ISRAEL AND PALESTINE AND THE DEATH OF SHIMON PERES - AND THE UNFINISHED PEACE PROCESS.

Shimon Peres, the former Prime Minister of Israel, has recently died. He was 93 years old, so his death should not have been unexpected, all things being equal.  The late Mr Peres, like Mr Rabin, before him, who had the misfortune of being assassinated by a crazed Israeli, has robbed the people of Israel and Palestine, of someone who had wanted to and was able to make a positive difference to the Israel/Palestine conflict. A tradegy which is, unlike the death of both men, continuing to torment not only Israelis and Palestinians, but the whole world. 

Sadly, while each of us only has only one life time to live, the conflict between these two nations seem to have too many damn life-times; resulting in it defeating and/or outliving, so far, all or most of those who have earnestly been attempting to resolve it.

And so it is, that, while all the statesmen and stateswomen and leaders from all around the world, genuinely and otherwise mourn the loss of the comparatively great man who Shimon Peres, like Rabin, doubtless was, the end of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is still nowhere in sight. Yes, at present, there is very little or no actual killing taking place, but all the necessary conditions for it to resume are still in place. 

All it requires is the spark from the Palestinian side, and the state of Israel will provide the incendiary to light up the skies and resume the destruction of what remains of the West Bank's infrastructure. There is still more hatred between Isrealis and Palestinians, than there is love. They are still focusing more on their differences, real and imagined, than they are on their common humanity.

The Palestinians are still being forced to live the life of a grievously occupied and suppressed people. In truth, it begs the question; would it not be a more fitting tribute to the peace-making work which Peres and Rabin have done, if all these leaders and statespersons from all over the world were to concertedly focus their attention towards helping Israel and the Palestinians to bury the hatchet, make peace between themselves and work as good neighbours for their mutual prosperity?

Yes, it would, but, in the real world, intractable conflicts between close neighbours, in the absence of mutual trust, respect and adherence to our common humanity, do not oftentimes have an happy ending.  And so it is that we do not know where the next initiative will come from, to take a process which Rabin and Peres have started, to the next stage of a journey towards peace and mutual coexistence, or perennial conflict and warfare, to which Israelis and the Palestinians are inextricably wedded.


I could say, Rest In Peace, brother Shimon Peres, but it would be pointless; as the dead always rest in peace. They cannot do anything else, being dead. It is the living; the Palestinians and the Israelis, who need the our wishes - and more - that they should find the courage and motivation to resume and speed up the work which Peres and Rabin have started, and bring it to its desired destination.

Yes, as Martin Luther King exclaimed, 'Peace, Peace, At Last.' And as I might add, in our life-time, because, for too long conflicts and wars have endured beyond the life time of a human.

Israel/Palestine conflict; can we do more than wondering what lies up ahead, or can the Israelis and Palestinians do more to make their relationship and living more agreeable?