The complete idiot’s guide to Mideast peace – part 152

No end to Gaza rocket fire, Israeli air strikes, as conflict with Hamas enters Day 5 | The Times of Israel   ‘The US urges both sides to avoid civilian casualties and offers to mediate, but Hamas rocket barrages continue and Israel says it will keep fighting until it has ensured long-term calm’

IDF footage reveals efforts to spare civilians in Gaza | The Times of Israel  ‘ Declassified video and photo show terror compounds located within civilian concentrations, including Hamas training ground adjacent to school’

Israeli efforts to spare civilian casualties in airstrikes against Hamas are to be commended. Even so, the most judicious bombing of buildings, vehicles and persons in Gaza cannot be guaranteed to pinpoint only those elements engaged in activities deemed extremely hostile towards Israel and its people. Some ‘collateral damage’ must always remain an inevitable consequence of such a contest.

The morality of the situation is an old one except for the fact that, these days, it is played out before a worldwide audience where judgement for one side or the other is constantly swayed by events and much else that follows in their wake.

All in all, it is a most unsatisfactory state of affairs and one in which considerable blame and guilt attaches to both its active participants and those for whom the matter is of less immediate impact or concern.

But we are still our brother’s keeper. It therefore falls to every one of us to explore whatever options and alternatives may yet be opened up so that the best possible course of action might then be taken.

www.laxiankey.com – ‘ for those of us with better things to do.’

This would, I believe, go some way towards absolving most of us from our collective failure in rectifying a situation endured by so many and for far too long. Otherwise, we must carry its burden with us for all eternity.

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