Rebuilding Rob

DISCLAIMER: I had one college class on “the Arab-Israeli conflict“ nearly 20 years ago. Even then, my instructor, who herself held a masters degree and specialized in the Arab-Israeli conflict told us on the first day of class lead, but right now is what she knew about the crisis in the Middle East was just scratching the proverbial surface.

I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, pretending to be some sort of authority on the situation in the Middle East. But I felt like I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on it right now, the tragedies occurring over there this weekend.

I’m not Jewish, but this situation indirectly hits home for me. Jessica and her family are Jewish. Jessica has spent time in Israel I know her and I haven’t dated for over a year, but the situation weighs heavily on my mind still. PTA’s mother’s side of her family is Jewish. She has relatives that are living in Israel. She spent most of the day Saturday on the phone trying to find out if her family members living there were safe. Thankfully, they are.

The situation unfolding in Israel is ugly and it is complicated. It is built upon hundreds if not, thousands of years of conflict. Both sides have shed more than their fair share of blood and I’ve committed more than their fair share of atrocities.

I’ve always been very cynical of the United States is interest in the Israeli state. Support foreign is really state really stemmed out of the Holocaust of World War II. and since most of the Middle East has not, historically cared for the United States, it makes sense that the US would support in Israeli state, hoping to get some sort of foothold in the region.

I believe in the idea of a two state system. But like some of the other things and Geo political affairs, it’s the people involved that ruin things.

But this post isn’t supposed to be a dissertation on the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is the response to the events of unfolded this weekend.

Friday night/Saturday morning, Hamas, the de facto rulers of the Palestinian territory, launched a bold, aggressive attack on Israel. Hundreds have been killed. Women and children from Israel were kidnapped. There are reports now that there are hostages that were taken from the area, that may include American citizens.

Hamas was clearly the aggressors here and they need to be stopped. The fact that their tactics, ideology, and weapons have Iranian fingerprints all over them, only complicate matters even further.

I believe in the idea of a two state system. But like some of the other things and Geo political affairs, it’s the people involved that ruin things. Personally, I don’t believe in the idea of a bad political system. As I said elsewhere, they have been benevolent dictators, and there has also been oppressive democratic republics. It’s the people who are put in charge that are corrupt corrupt the system.

What can be done in the Middle East? What support can Washington even provide to Israel at this moment? The US House of Representatives is without a speaker of the house. In theory, no legislation can be passed in the interim.

I know that hostilities in the region are nothing new. But I remember seeing the quote and hearing the soundbite “we are at war“. Those are words I don’t think I have actually heard either side utter in my lifetime.

I don’t want to see anybody get hurt. And I think that civilians on both sides deserve to have their own territory. But I think the last 50 years of proving that a East Berlin/West Berlin style arrangement is out of the question.

Right now, I have zero confidence in any of the people in power.

Keep in mind, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian counteroffensive continue as well.

Praying for peace… but it’s gonna take a lot more than thoughts and prayers.