ONCE AGAIN THEY’RE BOTH RIDING THAT CAROUSEL
(…of Assinus Assinum Fricat…)

As that old Latin expression put it several millennia ago…one stupid ass irritates another stupid ass…the wrong way.

For almost three quarters of a century the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has raged on, and on, and on, with neither side prepared to seriously consider setting aside their mutual recriminations so as to establish a definitive and lasting peace between them. Both…are equally guilty of constantly playing the PR propaganda game…driven by the misguided notion that by doing so they will gain an advantage over the other in the forum of public opinion.

The most depressing aspect of it all is that neither side seems capable of controlling its more extremely rabid elements from fomenting violent confrontations; confrontations that always seem to pop up every time there is any indication that a definitive move towards a peaceful resolution to their conflict is about to be made. It’s as if those radical elements from both sides deliberately plan their confrontations to sabotage any and all such efforts, saying in effect…no peace, not now, not ever…and anyone who dares to suggest it…is a traitor. All of which leaves the rest of the world shaking their collective heads, wondering how such insanity can persist for so long.

While the Palestinians now have in President Abbas someone who could legitimately be considered as someone attempting to be a statesman, not just another political leader thumping his chest to show how tough he is, they unfortunately also have Hamas and those which follow it. Hamas, apparently, is still stuck in that old Hitlerian rhetorical rut of the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, unable, or even unwilling, to pull itself out of it, by refusing to recognize the reality of the State of Israel’s existence, and, to do everything possible to wipe if from the face of the earth…even if it means the death of every Palestinian to do so.

For their part, the Israelis, faced by such a never-ending rabid perspective from their opponents, have become paranoid in their perspectives of Palestinians in general, and of course of Hamas in particular. While understandable that paranoia has led it to a very non-productive conclusion. That is…the only language their opponents will ever understand is that of fang and claw, and eye for an eye. So, as a matter of policy, for every Palestinian rock thrown at them they must respond with an overwhelming barrage of ten boulders back. Over time, of course, Hamas has cleverly figured out how to manipulate that Israeli mindset to its advantage by crying foul each time Israel responds to its provocations, by crying martyrdom and painting Israel as a bully.

Thus, so long as both continue to ride such a carousel of mutual provocation, no amount of outside effort to mediate or broker any kind of meaningful peace can ever be expected to achieve success. The only ones who can produce a meaningful peace are the Israelis and the Palestinians. To suggest otherwise is nonsense.

Perhaps, if both accept that neither can have for themselves what they want to deny to the other, they may eventually come to the realization that the only way they will every have peace is if they abandon this pattern of mutual destruction, sit down together, and seriously work out an equitable division of the land so that a two-state solution can become a reality. Everything else is irrelevant.

If not, this conflict, much like that ancient Hundred Years War between the English and French royal dynasties, will only end from mutual collapse and exhaustion, and leaving it to the rest of the world to come and…bury what’s left.

CENTURION