RE A dangerous turning point in Israel [Editorial] Our view: The conflict is turning increasingly personal as calls for revenge flourish
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-israel-20140707,0,1243020.story
Dear Editor,
Freedom of religion, as well as freedom from religion, is a crucial source of stability for all countries. Arming religion with lethal weaponry plus public funds is a very very bad idea.
The Israel-Palestine conflict has always been personal for the people who live there, and the momentum for making the Israel-Palestine conflict into a religious conflagration starts with the fact that Israel foolishly insists on being "Jewish"... Israel being "Jewish" translates into tax payers' money plus international aid generously funding Israel's Jews-preferred policies including but not limited to Israel's illegal occupation perpetuating Jews-only settlement projects built on land usurped from the native non-Jewish Arab Palestinians.
Israel's Jews-preferred policies have created and exasperated a huge refugee crisis with countless Palestinians pushed into poverty, forced exile and despair.
Islamists have risen up to make a bad situation worse in every possible way. Fact is many more people and governments world wide would have much more sympathy and compassion for the Palestinians but for the Islamists' reign of terror.
Advocating full respect for international law and universal basic human rights to shape a fully secular two state solution with two fully sovereign nations, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security is the only way out of the mess made by religious extremists and hate mongers on both sides.
There are good and decent people on both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict who deserve a chance to live and raise their children in peace and dignity, where ever they might be. World wide the rule of fair and just laws is an ongoing process that requires engaged, educated, empowered and free equal citizens able and willing to see beyond their own personal suffering and sorrows.
The best revenge is living well.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES
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Task Force on Palestine supports Palestinian
institution-building, good governance, anti-corruption
measures, economic development, and improved living standards.
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Arab world, and that the question of Palestine is
inextricably linked to regional realities and developments.
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rights and peace. It categorically and unequivocally condemns
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