WRITTEN ON August 9th, 2006 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Uncategorized

If anyone wants a conversation about the Middle East see below.

What a relief to see a world leader state the blindingly obvious

“Israel has gone mad. It’s attacking, doing the same thing to the Palestinian and Lebanese people that they have criticised – and with reason – the Holocaust. But this is a new Holocaust.”

It’s Hugo Chavez. But it’s no good choosing Hezbollah instead, is it matey?

What do we know about this, not living in the middle of it etc? Nothing. All we can do is grasp for the off switch when Middle Eastern voices come on the radio.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Middle East: I’m not interested in hearing how much you’ve suffered and how justified you therefore are in perpetuating violence. Suffering is everywhere and history’s grievous wrongs – Roman Empire, Genghis Khan, slave trade, Armenia, Ukraine, Holocaust, Rwanda – will never be undone. Furthermore: you may take the view that you’re religions are so bloody marvellous that they’re the one true one but everyone else judges this by your actions. No-one is that impressed by religions whose proponents can’t get it together to live in peace with their neighbours. All I want to hear is what you’re doing to prevent more suffering in future.

Given we are where we are let us accept the fact of the state of Israel – not because it’s a Biblical right, but a legal right and a matter of fact. Let us recognise and not deny how painful and disruptive creation of the state of Israel was to those immediately affected. (I think by this stage none of the protagonists in today’s mayhem are still with us). Let’s then put all our effort and resources into work to stop the ongoing injustice and suffering, to work at the root cause of the violence. Apparently there are some brilliant Israeli and Palestinian activist groups, eg

ICAHD – see its statement on the war
There was an unofficial but eminently sensible Geneva Accord drafted by people of good will on both sides
Muslim Public Affairs Committee – eminently sensible media comments
…and intersting discussion: see for example If only we could be like thisHugo Chavez has about as much chance of achieving that as George “daft as a W brush” Bush I reckon.

BTW, on the subject of that lamentable advertisement for democracy, check out the random pertinent art of the Bushku: either randomly machine-generated or channeled via humans.

Update: Quaker Peace & Social Witness puts it thus in a letter from Elizabeth Allen, clerk:

Rt Hon Tony Blair MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA

2nd August 2006

Dear Tony Blair,

The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) unites with other Churches and faiths in expressing our heartfelt concern at the depth of suffering and the loss of life in the Lebanon, Israel and Gaza. We write to encourage you to do all in your power:

- to influence our allies in Europe, the United States and our friends in the Arab League to press for an immediate ceasefire and to create a political environment where negotiation becomes possible

- to work within the United Nations for the international rule of law and for Security Council Resolutions to consolidate peace along the frontier between Israel and Lebanon, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank

- to urge the leaders of Hezbollah to end their bombardment

- to urge the Government of Israel to end their bombardment, withdraw their forces and provide access for humanitarian aid in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip

- to consider seriously the impact of current British Foreign Policy in the Middle East on relations between different religious and ethnic groups in the UK.

We consider that enduring peace in the Middle East will only arise from a shared rejection of violence and the creation of a framework for regional security and development for both Israelis and Palestinians. We urge you to do all that you can to work for a just and lasting solution to the problems of the region.

Concise, on the case, ’nuff said.