The cease fire has begun! One would expect dancing in the streets and peace parades, however no such thing is happening.
My closest friends on the Israeli side are extremely skeptic that the cease fire will hold more than a few days or weeks at the most. 6 months seems almost impossible.
My friends on the Palestinian side say the same.
Both feel the reasons for the cease fire are not sincere, that they are political and military and therefore it will only hold as long as it serves these interests.
I personally do not care whether the reasons are sincere or not. What is most important now is to do everything and anything to make the cease fire hold.
I am not allowing my self to be skeptic because this means sitting back and waiting to see what happens.
We need to takeing advantage of this fragile quiet to create a trust building process between people on both sides, a process that will prevent the sides from wanting to renew the violence.
The cease fire is only one first step. Next steps must include lifting the siege, solving the prisoners issues, solving the economical disaster in
I am not alone in my efforts. There are Israelis and Palestinians that are starting to work together to create this process.
More information on these efforts and how people around the world can help will be posted here soon.
If you have Israeli or Palestinian friends let them know about this.
Let's make the cease fire hold!
21 comments:
The life style that surrounds you is very scary, and I understand your circumstances, please keep posting what is happening where you live Im a big fan and love what you guys have to say, my email is westeagles@yahoo.com I would love to get in touch with either one of you.Thanks.
I'm glad you're ok and I hope that the cease fire holds.
Unfortunately, I'm in Portugal, so, I can't help. I only can pass the word and wait to see the palestinians and israelis living in peace.
Good luck ;-)
"The cease fire is only one first step. Next steps must include lifting the siege, solving the prisoners issues, solving the economical disaster in Gaza, restoring and building infrastructure on both sides, creating jobs, and building ongoing cooperation between the people that live only several kilometers away etc. etc. etc."
And, just possibly, stopping the Kassam attacks, the Grad attacks, and the suicide bombings....
Rob. Not "possibly". The base to any possible future is the cease fire which must include full cease of attacks from both sides.
¡It has to work! Otherwise, I can't see an end to this horrible situation that has been going on for far too long. Good luck. Kisses, M.
I hope and pray with you all, on both sides of the border that the cease fire will hold. If people are serious about it, and I especially refer to Israel which is the party with the most power in the relationship, they will move very quickly to improve the living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. That would be the best demonstration on Israel's part that this conflict is not with the Palestinian people. And for Hamas of course the challenge is to truly control those groups who may be tempted to violate the cease fire. Perhaps if this is successful people can talk about a hudna.
I humbly ask God to let this cease fire last and to let the process of peace, cooperation, and brotherly love go forward. Together with His help it can be achieved-Worldwide. Let God's light shine on you both peace man and hope man. You are always in my prayers. "And He hath judged between the nations, And hath given a decision to many peoples, And they have beat their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation doth not lift up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn any more -- war."-Prophet Isaiah
I just found your blog, and I think that it is awesome. I actually lived in Sderot for a year way back in 1982. I taught English at the Makif Klali school. Sderot is in my thoughts now daily, as are the peace loving people in the Gaza Strip who suffer in silence next to their more violent neighbors.
Well, it has not held.
Some two dozen people walking by our weekly Women in Black demonstration in Geneva yesterday (there were 6 of us- quality and not quantity ?!)took a paper reference to your blog. I hope you will be receiving some creative contacts. There is a general disbelief and a tendency to think negatively that I wish could be discouraged ... Simply by your persevering attitude, you two are examples and inspirations for anyone hesitating to hope. Please do post any concrete actions you know of. Every good wish, Carol
http://carol.blog.tdg.ch
It's hard to hope when hungry and frightened. My heart goes out to the children of Palestine. Don't give up!!! We all must keep praying and lobbying our governments to 'Free Palestine'. It will happen!!!
"We all must keep praying and lobbying our governments to 'Free Palestine'."_____ A good start would be to persuade Egypt to open its border with Gaza. Why does Egypt not supply the fuel for the Gaza power station, I wonder.
Hope man,
I will look forward to hearing from you about the efforts being made between Israelis and Palestinians and what the rest of us can do. The blogosphere is an amazing networking tool that can bring us all together from the grassroots level. It's already happening.
Shalom and Salaam,
Laura
Hi,
I was glad to hear that the cease has begun however as you wrote, only few believe it will last.
Even as I write those lines some Palestinian military activists prepare kassam missiles for the next launch window and weapons are being smuggled from the Egyptian border while on the other side the Israeli air force and preparing it's response.
I see no place for optimist until we both will be ready to talk.
"We need to takeing advantage of this fragile quiet to create a trust building process between people on both sides, a process that will prevent the sides from wanting to renew the violence."
Peace Man and Hope Man.. for you to still have attitudes like this.. I can't really say enough. Anybody else would have given up by now.. put it in the hands of those with polictical power.
Have people there given up?
Peace may never come. Saying it and asking for it is just not going to bring it. Thats just the truth and thats just being practical (This, coming from one who has been a life long suppporter of the Peace movement..) . Theres a lot more that needs to take place.
How long will you continue to believe this? You need to go on believing it..
Dear Hope Man,
Are the people in Israel aware of the deep suffering of so many innocent people in Gaza? Isn't Israel playing into the hands those who do not want peace by using collective punishment in this way?
wonderful blog.
maybe people are ready for peace after such a long time of suffering.
may it be so
Maybe israel IS playing into their hands, but if that is what prevents me from seeing another Tel-Aviv promendade pub blowing up in my face, the people of israel, or most of them, find it to be worth it.
The entire situation where you have one state that is developed and flourishing, surrounded by states of lesser financial value was caused by the war mongering of the arab nations since the dawn of Israel.
As far as most israelis are concerned, most of the grief the Palestinians are going through they brought upon themselves.
Israel acts in a Responsive way, rather then aggressive, hence any IDF move is a direct result of a palestinian move.
When Hamas says "Fighting will never stop" and "enemies forever", it does not really encourage laying down the arms and talking about peace.
The palestinians should fix their errors first, before complaining about their lousy situation.
I just wrote a comment and accidentally erased it...probably for the better. So I am going to make this short. Rachete you are advocating for the children of Palestine and that is wonderful, but if you are going to be the voice of those who need help then you can not pick and choose sides. What about the children of Isreal? Africa? Iraq? I could go on.... You state that Hamas has only been in power 2 years... so what? Isreal has been fighting just to survive for 2000. And in during these modern days are the first time they have outside support. I am not condemming their acts, but I do not think it is fair to point fingers. I do not think the acts of violence either country puts on, NOR the rest of countrues in the region are justified. Nor do I think the innocents (women, children and man) in one community is worth more than the other; which is what you seem to be saying with your words against the people of Isreal. No, they are not all innocent, nor is all people everywhere. I personally can NOT sit and point fingers at EITHER group of people when I have never, and will probably never (and personally hope I do not)have to imagine or experience, the hate that anyone on BOTH sides has faced all their lives. If you know how it feels, then by all means, state your case; but do you?
Are the people in Israel aware of the deep suffering of so many innocent people in Gaza? Isn't Israel playing into the hands those who do not want peace by using collective punishment in this way?
LISA, I think you nailed it on the head.
Exactly Nik, Isreal has known fighting since its beginning and if their opponents say they will not stop fighting, then how should Isreal respond? Yes it could be an exaggeration from Hamas, but should Isreal put down their arms and find out? What about Iran? If Isreal blinks, will Iran take advantage of it as a weakness?
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