Logs and Splinters

So I've been thinking that I should put myself in the place of the Israeli public and its leadership (as if we need leaders to tell us what to do). But clearly they are upset and upset enough to bomb and support bombing refugee camps when they know that there is no way to avoid civilian casualties; 1,000 Palestinians are now dead in the world's largest open air prison.

So what are they thinking? Well they want to stop rocket attacks against their country, at least that's what they say. You wouldn't really want to be going about your day and have a rocket land on your kids school or on your precious car. That would make you really afraid. Imagine that this might happen to your children and I'm sure you'd agree that something needs to be done. Really anything when it comes to safety.

The point I guess is that Israelis and their "leaders" view themselves as equal to the Palestinians much like an well-paid, educated, professional justifies his or her position in society as equal to the lowest, darkest (skin colour matters) person. You got their because you worked harder than other people and deserve it. So the Palestinians have the same life and goals as Israelis, it's just that they are trying to kill your children; some might even magnanimously suggest that only "extremists" are trying to kill their children. These people have no reason or rationality behind their murder, they are just evil.

This is clearly delusion. Gaza is nothing like Israel. Palestinians suffer immensely there, where Israelis', much like Canadians, great worries are car and mortgage payments. Clearly they are in a different league. Palestinians have clear goals: autonomy, democracy, rights including the right of return to their homes inside Israel and the ability to control their own destiny. Sound fair?

You might also want to compare the "armies" of Palestine and Israel. Israel has the strongest military in the Middle East with the most advanced technology including nuclear weapons and burning phosphorus bombs. Sure Hamas has rockets but they are crude compared to what Israel can launch into Gaza buildings.

But if you listen to Israelis and their politicians, you'd think that Hamas and Gaza contained a sophisticated, well-equipped military that threatens to wipe out the Israeli state and all Jews everywhere. Israel claims it is fighting a well-matched rival. Poppycock!

Fear is the only area that Hamas matches Israel. Hamas rockets inspire fear in Israelis much like Bin Laden's hijacked planes do in the US. But how much of this fear is whipped up by politicians to justify their costly and violent wars? Rockets kill very few people in the end. Fear is just fear. You're not likely going to be hijacked or have a rocket hit your house, but we all think we might so we'll authorize any action.

These realities inspired my last post promoting justice over peace. I have very little time for peace these days, which usually means a halt in hostilities and acceptance that one group has power over another group. Shut up and accept your fate. So in Canada, when First Nations people retire to their dismal reserves and don't ask tough questions or block rail lines and highways to push their occupiers, this is peace. There is no justice, just quiet while one group dominates another and the weaker group slowly fades into history--if they are recorded at all.

We need to talk about power and address it openly. There are never two equal sides in a conflict whether it's Israel and Palestine or the divorce of a well-paid husband and stay-at-home wife. Power matters and should be central to coming up with a just solution.

So in Palestine and Israel, Israel, the powerful party, should be expected to offer concessions to the weaker party in any negotiation. Currently, it's expected, by all of us including our "leaders", that the weaker party, the Palestinians should offer concessions first since their violence is overt and beamed around the world into our living rooms. That's the definition of injustice.

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Also have you noticed that the UN agency that serves Palestine and Palestinians neglects to even mention their identity or their country's name in its . It's called the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). This is actually really important. Names matter. If the Palestinians don't exist on paper then they don't exist. They are just Arabs and should go back to Jordan or Egypt where they came from. Then the genocide will be complete.