What will it take for the people of Gaza and of Judea and Samaria, to have peace?
Have they ever had it? Would they even recognize it if they did? Are they capable of it?
People talk about how “there was peace on Oct 6”, but when I think about it, that’s not possible. There was no war on Oct 6, but peace should not be defined simply as the absence of war. Peace also comes from within, it’s a feeling of acceptance, of tranquility, of serenity.
I don’t believe the Palestinian people had that on Oct 6. I don’t think they’ve ever known it in their lifetimes.
And it’s not entirely their fault.
Since birth, they’ve been taught their neighbours are the enemy, are pigs, are the devil.
Since birth, they’ve been taught that their land was stolen from them.
Since birth, they’ve been taught that their purpose in this life is to die, to martyr themselves, to attack, to kill.
Since birth, they’ve been taught that they are the perpetual victims, that they can do no wrong, but that the world has constantly wronged them.
Since birth, they’ve been taught that they are owed, that they are “due”.
How could anyone be at peace when those are the lessons that have been ingrained into them?
The people of Israel have been at war for 80 years, even before people called themselves “Palestinians”. They’ve been attacked countless times by various Muslim countries and territories, and have had to constantly be on alert for the next attack.
But they are taught very different lessons.
They are taught to repair the world, not to attack it.
They are taught to value life, not to want to take it.
They are taught to live, not to die.
So, while Israel has seen way more war than the Palestinians ever will, I believe they’ve known more peace than the Palestinians ever will.
The type of peace that comes from inside of them. From being grateful for what they have. From taking personal accountability and not blaming others. For focusing on life, on their time here on Earth, not on death, and what happens after they die.
The type of peace that the Palestinian people will never get from foreign countries recognizing them as a State.
The type of peace that they will never realize as long as Qatar and Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood use them as pawns in their game.
The type of peace that is only achievable, if they learn to love themselves and their children, more than they hate Israelis and Jews.
The type of peace that everyone has a right to.