Today an Israeli soldier was killed and four others were wounded by an explosive device that targeted their vehicle on the Gaza Strip border. Israel retaliated and a Palestinian farmer was killed while tilling his field. It seems that the cycle of violence continues despite a fragile ceasefire.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Obama recently spoke to Al Arabia news station about the Middle East conflict. This was his first official interview since becoming president. He is calling for better dialogue between the U.S. and the Arab/Muslim world. Dialogue is good but doesn’t go far enough. Words must be followed by tangible (not symbolic) actions. The Arab and Muslim worlds should respond by calling for better policies from the U.S. and the West, particularly towards the Israeli-Arab conflict.

It a shame that we in the Mideast-Arab and Jews have to repeat these cycles.

As usual the pawns are civilians who pay the highest price

Cycles that leave scorched earth behind and no real attempt to understand the the other  side. Self delusion about being correct and just in whatever you do, is apparently the block to any change, it goes for both religious and secular actors in the Middle east

David, it pains me to see dead and burned men, women and  children in Gaza. Today there was a story on Al Alam television. The reporter said that the wounds of this war will never heal over time because the scars of this war will remain on the bodies of its victims forever. Certainly, the IDF has prided itself for having a purity of arms. Palestinians are all too familiar with such purity. But this is not purity, this is inhumanity. According to reports on the ground, the weapons the IDF is using makes people loose their eyes and sight. They will never see again. Forget eye to eye.  For 18 days, Arab and Western leaders have remained silent despite the extreme human suffering in Gaza. When will it end? How many people have to die? How many people have to go blind?

it is difficult to get away from the war and its impact on everything you believe in. As Israeli Army bombs Gaza I do not recognize it,as the army I served in. It is brut force,that leaves behind it only scorched earth, it is not eye for an eye but 100 eyes for and eye.

david