Jumping to the conclusion of my column, and without boring you with an introduction, preface, or reasoning, I’m coming to the realization that our conflict is simply unsolvable and will only end when one party annihilates the other. Ingrained religious beliefs in leaders as well as common folk, from both sides, will perpetuate this conflict into eternity. There is no room for compromise when it comes to ideologues or people who claim authority from extraterrestrial kingdoms. Each side is entrenched in its position, hoping that holy lightening will fall from the sky and zap the other side. In the absence of outdated values such as reason, justice, empathy, or fairness, not to mention rational leaders, no solution will ever materialize.
Short of the firm but contradictory religious beliefs, there is no parity between the two conflicting parties. In fact, Palestinians are very sensitive when the concept of parity is used by wolves wearing sheepskin, or by spineless, bend-over-backwards brokers who present themselves as peacemakers. It’s not as though there are two armies of relatively equal strength who are facing one another, nor is it a case of two independent geographical locations with each side independently controlling one location. Nor is it even a situation of equity in resources and influence. Unfortunately, it’s more like rich versus poor, powerful versus powerless, ruthless versus impotent; in plain words, it’s the situation of an occupier versus those who are occupied. Let me be quick to add that these occupied people are cheeky, feisty, resourceful, resilient, and ready for sacrifice.
I have always believed that should a miraculous solution be conjured up, it’ll come from outside our borders. It’ll come when the geopolitical and geostrategic situations change. With the rise in regional power of Iran and its allies, is such a change possible? We’ll have to wait and see. Will Putin be able to shake the current world order? Will the US dollar, the might of the United States, wane and become just another currency? Time will tell, although such matters do not happen overnight. Regional and global changes are most definitely happening, and I believe that we will soon witness their effects. It might take a year, maybe two, but it won’t be decades. With the real threat of World War III looming, maybe it won’t matter anyway.
Long live Palestine!
By Sani Meo
Publisher