We passed the anniversary date of the Hamas Israel war. After one year we would have expected that sane governments would have come to the rescue of both Gaza residents and Israel hostages. We would have expected that the world would come together to prevent an ever expanding war across the middle east. It has not happened.
Two stories can be written about war. One that the victors write about battles and destroying nations and people. The other is the story about the war, its impact on people and children, their suffering they experience and the future they may hold. After one year, there is no victor. After one year the stories of atrocities both to the Israel population and the Palestinians are both horrific without either side having the edge in humanity.
After one year, we have watched the war expand to the West Bank, to Iran, to Lebanon, to Yeman and other mid east countries. It is a region ready to explode potentially bringing more western nations into the conflict.
The Israel country was established as a safe haven for the Jewish people following the second world war. It accepted Jewish refugees who were fleeing persecution from around the world. Today many of those Israel residents wonder if their country remains safe to raise a family. In both the United States and Canada, Jewish citizens wonder the same question is their country safe to raise a family. On Monday the anniversary of the start of the conflict, police were dispatched to schools and synagogues in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to protect students and buildings.
Similarly, Palestinian supporters marched in those same provincial capitals calling for an end to the violence in the middle east and the release of the remaining hostages. Two separate voices are being heard at the same time.
First from the Jewish population across North America they are wondering why there is hate being aimed at them for their religious beliefs and support to end the war in the mid east. The second is coming from the Palestinians who are clamouring as the voice of people in Gaza and the West Bank. They are calling for a humanitarian life for the residents of Gaza and the West Bank who have been under siege and occupied for decades.
Leaders have called on both the leaders of Hamas and Israel to create a lasting peace. Alas the leaders on both sides have rejected the call. People of Israel continue to suffer the attack of rockets from opposing nations supporting Hamas and the people of Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon are suffering daily bombing attacks from Israel. Innocent people are dying. The story being written is one of shame where the world has stood back allowing hatred and anger to grow and innocent people across the world are being harmed.
