Can't We All Just Get Along? Evidently Not

"Things are clear for me , the military operation incar exploded 150 meters from my home , close to
Gaza ,aims to destroy the infrastructurethe president home, one
completely,to end up with no goverment no PA , noperson died and 4 injured, i cannot help feeling of
negotiations with palestinians,peace is not israel goal,worry, i am after all
israel is a colonial , racist regeime,hiding behinda mother." Gaza mom--July 2nd, 2006Let's back up
democracy.and its citizens security.THE AIR RAID ISto the evening of September 11, 2001 when America
CONTINUING" Mona Elfarra-GazaOne of the mosthad suffered it's worst attack since Pearl Harbor. We
profoundly simple statements ever uttered in thewon't go into what may or may not have really
past 100 years was done so by Rodney King of Loshappened that day. I'm still trying to figure out who
Angeles standing behind a microphone a bitkilled Kennedy. Would we have been better off if the
bewildered by the attention he was getting forfollowing address to the nation was given, now that
having been beaten almost to death by "authorities."we can look back and see how much worse off we
"Can't we all just get along?"The anwer is evidentlyare as a nation and planet than we were on
no. You'd think that a country with a history ofSeptember 10th, 2001. Perphaps Israel, Paletinians,
recently having been the object of eradication byIranians, North Koreans, Iraqis and Americans can
others, would not think they need to pass the samegive this a try for a change. We'll assume that the
misery on to others. But alas, even as I write, thereason this speech did not take place is not because
small nation of Israel, that like other nations on thethere is another agenda and the speaker could not
planet, can at times cause more problems than theygive it with a straight face."Good evening my fellow
are worth for others, is pounding the crap out of aAmericans. Today America was attacked and we
smaller minority of people who simply wish to be leftdon't know why. (I'm not naive, we do know) We
alone, have some place to live safely and enjoy thegrieve at the loss of innocent and hard working
brief experience we call life on this planet. EvidentlyAmericans who simply got up this morning to go to
that is asking too much of a people who looked towork and never got to come home. We grieve with
the German authorities not all that long ago to beand for their families. We are perplexed and while it
given the very same considerations. It was not andwould be natural to find the real or imagined enemy
evidently is not to be.Is it because Israel is "The Holythat has done this to us, we are going to be patient
Land," what a joke, that no one seems to be able toand circumspect so as not to cause more problems
tell them to try talking politely with respect towardsfor our fellow human beings than we solve with a
all concerned for a change. If you were Palestinian,bad and ill advised reaction. It will not serve anyone
would you not fight like hell to save yourself andto treat the effect. We must ask ourselves why and
your family since you have already arrived on thewhat is the cause of this horrible act. I intend to do
planet and wish to stay awhile? That's also thethat before we take one more human life. There has
current problem with our country and the currentalways been way too much knee jerk in our history
administration. Bluster, bully and then bomb seems toand it only causes more grief, short term and
be the way things get done, when of course theylong.While it may anger those that always need to
don't get done at all. Anytime a North Korea, Iran orstart shooting within hours or days of such an event,
perceive "enemy" of who, of course, hate ourI am calling for a world peace conference where we
freedom, tries to talk to us, an excuse arises as tocan find out why this has occurred and take the
why that won't work. Makes you think there is somesteps necessary to insure it never does again, for
other agenda going on here.If we were talking aboutthe good of all people. Perhaps we have become
Uganda, or Uzbeckistan, no one would care. Godsomething to others that we were not aware of.
never lived there! It's the waste howling wildernessPerhaps we need to look more deeply at what we
we call "The Holy Land" that gets way too muchhave in common rather than what divides us. Perhaps
attention. I have to say, they have managed to savewe can turn tragedy and hatred into something more
their hides over the past decades by convincingthan unending rancor and war between people who
Christians that God still lives in Jerusalem near theshare 99.9% of the same genetic family history.
Temple Mount, so specialness preserves and......Perhaps, as that Great American Philosopher, Mr.
protects. I worked on a dig at Megiddo a few yearsRodney King, said..."Can't we all get along?."...I think
ago and was told by an Israeli friend, "we live by ouryou get the point.I'm dreaming I know. But if you
witts around here." They surely do, don't we all, andfancy yourself a "leader of me," don't forget the
must I suppose, but why on earth they can't talk towomen and children. If you believe with all your heart
others who have the same right is getting beyondyou have some special quality that we all need to get
me.Go ahead and "Google Earth" the Gaza strip andalong, then by all means, show us your stuff. If you
then push the retreat button and see just how smallare butthead, as many are, please stay home from
the space is that Palestinians can't have. Of coursenow on and if you are currently in a position of
keep going and see how small Israel is. Keep goingleadership, so called, retire, step down or quit. We
and see how small the planet is in the vastness ofhave had enough of your kind...."the operation against
space...keep going and see how small space is in theGaza ,is continuing,it is 1.30 am,the gaza bridge
vastness of the universe. Then ask why these merehas been destroyed,the jet fighters are still in the
specks on an obscure planet cannot have an obscuresky hitting many
space of their own to live a relatively short time andtargets.
be left in peace. Stupid isn't it? Most leaders of mostthe gaza power plant was hit bt at least 7 missiles , i
nations are stupid, selfserving and have forgottencan see a big fire
long ago what it means to give every human on thefrom my window , and hear the sirens of
planet the basic love and respect they deserve. Allemergency vans,the gun boats
my life, the rules in African leadership, for example,started shelling too , i live by the beach...By Scott
seems to be kill the last guy, now comes the saviorWilson
of the people, he forgets his roots, robs the countryWashington Post Foreign Service
blind and the cycle starts again. Here is the rule forFriday, June 30, 2006BEIT HANOUN, Gaza Strip, June
aspiring leaders. You were first human and wanted29 -- Fatin Shabaat left home here Thursday with her
love, respect and peace before you were in charge.three hip-high children, looking for safety from a
Try not to forget this basic fact. Most do." I amslow-moving Israeli military assault launched to free a
writing while the jet fighters are in the sky , with19-year-old soldier being held by Palestinian
their horriblegunmen.Israeli artillery batteries lobbed shells around
sound , bringing death and horror,it is 10.30pm, I amthis farming community in the Gaza Strip's
still like everyonenortheastern corner throughout the day, after
waiting , i hope they will not go ahead with theirleaflets dropped from the sky warned residents to
operation into Gaza,remain clear of Israeli military operations. Shells
the outcome could be horrible ,the resistancewhistled overhead, slamming into the fields and dunes
movemet are going ahead withwhere Palestinian gunmen regularly fire crude rockets
their preperation too,but the balance of power isat the Israeli city of Sderot, a white smudge along a
obvious to wich sideridgeline three miles away.Although she never
,any way Israel with resistance or no resistance isreceived one of the written warnings, Shabaat
attacking us all theclutched her children, ages 2, 3 and 4, and headed to
time, but this time will be different ,and in theher father's home in the town center, far from the
process many civiliandirt paths that have served in the past as routes for
lives will be lost,iam listening to the local radio, itIsraeli tanks. An Israeli airstrike had already left her
seems that thewithout electricity, along with about 700,000 other
operation started in khanyunis ,the artilary startedresidents of the strip, and artillery shells were falling
shelling ,under theclose to her back yard."This is only going to get
cover of apachi heliocapters,and jet fighters , i amworse," said Shabaat, 25,And indeed it will if we don't
able to write now ,have leadership that reflects a more enlightened
do not know what will happen next,the power mightapproach to governing besides the eye for an eye
cut off soon , few hoursand teeth for teeth. Soon we shall all be blind and
ago , Mohammed and Sondos had a narrow escapeguming our food.
during their way home , a