas is a political organization which sometimes uses terrorism because it has no other weapons (I am pretty sure they would stop using those lousy rockets if they had F-16s).

2) Hamas did not break the truce. The truce was repeatedly broken by both sides.

3) Israel is in no danger of destruction, thank God. What rockets and suicidal attacks can do is to kill a few people. This is psicologicaly very hard to bear, but in no way endanger the state of Israel.

My guess is Hamas knows perfectly point n.3. They can be fanatical but no crazy. They probably abandoned the idea of destroyng Israel (50 years truce), and seems to be more open to negotiation. Of course they have conditions: first of all, they need to be recognised as a party in the talks. As long as Israel, the Us and the Eu refuse to aknowledge their rights to do politics in Palestine (remeber they actually won the elections), why should they engage in any negotiations?

To Spidermean2:
From your rant, I can see how you would be so, shall we say, suspicious of evolution since you, yourself, have never evolved beyond a typical entry in Leviticus.

MichaelNJ writes
'if they did (native Americans), what would you do? Give up, give them your land and go quietly away? Where would you go?'

I never said the Israelis should give up and run away. I just believe that Israelis have a much stronger incentive to negotiate with Hamas than our government has to negotiate with Native Americans.

'Did you stop to think why is it that Native Americans “willing to die for their cause” don’t live down the road from you? It’s because unlike the Palestinians, they have been largely annihilated. If you think this is a good solution, you should suggest it to the Israelis.'

I don't think genocide is the moral choice. Is it the practical choice? Could the Israelis stomach carrying out a 'final solution' of their own? Keep in mind, Israel's treatment of Palestinians isn't much different from Hitler's treatment of Jews from 1933-37 (pre Final Solution). Hardly a position of moral authority.

"Lunping many groups of people under the name 'the Arabs' seems unrealistic. Saudis certainly have seperate interests from Jordenians, Syrians and Egyptians."

'The Arabs are a group of people.'

Now you're being a racist. That's like saying "Africans are a single people" or "Europeans are a single people". I highly doubt Saudis think of themselves as Syrians or Libyans, but perhaps you can find some backing for your unique assertion.

"I disagree. The Palestinians aren't going anywhere, and the Israelis have no realistic plan for dealing with that reality."

'Of course they have a plan. The plan is to survive. That is a much better plan than the alternative plan, which is to die.'

That's a silly assertion, because the choice isn't about dying or living. Hamas rockets are less of a threat to Israelis than the daily commute to work. What moral high ground Israel ever occupied has been lost with Israel's frequent invasions of it's neighbors and continual oppression of Palestinians. Maybe living morally isn't important to many Israelis, but they are the ones claiming to represent a certain religion, so they might want to check with their god about stealing, murdering, etc.

I fail to see how religion can solve this issue. In case nobody's noticed, religion has been with us for eons with each believer attaching their own interpretation for their benefit. And so you get the Crusades and the Reformation on one end of the religious spectrum with Martin Luther King and his morals on the other.
And when one reads through the Old Testament, one is left wondering where peace enters the picture as a byproduct thereof.
Common sense, logic and man's innate desire to get along is the only thing that will eventually solve this problem of continual warfare between different ethnicities and religions. And since this IS a religious conflict, how one presupposes that religious dogma can stop or even play a relevant hand in tempering it is beyond this logical, common sensical mind.

I doubt the arabs, the muslims, or Hamas will show any more restraint or understanding or inclination to peaceably resolve this problem than they have in the past, or the Israelis for that matter.

They are all locked into an all-or-nothing mentality of ignorance and refusal to see another way.

Hamas condones and supports the rocket attacks on Israel. This is a defacto declaration of war of one nation against another. Only a fool would think that Israel should withhold attacks against Hamas just because civilians would be killed. Hamas is deliberately hazarding the civilians on the Gaza Strip. Israel would be fully within their rights to invade the Gaza and impose military rule over it until Hamas was rooted out and utterly destroyed. If that means killing every man, woman and child in the Gaza, then so be it. The obliteration of an unrelenting, implacable foe is not genocide, it's survival.

Hamas, come down off your sub-moronic high horse. Shooting rockets into Israel is just as much an act of war and terrorism as Israel's semi-indescriminate bombing of Gaza; and you will never win a war of violence against them. Like the good rabbi pointed out, if you had throw all your resources into a boat-lift of food and supplies, every ship forceably tunred away, damaged, or sunk would have brought world opinion solidly on your side.

The ball is in Hamas' court. Do you care more about your reputation, or about the good of the palestinian people? Beleive me, it's not one and the same.

Mr. Waskow, you're an idiot. You woefully misunderstand the typical American - who is not a right wing religious fanatic. The right wing extemists in the USA is about as popular as the skin-head Nazi movement in Israel.

If you're relying on some god or fictional writings from eons ago, it's no wonder Israel and Palestinians do nothing but go in circles and continue to murder year and year.

This American suggests one thing - put down the Bible for a minute, realize it's 2008 and and think. THINK!!!!! Or are you simply ignorant?

Some nonexistent god didn't give you your brain. But that's no justification for not using it.

You and your enemies and nothing but war mongerers and murderers as far as I'm concerned. Get a life, get the hell out of the USA and please never return.

There is no peace for a world which believe in idiotic doctrines like EVOLUTION. Their stupidity will lead them to destruction. False religion, atheism and evolution are the root causes of these kinds of war.

This universe is designed by God in a way that stupidity can't rule over sanity. What's happening in the Middle East is a prelude to Doomsday. Doomsday is coming to crush all forms of stupidity. The day of reckoning is at hand.

Afterwards, "Heaven on Earth" will commence.

Israel is NOT blameless but the world should remember these words:

"I will bless them that bless thee and CURSE them which curse thee".

When Israel will be in bondage again, the "ten plagues" during the time of Moses will revisit this world in a more destructive form.

DOOMSDAY is coming. Believe it.

Nicely done Rabi!

Hamas and Hezbolla are terrorist organizations, no different from the people that attacked the US on 9/11. They need to be treated as such. Unfortunately, innocent people (Arab) are being killed because of Hamas/Hezebolla cowardly strikes against innocent people (Jews). My question is why are the other Arab nations rejecting the Palestinian (Arab) people; why do they not open their borders and allow the Palestinians (Arab) to enter their "Arab" country?
The simple way of solving this is for the distruction of Hamas/Hezbolla. By doing so the constant attacks by these terrorest organizations will stop, and Israel will stop retaliation. The Palestinian people are guilty of harboring Hamas/Hezbolla and because of this, some of them are being killed (they are not so innocent as long as they allow the Hamas/Hezbolla to shoot rockets into Israel).

“However, Native Americans willing to die for their cause don't live 10 miles down the road from me in numbers equal to US citizens.”

1. And if they did, what would you do? Give up, give them your land and go quietly away? Where would you go?

2. Did you stop to think why is it that Native Americans “willing to die for their cause” don’t live down the road from you? It’s because unlike the Palestinians, they have been largely annihilated. If you think this is a good solution, you should suggest it to the Israelis.

"Lunping many groups of people under the name 'the Arabs' seems unrealistic. Saudis certainly have seperate interests from Jordenians, Syrians and Egyptians."

The Arabs are a group of people. Inside that group there are many sub-groups who think differently about many different subjects and think alike on others. So? What I said about them still holds true.

"I disagree. The Palestinians aren't going anywhere, and the Israelis have no realistic plan for dealing with that reality."

Of course they have a plan. The plan is to survive. That is a much better plan than the alternative plan, which is to die.

RABBI

ARE YOU HOLDING EVERYONE'S POST[S] WHOSE VIEWS ++++ COULD ++++ BE AT VARIANCE WITH YOUR POSTED COMMENTS?

I THINK YOU WILL FIND THE LAST POST THAT WAS HELD FOR YOUR APPROVAL, IT HARDLY ANY KIND OF 'HATE MONGERING.'

Rabbi Waskow unfortunately lives in an ideal realm devoid of any relation to reality.
He does not seem to understand that Israel's continual efforts for peace, its concessions of land, its restrained responses to an unending historical campaign of aggression have only led to more aggression and violence from the other side.
There are not two symmetrical opponents here. There is one that values violence and practices it ceaselessly, and the other,Israel, which reluctantly uses weapons of destruction because it needs to defend its citizens.

I have a feeling that the US as well as the west's public opinion is turning against Israel. If, sometime in the near future, Israelis are thrown into the see or go to exile again, they should not blame anyone but themselves. They have learned nothing from their own history.
— Nick, Athens, Greece

To crewsin:

So you are not jewish and presumably not muslim, and I'm neither. Where are you getting your idea that Islamic theology is about wiping out Israel?

Firstly, jews lived in peace under muslim occupation in Spain and Iran (to this day) and elsewhere for hundreds of years.

Secondly, why would they not want to wipe out Israel if only emotionally speaking?? Israel was imposed on them by Europeans with outsiders.

What would you do if the eveangelicals decide to take your 'safe home in America' and shunt you into the outhouse? Would you teach your children to love the evangelicals who kick your behind every day and spit in your face and call you a terrorist for complaining?

Food for thought my friend. Don't buy into the propaganda..

Rabbi,

Thankyou for your sane voice! These are war crimes, no less. Make no mistake.

To ThishowIseeit:

And you probably never heard of the fact that you shouldn't leave your brains in your high school locker when you become an adult. 'Defense is the best offense' is what the Palestinian resistance fighters including Hamas have adopted. It suits David. Not Goliath.

Rabbi Arthur Waskow

Your vision seems wise, but what do you do when HAMAS calls you an agent of the Mossad ?

I am in no way suggesting this, mind you, but Israel has always been wise enough, whenever possible, to play all sides to an issue -- out of a need to survive.

Your articulated a 'reasonable approach,' sans a 50 year WHAT DID YOU CALL IT ???

HOW DO YOU GO FROM A FAILED 6 MONTH TRUCE TO A 50 YEAR TRUCE.

EVEN THE GREAT PROPHETS DID NOT SUGGEST SOMETHING SO 'TEMPORARILY' ABSURD.

Why can't Israeli's or their supporters say the following to themselves:

"wow, its really great that we have our own country, but it was pretty unfair on the people who were already here"

Find a way a way to deal with the unfairness at the core of this and you will get your peace. The sacrifices will have to be made by Israel because the Palestinians were forced to make more than enough concessions in 1948 and 1967. All they can offer now is to stop killing themselves to get your attention.

Dear Rabbi:
Do we not need a moral sense of equivalency. Every jewish or palestinian life is equally precrious. The two sides have been playing tit-for-tat games for years. Except the palestinian tit is a bunch of inaccurate rockets while the Israeli tat produces 370 dead. Those are the kind of retaliatory ratios used by the Nazis. It is imperative that religious leaders should hold all of us to the same and higher moral standards.

MichaelNJ writes
'Plenty of countries in the world were born in strife and bloodshed, and in fact that seems to be the rule rather than the exception. The bloodshed comes to an end when one side becomes convinced that it cannot overcome the other'

All true. And I've said in other onfaith forums that while I feel bad for how the US government dealt with native Americans, I don't feel bad enough to give the land back. However, Native Americans willing to die for their cause don't live 10 miles down the road from me in numbers equal to US citizens.

'The Arabs'

Lunping many groups of people under the name 'the Arabs' seems unrealistic. Saudis certainly have seperate interests from Jordenians, Syrians and Egyptians.

'If they ever decide to live in peace with Israel there will be peace, and if they don’t, there won’t be peace. Justice has nothing to do with it.'

I disagree. The Palestinians aren't going anywhere, and the Israelis have no realistic plan for dealing with that reality. I think the status quo favors those who want to establish Palestine, in the long run.

It seems that at least in this current situation, the major culprit is DEMOCRACY.

It is apparent that for quite a few cases wars are fought, people are killed, so that the ruling party can get get their projected vote percentages jacked up a bit. This is a case specially in a politically fragmented society, where small but powerful factions control the keys to power.

It is unfortunate that US has been harping on the point of Israel being the only democracy in the ME, and it is this democracy itself that is standing in the way of rational action.

marcedward1: There may be some merit to your comment that there are no white hats in this mess. Everything else you said was beside the point, including the questions of what is “just” or a “good thing” for this side or another. Plenty of countries in the world were born in strife and bloodshed, and in fact that seems to be the rule rather than the exception. The bloodshed comes to an end when one side becomes convinced that it cannot overcome the other. In the Middle East that has not happened yet. The Arabs are convinced they can overcome Israel, due to the obvious imbalance in size between themselves and Israel, so they see no reason to stop trying. If they ever decide to live in peace with Israel there will be peace, and if they don’t, there won’t be peace. Justice has nothing to do with it.

The most heinous crimes in history are always committed in the name of God. "We are God's chosen and He orders us to....." is irrational both from a secular and religious view. Being a new parent, I have a newfound understanding of how intensely parents love their children. Most parents would not hesitate to give their life to save their children. A parent would certainly not order one child to kill another, even if that child was badly behaved. If indeed God created all people, and thus all are His children, would He order one group of His children to kill another? Is God's love lesser and inferior that of human's? Therefore it is illogical that a God who created all people who order them to kill each other. Would God create people with a conscience so that we can suppress and ignore it when He gives us the order to kill and reclaim land He gave to us?

What Israel is doing to the Palestinians is not self-defense but rather a calculated plan to crush the Palestinian people into submission and then extract a final (albeit unfair) two state solution from a broken people.

Jewish people should take heed of Our Lord's words to Moses:

"Whoever takes the life of any human being shall be put to death"
Leviticus 24:17

"Be careful to observe all my statutes and all my decrees; otherwise the land where I am bringing you to dwell will vomit you out."
Leviticus 20:22

This conflict does not seem at all likely be solved by sweet reason. The Rabbi's sentiments are very sweet and very reasonable, but seem to me to be unattached to the real world. This conflict is tragic. Survival for Israel includes sovereignty over the land they now possess, including Jerusalem. Survival for Hamas and for the Palestinians means sovereignty over Palestine under Islamic Law, with some few surviving Jews existing under sufferance as a minority, without full civil rights. Given two sides with fundamentally incompatible requirements for survival and both willing to fight to the death it seems that a fight to the death is the end result to be expected. It will be a surprise when Islamic terrorists obtain nuclear weapons and use them. Then the Sampson option will be exercised by Israeli strategic nuclear forces and the world as we now know it will end.

Replying to MARCEDWARD1's comments:

"Are you saying that the founding of Israel was just, or a good thing for the Palestinians?"

The Palestinians could have had a two-state solution in the 1940s (the original UN partition plan), but they rejected it.

"If you were driven from your home at gunpoint, all your goods stolen, and you were forbidden to ever return, how would you feel?"

It is worth pointing out that the Palestinians weren't driven from their homes by Jews- they were encouraged to leave by Arabs, who wanted them out of the way so their armies could have free reign to crush the nascent Jewish state (although things ended up not working out that way).

"Would you resist the occupation of your lands, or would you aid the occupiers?"

It is also worth pointing out that more Jews were expelled from Arab countries (or left due to conditions there) after 1948 than the number of Palestinians who were expelled from or left Israel (Palestine). And those Jews didn't resist the occupation of their property; the majority resettled in Israel. They left behind and lost property, for which they were never compensated, and hardly anyone recognizes them as refugees or has argued that they have a right to return and reclaim the land they lost.

Although it may not seem apparent from the above, I favor a two-state solution, and I don't always or uniformly agree with Israel's handling of negotiations or issues. But I don't agree with the original poster that Palestinians' current recourse to violence is justified by their treatment at the time of the founding of Israel.

All you have to do is read the comments here and you can see that this is an unsolvable problem, because the people who can see both sides, like the good Rabbi, are in the minority. Right now, Israel is helping Hamas and Hezbollah make their year-end recruiting numbers-- that's about it. Once a few thousand recruits are enrolled, things will get back to normal.

I think the Rabbi is on the right track. Killing people is never going to be the answer-- it hasn't worked for sixty years, ever since God started playing his nasty little game with the Jews over founding a European colonialist state in land owned and occupied by non-Europeans. Funny thing about that: just as the colonial era was coming to an end, Israel is founded as a colonialist confection to help the Europeans and the Americans get over their guilt about abandoning the Jews in Germany and the East.

Honestly, I don't think a two state solution is possible now. In fact, I don't think a one state solution is possible either. It is beginning to look like it's going to be a no-state solution, as the never-ending spiral of violence eats everybody up. Maybe in another sixty years whoever's left will get tired of the killing, and they will all move somewhere else where they will be welcome, like Florida, or Cleveland.

I feel sorry for everybody involved, and especially for good-hearted people like the Rabbi. I just don't think a solution is possible any more.

crewsin writes
'The problem is Islamic theology which calls for the anihilation of the state of Israel'

Utter crapola. The Islamic rules of war do say that Allah doesn't 'bless' wars that offensive, and the resistance to the occupation of Palestine (that's how they see it one assumes) is therefore just. But to call it part of Islamic theology is ignorant.

'No one to include the Rabbi or the politicians of all stripes seem to recognize this one salient fact.'

Because it isn't a fact.

'Sadly, the only remedy is the complete annihilation of Hamas, Hezbollah'

So to you, genocide in the modern age is a solution. What ever happened to 'Never again!'?

MichaelNJ - one problem is that Israel has jailed and killed many Palestinian leaders. Israel has had a policy of assassination for a while. Are you saying that the founding of Israel was just, or a good thing for the Palestinians? If you were driven from your home at gunpoint, all your goods stolen, and you were forbidden to ever return, how would you feel? Would you resist the occupation of your lands, or would you aid the occupiers? There are no white hats in that mess. Moreover, there have been Palestinians who have sought a 2-state solution, which by definition means Israel would continue to exist. And yes, Israel cannot negotiate in good faith if it's position is that everything they did war right and any resistance is wrong. How to solve the problem? I don't know - Israel has made a 2-state solution impossible, and ISrael would never accept a one state solution because it wouldn't be a state dominated by Jews. But how long would anybody want to live there with continous life-long warfare going on? From everything I read, the Palestinians aren't going to give up their claims if they have to wait 1000 years.

1. To Israelis and Arabs, Israel's existence is what this struggle is all about. To high-minded Westerners safely ensconced in their armchairs thousands of miles away, It's just a straw horse. That’s what this imbecile rabbi fails to grasp. He thinks the conflict is about settlements and territories and a Palestinian government of national unity and everything else that he lays at Israel’s feet. It’s not. It’s about whether Israel will be or will not be, plain and simple.

2. “Israel has never acknowledged the wrong done to the people of Palestine”. Oh yes, that will bring the conflict to a swift and happy conclusion, no question about it.

3. And of course Israel could find new leaders to work with. Right around the corner. Any day now. When they emerge, I'm sure we will get notice. However, as long as Israel continues to be blamed for the Arabs’ failure to produce a decent leadership, is there any reason for the Arabs to do better?

Spidermean 2:
"For as long as the world believe in EVOLUTION, stupidity will continue and DOOMSDAY is coming."

What the f*%k has evolution got to do with this?

People here write well thought out answers in response to this article and you blame it on evolution?

We are all aware that everyone except you is stupid but its wearing a bit thin, especially when u write ridiculous (dare I say stupid, really stupid) crap like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is all evolutions fault.

Your arrogance and religious certainty mirrors Hamas and that attitude is at the core of the problem. As long as people believe they kill for god and will not LISTEN, nothing will change.

1) There is nothing immoral about a lopsided response. It's more moral to use a lopsided response if it will end the 'war' faster. Of course it won't end the 'war' at all.
2) Comparing the war to soccer is immoral and stupid. Soccer is a game. People are dying needlessly.
3) Yes, at times Israel has tried hard for peace, and the Palestinians have suffered from p***-poor leadership for a long time. However Israel has never acknowledged the wrong done to the people of Palestine, always setting up the straw horse of 'accepting the rigt of Israel to exist', which translates to 'the Zionists running Palestinians off their land at gunpoint was right', which no Palestinian would accept. Just because Arafat was a crappy leader who couldn't accept a good deal doesn't mean Israel shouldn't find new leaders they can work with.
Personally I don't see any good solution. A 2-state solution is impossible, and Israel won't accept a one state solution ever. It will no doubt end in another tragedy and in 1000 years nobody will recall Israel ever existed, outside Trivial Persuit games. Maybe President Obama will succeed where Clinton failed - here's to hope! After Arabs and Jews lived in peace for centuries.

Speaking of neighbors, I don't want to be neighbors with Hamas. They can't even have peace with their fellow Palestinians, the Fatah. How much more with Israel?

Israel on the other hand must stop rejecting Jesus Christ. It is that rejection that are putting them in deep trouble. That was prophesied by Christ Himself.

First I am not Jewish and make this content from safety here in America (at least for the time being). The problem is Islamic theology which calls for the anihilation of the state of Israel. No one to include the Rabbi or the politicians of all stripes seem to recognize this one salient fact. Sadly, the only remedy is the complete annihilation of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist groups and states or their conversion to a more pacifist religion. How to effect this change is another question which i am not qualified to answer.

Yes, by all means, let the IDF impose a "final solution" on the problem of Gaza. And then the West Bank. And then the goyem within Greater Israel. And then, and then, and then...

And still the Jews wring their collective hands and wonder why everyone hates them so. I know it's hard, but try getting along with your neighbors instead of killing them and stealing from them and enslaving them. You'll be amazed at how Middle Eastern hospitality reciprocates kindness with kindness...

For as long as the world believe in EVOLUTION, stupidity will continue and DOOMSDAY is coming.

The Hamas problem is a very simple one but it can't be solved because of the world's stupidity.

Rabbi Wascow you are dead wrong - as you usually are in matters of the middle east. Thank god there are stronger and smarter Jews, Israeli and other, who have learned from history and know that those who mean us evil cannot be won over by prayers and platitudes. Let the IDF finish the job and then there will be a real cessation of hostilities and maybe a chance for peace. Your naivety already brought the Jewish people Auschwitz - let us assure that Massada will not fall again!

Impressive writing, Rabbi. This is the most even-handed and clear-headed view of what is currently happening between Israel and the Gaza Strip that I have read. Unfortunately, the irrational thinking and leadership failings displayed by both camps are well-represented here by my fellow commentators, proving that it is not the Israelis or the Palestinians who possess unique flaws, but the human condition that leads to tragic consequences such as these. I will add that these combatants, in my view, deserve each other and should be left to their own devices, without U.S. military weapons or support of any kind.

If any country other than Israel applied such extremely lopsided violence in the name of peace, they would be an international pariah. Be honest, they are still milking the anti-semitism card for all it is worth. If Israel suffered what the Palestinians are suffering on a daily basis, it would, no doubt, be called a new Holocaust. How can those who have suffered so much, be blind to that fact and ignore the longer term consequences of the use of overbearing military might in a civilian occupied area?

The same tactic of overwhelming force against clearly inferior forces with no real concern for the civilians involved has been used before, under the name "blitzkrieg". Look it up.

I suggest the US remove all support from Israel, and all support from Palestinian groups, leave Iraq, and all of our shadow wars with other Middle Eastern countries, and allow all the parties involved to slug it out. No more hiding behind other nations and international groups. If the parties involved are that linear in their approach, stop wasting my tax money dragging it out. If Israel is truly in the right, just crush them already, and suffer the PR nightmare.

Better do it quick, before it becomes a nuclear fist fight....

Note to the Washington Post: The war is still going on, the dynamics of the Middle east conflict may be drastically altered, the region and the world may be affected by the outcome of the current conflagration, and all you have to offer is this sanctimonious drivel? And you call yourselves a serious newspaper?

Israel has tried by now anything and everything to stop the attacks by Hamas, including counter attacks, including truce, including talks, including handing the Gaza strip over to the Palestinians on a silver tray, and the attacks continue. It is obvious by now to anyone who has eyes and ears that the people who rule Gaza could not care less about having a state or about having peace. They want the Jews out of Israel, period. They say it in so many words, over and over, and they keep attacking Israel and amassing more and more firepower. If your god-loving rabbi has any new ideas of how to stop the attacks, let him put them forward. Rolling his eyes to heaven and blabbering about Zecharia is a glorious waste of time. Get a grip on reality, WAPO.

The horrible situation between the US, Israel and the Palestinians is that all three sides have engaged in bad-faith negotiations, and each side constantly wants to optimize its own advantages and the other side's disadvantages. Clearly, in terms of any peace process, the ball is in Israel's court and always has been. Why should the Palestinians believe in any good faith on the part of Israel when the Israelis keep expanding their settlements and outposts as every month goes by? Nonetheless, the Palestinian attacks from Gaza across the borders of pre-1967 Israel are especially stupid because they play right into the hands of the most extreme elements of Israeli society who say, "see, we withdrew just like they asked us to, and they still attack us". I'm sure that if the rocket attacks had ever actually stopped, Israel would have opened up the borders to all commerce- with some kind of weapons inspections, to be sure, and Israel would have also ceased their target attacks. But the Palestinians have never stopped the rocket attacks. So, now Hamas is getting what they have earned- obliteration.

Rabbi, you probably never played soccer, where the best defence is to play offensive !

hi i read your thoughtfull well written column.. i agree with facts you have accurate written i wlll polittely disagree with you opinion that is is .... who has and is making the dessions .....i suspect that would be israel actually making and carrying out plans. in Gods world god does not take orders from the jewish christian or muslim people or any other man or woman he has clearly in all holy books said his preference for peace he even flooded the earth trying to get a better strain of human maybe. he has exhiled israel once in mine and your own holy books ... he could and may well do it again if israel like in the old testament insists they are smarter and have more money and power than God and it seems ironic that thier final solution to thier problem would seem to echoo sombody in historys final solution and i think hte whole world eventually agreed this man was pure evil. has the abused child grownup to be a wife beater or perhaps sometimng far far worse the world will decide this not deluded power hungy men who would rather start wars than talk about real issues . when you want peace you do not killinnocents much less women and children with the americn made and technoly wis provided weapons for real amerians of any faith ..not if you expect any credibility in the world or among the united state citizens .. we a re often late but we do get it right in theend. i don't see israel coming out morally here. its not even close unless you are a tired old man trying to hold on to power and money and willing to stab every one on the way out and here i mean our visce president who has a destiny in america to pelead the 5th amendment so we all know hes guiltly we dont like to torture people thats why we have the 5th amndent .. or he if is is not a complete coward answer questions under oath in public .. no matter what isreal does we are americans i know what we will do...

Rabbi, you probably never played soccer, where the best defence is to play offensive !

War is a self regulating thing. When both sides become tired of the death and destruction only then are the two sides willing to discuss a peace they would not consider before. The problem of the middle east is a problem of both sides not suffering enough to consider peace.

Israelis, for all the threats and bombs Hamas is shooting at them, including suicide bombings, are relatively isolated from the conflict. So Israel is not yet at a stage where peace is worth considering with the Palestinians. There were more powerful foes once, such as Egypt and Syria, for which the suffering and potential for suffering was enough to work hard for peace on both sides, but Israel will never feel threatened enough by the Palestinians to consider peace with them as long as America continues to supply them with all they need to feel comfortable.

The Palestinians on the other hand are suffering a lot, but they are just the foot soldiers in this war. The real enemy of Israel is Iran and the Arab states supporting Hamas. None of them are feeling any pain today from this violence and so they have no need to consider stopping the supplies to Hamas, which is fighting for its continued existence since if it made peace with Israel supplies and money from the Iranians and Arabs would stop.

If we want peace to happen, its sad to say, the violence must get worse and start affecting the Israelis more than it is and start affecting those supporting Hamas. Both of those are unlikely, so the natural self regulating mechanisms of war are removed in this conflict, and so the conflict goes on and on.

What we have chosen to call "terrorism" is apparently coming out of deep-rooted frustrations and is the method of those in a weak position dealing with those in a strong position. Wisdom would seem to be saying: "Deal with the frustrations." Obviously, mere suppression will not work.

Israel is committing 'CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY." They are attacking a University (a woman's dormitory), mosques, private homes and other civilian facilities in an area where there are 700,000 innocent children thrown together in a very small land area with 1.5 billion people. There is nowhere to separate the people from any Israeli military targets because the people are living on top of one another in the small area. Hamas is the democratically elected government whether Israel likes it or not. God knows that Bush was the republican elected government and most people objected to his election, his policies and his going to war, yet had little say in those illegal and unconstitutional courses of action. Unfortunately, the U.S. didn't get bombed to pieces because of what Bush/republicans/Congress has done all over the world, including aiding and abetting Israel in all of its genocidal actions against the Palestinians. Israel has forced the Palestinians into this occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. There are no medications, adequate food, gas, electricity, medical supplies, healthcare or medical facilities so the sick and/or injured people will ultimately perish for a lack of adequate care. These people cannot even take their wounded to Egypt because the border crossings have been closed to them and Israel and Egypt are alleging that these wounded people are trying to escape. The wounded are only civilians caught in this unjust massacre by Israel on the eve of the departure of their friends and allies in their crimes against humanity, George Bush/Cheney/Pelosi and the U.S. Congress who continue to ignore anything that Israel does in the Middle East, including its latest invasion of Lebanon. If Obama thinks that the honest, peaceful, humane people of this country will continue to tolerate and support this genocide and apartheid Israel is perpetrating on the Palestinian people, he had better think twice because we want and demand "REAL CHANGE AND REAL PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, NOT ISRAELI RHETORIC AND CONTINUED BOMBING, EXPLOITATION, APARTHEID AND MASSACRES OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND ELDERLY" (George Bush's legacy to take with him out of office -- more death and destruction in his world -- Happy New Year MAY GOD BE YOUR JUDGE, you supporters of hate, death and destruction for greed, more money and power). What religion teaches genocide and apartheid -- forcing the suffering of innocent children??? What manner of man are you people in Israel to do this and allow people to have to live like they do now in Gaza and the West Bank??? You endured a "HOLOCAUST AND NOW YOU INFLICT THE SAME UPON THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE!!!" Your children will be reading their history and being ashamed just as the German people did -- is this the legacy you want to leave upon the world because you are writing an equally shameful, murderous story each and every day. May the Palestinians and peace prevail against the Israel in these days is South Africa

God bless you Rabbi.

The quote from Zechariah is one of my favorites.

Thank you for all of year insight. Forgive me for expressing a bit of my own.

Some of my fondest memories as a youngster involve my Jewish friends and classmates who attended a small private school in New Jersey with me. In my later years, when I became a Christian my affinity for Jews increased. I like to think of my brothers and sisters, to whom the complete oracles of God were first given, as His "special treasures."

But, as a student of theology it is hard for me to fully understand why so much of the Law of Moses has been done away with and altered, and on what authority. A full 60-years after the establishment of the state of Israel I wonder why there is no re-built temple in Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock is no hindrance; it might be better to move the new temple to a different location nearby anyway, so that prospects for peace are raised. I mean, they just completed an expensive modern bridge. Which is more important?

And, I listen to the ultra-orthodox settlers and I think: didn't they read the parts of the Torah that reminded the Hebrews that they were once slaves and that strangers are to be treated just like natural born citizens? Didn't they read the literal commandment in the book of Ezekiel that says that the strangers in their midst are to be given land and treated as full citizens, not driven out (47:21-23)?

Then, I think of the great King David, a man after God's own heart. He was in the image of God not only for his faith but for his compassion and remorse. I remember that after he won the promised land for the nation of Israel the Lord withheld from him the honor of building the temple for the beloved divine Ark of the Covenant--the place where God Himself met with the high priest every year. Although gravely flawed, this honor went to his son, Solomon.

What disqualified David from serving the Lord in this way? THE BLOOD ON HIS HANDS. God no longer visits the head rabbi in Israel. So, I pray that Israel will consider what honors and blessings they are disqualifying themselves for because of the blood on their hands.