Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Israel Mourns, 2009 - Only the numbers have changed

133 Israeli soldiers and civilians died during the past year either in the course of military service or as civilian casualties of hostile activity.

133 new graves, new families struck down by a blow that can never be healed.

133 people lost in the year since I wrote this post.

198 since my post the year before.

And for what?

What have we learned? When will it end? We're no closer to peace now than we were a year ago.

The siren will sound again at 11:00 today, and again we will remember, and we will mourn, and we will pray that there will be no more.

Tonight we will turn our faces toward the future made possible by those who paid the ultimate price as we celebrate our Independence Day, but today we mourn.

There has to be another way. A way we can work together for a better, safer, more peaceful region. A way where the deathmongers on either side will be marginalized, no longer able to inflict their twisted visions and hatred on their fellow citizens.

A way that is TRULY a way of peace. Not the peace given lip service by those who fear it, but a real, true, just, lasting peace.

Let it begin today. Let it begin with me. Let it begin with all of us.

10 comments:

Dina said...

Well said. I'm with you, Robin, in your peace wish. I always pray that men will know peace in their heart. Don't think they can make peace outside without first knowing it inside.

Jientje said...

So true. Peace, Robin.

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Isn't it bizarre that there are actually those who fear peace?

Let it begin with me, too.

Daryl said...

War is horrible .. losing young lives is horrible, I dont understand why people chose to fight rather than sit and negotiate/talk ...

Peace.

Back from holiday, trying to catch up ...

Mojo said...

As Daryl would say, "From your lips to God's ear."

Or as Jimi Hendrix once said, "When the power of love is greater than the love of power, the world will know Peace."

Jimi was right. That is exactly what it will take. and who knows? If we can manage to not exterminate ourselves and the planet perhaps in another thousand generations humankind may get to that point. But so long as there are those who employ fear to drive their political ambitions, so long as there are those whose greed makes them take what might otherwise be freely given, so long as there are those who use religion as justification for slaughter, and we keep killing each other over things we agree on...

As long as all that remains, I'm not optimistic.

But I offer peace to you my friend. From me to you. L'chaim

Anonymous said...

Great post, Robin. To me the ultimate irony is the religious war. Especially wars fought between Christians, Muslims and Jews. For god's sake, they all worship the same One God of Abraham!

Sigh, where is the sanity, where is the enlightenment in this world?

Love your blog, I'll be back often. Hey from the sounds of your posts you might like my other blog also, Tie Dyed Tirades. I'm doing two host stops on the Dan Fogelberg tour, one at Free Spirit tomorrow and another on my Hippie Blog the next day.

Peace! :)

Marvin
http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com/
http://tiedyedtirades.blogspot.com/

EG CameraGirl said...

I wish for peace too, Robin. We need a miracle I fear, though.

anymommy said...

And also with me.

Laura said...

The unrest in Israel always concerns me. At times it seems impossible to bring lasting peace. So sad.

Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

I have no concept of what you all go through.

I hope that your childrens children have the opportunity to say the same.

<3