53 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 17 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 1/27/09

Shared Destiny

By Byron DeLear  Posted by Amanda Lang (about the submitter)       (Page 3 of 3 pages) Become a premium member to see this article and all articles as one long page.   No comments
Message Amanda Lang
"I want to speak the Truth, and want to speak the Truth from my heart. The Blue and White of the Israeli flag that you serve, for the Druze represents the force of will and the realization of that will, but if it is backed by fear and a lack of guidance, it will go astray. The nation of Israel needs healing and she is missing the mark. It is time for the truth to be known and for the Druze to speak the truth and bring healing to the land. God willing, Inshallah."

There were nods and audible expressions of appreciation from those gathered, and as the day progressed, great ideas were exchanged about arriving at solutions to the intercultural and social problems that plague the State of Israel.

The Healing

The Arab Druze possess the capacity to bridge the gap of misunderstanding that exists between Arabs and Jews, to help to assuage the fear that's been exacerbated over the years, paralyzing both sides. With no eye on a workable long-term plan, this fight or flight mode carried by both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict guarantees a perpetual state of war. There may be periods of calm, even cease-fires or hudnas, but without material progress being made with our children from the bottom-up towards building a culture of peace between the two national identities, the calm will always flare-up into cycles of violence and revenge.

Part of the reasons for this political paralysis among the leaders of Israel is because the trauma and emotional aftermath of the Holocaust is still playing itself out. The victimized only see what's for security, for us, today. What's absent is a lack of care and concern for long-term planning for creating peace between Israel and her national neighbors; and between Israel and the Palestinian folks living in Gaza and the West Bank. There are also the Bedouin Arabs in Israel that are unfairly treated being forced to live in unrecognized shanty towns without any services and whose domiciles and/or crops can be razed by the stroke of a judge's pen and often do. And the Israeli Arabs living in Israel proper often face unfair legal situations in which they are treated as second class citizens at best.

And shockingly, even Jewish Israelis face an untenable, unjust legal system with corruption running rampant and no real legal foundation from which to build upon – this house built on legal sand with no Constitution ultimately serves to encourage chicanery on the part of her citizens towards everyone.

In the United States we revere our sacred founding documents giving rights and equality to all—many fought and died to get it that way. I'm reminded of how in Judaism you kiss the Torah and Tanakh; the God given sacred books of life and social law. Israel needs a modern legal Torah; a legal foundation, deserving of respect and reverence for the sanctity, equality and balance of its precepts and doctrine; a foundation with the capacity to be built upon. Problem is, today, deep down nobody really respects an unfair and inequitable make-it-up-as-you-go justice system that's currently in place in Israel – nobody, even Israeli Jews, as evidenced by the proliferate corruption, kickbacks, paybacks, IOUs, behind closed door dealings, 'prey upon the weak' mentality that's palpable to the observant.

We want to get to the heart of the matter. Brit Olam supports the establishment of an Israeli National Constitution based on the principles of freedom, equality and democracy for all. This will be the foundation to build an equitable future upon.

A house with a foundation built on rock, not sand.

This has been a long report, but there is much to share. Tonight we will attend a meeting of Arab and Jewish groups intent upon a new declaration of independence between Arabs and Jews. The meeting will be held in the space where independence was declared in Israel in 1948. Ironically, that location is on Rothschild Street.

I look forward to hearing your ideas regarding peace and/or personal examples of resolving conflict or anything else you'd like to share.


In your service,

Byron DeLear

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Amanda Lang Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

OpedNews volunteer from 2005 to 2013.

Amanda Lang was a wonderful member of the Opednews team, and the first volunteer editor, for a good number of years being a senior editor. She passed away summer 2014.

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact EditorContact Editor
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend