Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The big picture and life

Note: Some links of sites and interviews that refer to this blog have been added in a new links area on the right.

It's been almost 3 months since the war in Gaza ended.

My friend Peaceman is still in Gaza.

Once every couple of weeks the Rafah border into Egypt opens for a day or two and some people are let through.

Peaceman has not been able so far to get permission to leave since Israel will not allow any Palestinians out and Egypt is making it extremely difficult.

The people of Gaza are still stranded in this unbearable situation.

During the first month after the war, rockets continued hitting Sderot and the region. For almost 2 months we are having a relative quiet. Only occasional rockets are fired from Gaza, and Israel seems to be holding it's fire and not operating in Gaza .

Many Israelis hoped that the war would bring quiet. Now that the war has ended, no one believe the quiet will hold. It is just a matter of time before the next escalation.

We are at a similar point we were before the war, only with thousands more killed injured and hopeless.

Our life has settled back to a rather calm and normal life. We are however always in alert that the quiet may end at any time.

As before Israel and the Palestinians are not working together on a real long lasting solution for the situation. It is not clear if and what the new Israeli government plans to do regarding the situation in Gaza, however from the public statements made both by Netaniahu (The prime minister) and Lieberman (the foriegn affairs minister) the policy of the new government will be even less hopeful than the previous one...

So what can we hope for? Well, maybe for human compassion, person to person connections, civil initiatives, people on both sides that keep on the ties of humanity even in these despperate times. Looking at the big picture brings much sorrow and despair. Looking at day to day life with all the small and amazingly beatiful humanity it contains gives me hope and allows me to move on.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

We are still hoping for peace.
Gina Marie
Florida, United States

Robin Shapiro said...

Bless you for your continued hope and ability to connect.
Robin
Seattle, US

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to finally hear something from you. I wish you two and all that support your cause all the best!

Flo
Konstanz, Germany

Anonymous said...

I send you the best wishes and my hope for a better situation one day. At the moment it is hard to be hopefull seeing all this hard lines, it is like you wrote, the same as before, but thousands killed, wounded and a lot of destruction. I pray for better times.
Love from Berlin, Germany,
Helga

Anonymous said...

Again, again and again, the same thing over and over; when will those in power be able to see this repeating pattern? Perhaps it is in their interests for the status quo to continue? If it was not they would have tried to work toward something different long ago. The age old difference haves vs. have nots. Those in power using that power for their own ends.
They can take what they want and do, but don't let them take away your hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow. Please remember, "This too shall pass". Time is the great healer and destroyer of all. One day it will be different. I pray to God that I will see that day. And I hope those that have will live to see it as well. Those of us who want peace will not stay silent forever. Someone once said, "you can fool some people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." God bless you Peace man and Hope man you are always in my prayers.
DeslokOfPlanetGamalon

Anonymous said...

Hi, I've been trying to find a contact for the Hamas government in Gaza. I want to lobby them. I want to convince to make their implied acceptance of Israel's existence actually official.Incontrovertiblly so. Then one pretext Israel uses against the Palestinian people will be gone. At the moment Hamas spokespeople may say "we accept Israel's right to exist" but Israel and commentators not wishing to dig further will keep referring to the unfortunately worded 1988 document. Despite the well informed pessimists I hope the situation can be resolved as humanity needs to pull together to face other issues.

Anonymous said...

If no government is prepared to speak with Hamas, then I would say they are not interested in peace. Mary Meredith, Scotland.

Carol Scheller said...

Switzerland, where I live, recognizes Hamas as the elected government (January 2007) of Palestine. It is not the only government which speaks to Hamas representatives. No ordinary citizen of Israel or Palestine has anything to gain from the current situation there. Peace with a guarantee of security interests EVERYONE in this part of the world.In my humble opinion, if governments are not prepared to speak to each other, they need their citizens like Hopeman and Peaceman to lead the way.

Thomas S. Bauer said...

Dear Hopeman and Peaceman,

I am so glad to hear from you, and especially that Peaceman is alive! i was so afraid for the worst!

Your vision is right: the war has ended, but Peace has not yet come. Peace will not come until more Israelis and Palestinians follow your example and work together.

There is though Hope: Obama has taken over from Bush, and there is now for the first time in 8 years some movement visible. Also Europe has started to think in politics, and does not grant Israel closer ties before the situation on the ground has improved

How can I help you ??? Compassion for you, your friends and families in Sderot and Gaza might help you to keep the faith and hope, but does not change your lives. But i would very much appreciate if you could find a way for me to add real support, and not only words, so that Peace can be build. If you wish leave me a word.

All my love and best wishes for you both, and for your both peoples!

Thomas S. Bauer said...

Dear Hopeman, Peaceman.

i just read in Haaretz the following comment on the article that IDF gave clusterbomb data to Lebanon:

"With so many fresh crimes ... , we are inclined to forget that most awful of crimes of only a few years ago, the dropping of cluster bombs in urban parts of south Lebanon--lethal toys left for Lebanese children to play with.

War is hell, no doubt, and Israel has done a fine job ...

There was a time when I thought Israel was better, but no longer. The only saving grace I see are the many righteous jews in Israel who rail against the actions of its government. It is for them that I maintain my respect for the state of Israel."

This expresses fairly well my own thoughts: I have close jewish friends, i believe that Israel has the right to live, and has suffered tremendously, perhaps more than any other people. But this is no excuse to harm other people. No, i don't forget that this war is not only caused by Israel, but that Israel's hardening stance is caused by terrorism - which in itself is caused by occupation of land - - - and so forth.

You two, your action of maintaining a common blog, your action of trying to coexist is reason to keep the faith that once there will be PEACE in Israel and Palestine.

Unknown said...

praying for peace
don't lose hope!

Anonymous said...

Now they start fighting heavily again. How stupid can man be???
I hope you are well...

Greetings,
Flo
Konstanz, Germany

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Minnie said...

Hopeman and Peaceman and families:
I and others are hoping and praying that all will be well for you.
All most people want is to live in peace among their neighbours in stable homes, work and bring up their families. Why is this so hard for our crazed leaders to comprehend?

Unknown said...

hello from London,

We send love to you peaceman and hopeman and your famillies. Here have attended some events at Amnesty International in support of a fair and equal peace for both communities - as a child of the Holocaust - justice and fairness for all is in my blood - so I am desparately saddended by the present Israelli governments policies. We send you energy to share your ideas and common sense and pray that they take root. I know many Israellis who want a two state solution but they have never met Palestinians - like you I feel what is needed is for people to meet and realise that we are all the same... ...anyway you know all this but I'm writing to say that you both made an impression on me and gave me hope. Love to you - and people can be extraordinary so keep going xxx

selenia said...

Un ciao ad entrambi e ai vostri popoli dall'Italia.
Quanta delusione e tristezza percepisco fra queste righe e anche da noi, pur se per motivi ben diversi, il discorso di incontrarsi per capirsi e costruire insieme uno Stato migliore integrando popoli diversi sta svanendo. Le scelte sono scelte di rispingimento, recinti e l'aumento di diffidenza, soapetti e paure. Ho il cuore triste :-(

Dave said...

Hello, I haven't been on here for some time now. Six months or more maybe. But I still think about your pain. One day all will be well and the warmongers will be gone. Today I watched a program on tv about Lebanese refugee camps where some people have lived all their lives! Incredible, for us in the west it is hard to comprehend. God Bless You All. Never give up the struggle for peace it is your birthrite to be able to live with your family and friends in happiness. Thinking of you all.

Dave.

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot for all the information you're bringing to us. Honestly, I admire what you're doing. I think this blog is a important step to make "people on both sides keep on the ties of humanity even in these desperate times", as you said.

I hope someday things will change. But that change can be true if people do so. Policitians don't understand it.

Saludos desde Chile!

Anonymous said...

Hello from London, Rozelle here,

thinking about you all. Our Israeli friends took us to a wonderful talk from three Jewish commentators hear who all share the values of mutual respect and consideration and justice for all in the region. And in addition people spoke from the floor supporting this view - in their voices you could hear how passionate they were - so eloquent - young and old. Know that we are thinking of you - and send love. And that there are others who in their professional life are trying to help. They are gifted and driven - we will get there

For now with love Rxx

Katie Ngo said...

I hope peace will come one day. & I hope the situation doesn't worsen. Best wishes&hopes.

Katie.

Lion said...

Hope, you two are well. Best wishes.

jonathan even-zohar said...

Keep the hope. I am presenting your Blog to a group of Bulgarian History Teachers tomorrow and the day after as an example of how to use the internet for communication that is otherwise - because of complex situations - impossible.

and Hear Hear to your last paragraph.

selenia said...

Oggi la marcia per la pace è arrivata da voi e 25 italiani hanno ottenuto il permesso di entrare in gaza. Qui sono arrivate le immagini delle macerie, di bimbi a scuola in edifici lesionati e anche al di là non c'è serenità e pace. da mesi non habbiamo vostre notizie ma spero che l'amicizia fra voi continui e che il gruppo dei chi ès tanco di violenza insensata che genera solo odio stia aumentando. Un caro saluto ad entrambi e che la pace si avvicini

Ariel Elisha said...

thanks for what you two are doing.
ariel elisha
maaleh chever.

Anonymous said...

Give Peace A Chance especially in The Middle East, as World Leaders well not.