"Talk"

There is certainly plenty of talk going around having to do with the Israeli/Palestinian blood bath. The Israelis of course blame Hamas, Hamas blames Israel, the UN condemns both parties, and even the US, an active participant in this dreadful bloody event, has managed to complain about the attacks on what are supposed to be UN safe havens. There are apparently marches all around the world condemning Israel while Israeli defenders continue mindlessly reciting their mantra, “Israel has a right to defend itself from terrorists.” Hamas is condemned for being a terrorist group by Israel and the U.S. but is not necessarily so considered by others. Israel is increasingly condemned by most of the world. It is obvious that both sides have committed obvious war crimes.

Having tried to follow this slaughter as well as I can (not very rewarding these days), I know that most of the talk consists of lies, truly obvious and transparent lies. The Israelis and their supporters lie constantly whereas Hamas also lies. It is virtually impossible to believe anything we are told by anyone, least of all the U.S. MSM. The UN charges Israel with probable war crimes, even crimes against humanity, the U.S. claims to be appalled at some of the recent Israeli military actions, Hamas is similarly charged, the accusations and denials go on and on endlessly, as they have, in fact, for years.  

The problem with all this talk is not only that it is a never-ending pack of lies, the problem is, it is just “talk.” We have heard all of this talk before, several times now. Every couple of years the Israeli siege of Gaza erupts in a cauldron of violence and killing, every couple of years the UN condemns Israel for war crimes and violations of international law, every couple of years the U.S. slaps them on the wrist (gently, of course) for building more illegal settlements, or destroying another Palestinian orchard, or more Palestinian homes, or running over an American girl with a bulldozer for defending a Palestinian home, or killing a couple of children for throwing rocks, and so on, an endless cycle of violence and destruction in which the Palestinians invariably lose physically although probably slowly gaining politically.

Nothing ever happens as a result of all this. The Israelis simply ignore the UN and world opinion, confidant their great ally the U.S. will veto any attempt to seriously charge them with anything (after all, Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorists, as well as from nonexistent Iranian nuclear bombs). As long as this situation continues there can, of course, be no possible peace in the Middle East.  As long as “talk” is the only action talk will just continue to no end whatsoever. Talk is not what is needed, what is needed is action. As Israel is itself the greatest impediment to peace, as it is now obvious they do not want a peaceful settlement, a Palestinian state, or a change in the status quo, and seem to be more and more hinting at a “final solution,” it is Israel that must be made to change unless, of course, the U.S. and the rest of the world are willing to tolerate the slow genocide of the Palestinians. Without some major intervention this will inevitably happen as even the Palestinian children who are not being murdered will be slowly destroyed by their lack of education and opportunities, food, and the ordinary materials for normal lives, to say nothing of their lack of parents and rewarding family lives.

Perhaps this latest violence, far worse than the last outbreak or the one before that, will force the world to realize they must act to solve this ulcerous sore than never seems to heal. The main key here, of course, will be the United States. Will the U.S. continue to support the unprecedented, torturous, punishing siege of Hamas and the inhumane treatment of the Palestinians, or will we finally say enough is enough and return to some semblance of decency and morality? Don’t bet on it, that AIPEC money is powerful, fairness and morality be damned.

The preservation of peace and the guaranteeing of man's basic freedoms and rights require courage and eternal vigilance: courage to speak and act - and if necessary, to suffer and die - for truth and justice; eternal vigilance, that the least transgression of international morality shall not go undetected and unremedied.

Haile Selassie