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Nothing triggers me more than the suffering of children, so the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza is keeping me up at night.
The angst is compounded by the fact that there is pressure to pick a side when for me that feels like sticking my head into the middle of a domestic dispute - the kind where law enforcement arrives and both sides of the bruhaha leave in handcuffs.
I want to scream at the sky, “Why can’t they just get along!”
I blame history. Spanish-American philosopher, George Santayana, is credited with the quote “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But my own opinion is that it has proven impossible for humans to really learn from history on the macro level. Instead, stories from the past have proven far more likely to be used as a blunt instrument to rationalize hatred and violence. Sadly, this effect has only been amplified by social media.
What if radical forgiveness needs radical forgetfulness? Imagine for a moment that everyone in the Middle East woke up this morning with amnesia and no media to fill in the lost memories. Would the members of Hamas still be holding hostages? Would Israel be asking for a hospital to be evacuated? I think not. My guess is there would be confusion about all the weapons lying around and the seemingly arbitrary borders of have and have-not because, at their core, I believe the majority of citizens on both sides have the capacity for compassion and fairness. Without a doubt, I am confident there would be fewer children dying.
What I’m still pondering
I wonder if radical forgetfulness is at the core of radical forgiveness. Would it be any worse than what we have now?
What follows are some of my queries to spicy Google ChatGTP about the subject. If there are any obvious mistakes, please send an explanatory e-mail. As with all things ChatGTP, this is meant as a starting point, not actual research.
Death Tolls from Historical Conflicts in Israel
1948 Arab-Israeli War (Israeli War of Independence): Approximately 6,000 Israelis and 13,000 Arabs were killed.
1956 Suez Crisis (Sinai War): About 1,000 Israelis, 3,000 Egyptians, 650 French, and 450 British troops were killed.
1967 Six-Day War: Around 800 Israelis and between 15,000 to 25,000 Egyptians, Jordanians, and Syrians were killed.
1973 Yom Kippur War: Approximately 2,800 to 3,500 Israelis and between 8,000 to 18,500 Arab troops (mostly Egyptian and Syrian) were killed.
1982 Lebanon War (First Lebanon War): An estimated 650-675 Israelis and approximately 9,800 Lebanese and Palestinians were killed.
2006 Lebanon War (Second Lebanon War): About 165 Israelis and 1,300 Lebanese were killed.
Various Intifadas and Gaza Conflicts: First Intifada (1987-1993): Around 160 Israelis and 2,000 Palestinians were killed. Second Intifada (2000-2005): Approximately 1,000 Israelis and 3,000 Palestinians were killed. Gaza War (2008-2009): 13 Israelis and over 1,400 Palestinians were killed. Gaza Conflict (2014): 73 Israelis and over 2,200 Palestinians were killed.
Civilian Casualties in Conflicts
1948 Arab-Israeli War: Significant portion of Arab casualties were civilians, including displaced Palestinian Arabs.
1967 Six-Day War: Relatively low civilian casualties, but significant displacement of civilian populations.
1973 Yom Kippur War: Civilian casualties were not a major feature of this conflict.
1982 Lebanon War: Majority of Lebanese casualties were civilians (approximately 17,000-19,000).
2006 Lebanon War: Majority of Lebanese casualties were civilians. In Israel, civilians accounted for 44 of the 165 Israeli deaths.
Various Intifadas and Gaza Conflicts: A significant number of Palestinian casualties were civilians in both Intifadas and Gaza Conflicts. In Israel, many casualties were civilians killed in suicide bombings and other attacks.
Initiation of Conflicts
1948 Arab-Israeli War: War broke out following the UN partition plan, rejected by Arab leaders. Arab states invaded following Israel's declaration of independence.
1956 Suez Crisis: Initiated by Israel, followed by the UK and France, in response to Egyptian actions.
1967 Six-Day War: Initiated by Israel with preemptive strikes against Egypt.
1973 Yom Kippur War: Initiated by a coalition of Arab states, led by Egypt and Syria.
1982 Lebanon War: Initiated by Israel with the aim of removing the PLO from Southern Lebanon.
2006 Lebanon War: Triggered by Hezbollah's cross-border raid into Israel.
Various Intifadas and Gaza Conflicts: First Intifada initiated by Palestinians. Second Intifada triggered by escalating tensions and events. Subsequent Gaza conflicts had complex triggers with both sides blaming each other.
Control of Jerusalem Through History
Before 1000 BCE: Various Canaanite tribes.
1000-586 BCE: Kingdom of Israel/Judah (Jewish rule).
586-539 BCE: Babylonian Empire.
539-332 BCE: Achaemenid Empire (Persians).
332-140 BCE: Various Hellenistic Empires.
140-63 BCE: Hasmonean Kingdom (Jewish rule).
63 BCE - 324 CE: Roman Empire.
324-614 CE: Byzantine Empire.
614-629 CE: Sassanian Empire (Persians).
629-638 CE: Byzantine Empire (brief reconquest).
638-1099 CE: Various Islamic Caliphates.
1099-1187 CE: Crusader States.
1187-1250 CE: Ayyubid Dynasty.
1250-1517 CE: Mamluk Sultanate.
1517-1917 CE: Ottoman Empire.
1917-1948 CE: British Mandate.
1948-1967 CE: Divided city; West Jerusalem under Israeli control, East Jerusalem under Jordanian control.
1967-present: Israel took control of East Jerusalem; the entire city is considered Israel's capital, while East Jerusalem is considered occupied by many.
Who Said, "Those Who Don't Learn From History Are Destined to Repeat It ?”
The quote "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" is attributed to George Santayana. He was a Spanish-American philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. This quote is from his work "The Life of Reason: Reason in Common Sense," which was published in 1905. The quote is often paraphrased or misquoted as "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
Meaning of "An Eye for an Eye"
Yes, the phrase "an eye for an eye" was meant to be an upper limit on revenge. It originates from several ancient legal codes, most notably the Code of Hammurabi from Babylon and the Hebrew Bible's Old Testament. In its original context, this principle was intended as a way to limit retribution and ensure that punishment was proportional to the offence.
In the societies where this law was applied, it served as a regulatory measure to prevent excessive revenge or punishment. The idea was that the punishment should not exceed the crime, and it aimed to avoid escalating cycles of vengeance that could result from uncontrolled retributive justice.
The Code of Hammurabi
The Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes, also contains a form of the "eye for an eye" principle. It was a Babylonian code of law that dates back to about 1754 BC. Here's the relevant excerpt:
Law #196: "If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out."
This law is part of a larger set of laws that sought to enforce justice based on the principle of retaliation or retribution, often referred to as the lex talionis. The laws covered various aspects of daily life and established specific punishments for specific offences, often mirroring the nature of the offence in the punishment.
Verses in the Old Testament
The principle of "an eye for an eye" can be found in several places in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Here are the key verses:
1. Exodus 21:23-25: "But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."
2. Leviticus 24:19-20: "If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him."
3. Deuteronomy 19:21: "Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."
Perspective in the New Testament
In the New Testament, Jesus addresses the "eye for an eye" principle in the Sermon on the Mount. He offers a different perspective, advocating for non-retaliation and forgiveness rather than retribution. Here are the relevant verses:
1. Matthew 5:38-42: "You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
2. Luke 6:29-30: "If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back."
When I’m triggered, I write to get things out of my head. Thank you for listening in on my therapeutic cacophony.
Photo Description
English: Destroyed house of the Al Dalou family in Gaza City
Deutsch: Zerstörtes Haus der Al Dalu-Familie in Gaza Stadt
Date4 December 2012
Sourcehttp://www.desde-palestina.blogspot.de/2012/12/al-dalou.html http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nfUY7QJOqpk/UL-3pDpjc5I/AAAAAAAABP4/2usymB3AVEI/s1600/_MG_5375.jpg
Author diario fotográfico 'desde Palestina', photographer