The Old Hack

As all that is left of the Christmas turkey remains good only for soup; as the indigestion of Christmas feasting becomes a memory; as the wise men, shepherds and donkeys pack up and head for home – what of the Holy Land where the Christmas story started?  In what has become a familiar post Christmas scenario, a handful of Moslems fire some home-made weapons at the occupying forces and the occupying forces respond by meting out an aerial bombardment, killing indiscriminately.

 Neither side can claim a just cause.  Neither side can win.  Their plight is their complete inability to realise that the God they each worship, should he exist, is no doubt wringing his hands in utter disbelief that he could have got it all so dreadfully wrong.

 This year, though, there is perhaps the faint glimmer of hope.  The security council of the United Nations has accepted a proposal drafted by Russia calling on both sides to lay down their arms forthwith.  Of course, neither side will do any such thing.  But agreement on the proposal was so swift as to suggest that the civilised world is beginning to realise that criticism of either side in this dreadful and ongoing conflict need be seen neither as anti Islamic or anti Semitic.  Criticism of the killing on both sides is a sensible and measured response.

 Hamas is not representative of all Islam.  Israel is not representative of all Judaism.  Each is a religion of peace and goodwill and in the government of Israel and the organisation of Hamas, Judaism and Islam respectively have been allowed to fall into the hands of extremist fanatics with no care nor regard for anything other than self-promotion and power.   

 Were the UN proposal to have been drafted by the United States or Britain it would have been seen to be more sabre rattling in the Middle East in the wake of the Iraq fiasco and would have received little support, particularly in view of the United States ongoing financial support for Israel and more importantly the fact that it has consistently used its veto in the United Nations to scupper any resolution remotely critical of Israel.  Whilst the current resolution is carefully drafted, it does not fall far short of criticism of Israeli action.

China’s voice remains controversial in all quarters.  France, along with the US and UK, supplies arms to Israel and cannot be regarded as neutral.  Russia, in spite of a somewhat dubious human rights record, remains the least directly involved permanent member of the Security Council.

 So now the toothless tiger that is the United Nations has gently growled very close to Israel’s ear.  While this action is symbolic rather than overtly aggressive, the glimmer of hope it provides is that it gives those peacemakers in Israel some space to whisper in the ears of their bullish masters and tell them there is now room to soften their stance against a Palestinian state.  The Resolution gives them the ability to take a step back without losing face and appearing weak. “It wasn’t our choice”, they can plead. “The UN forced our hand…”

 Will it happen?  Will Palestine get a step closer to gaining its rightful recognition and shaking off the occupying Israeli army?  About as likely as Imam dancing hand-in-hand with Rabbi, you may think.  But according to Christian tradition, Christmas is a time of year for miracles.

As a non-religious outsider I can only cross my fingers and hope.

Today's image is by Pablo Picasso.  Prints can be bought online at just $9.10 (US) via globagallery.com