July 21, 2006

I Believe The Children Are Our Future

I recently found these photos of young Israeli girls signing bombs that were to be sent into Lebanon. My emotions ran the gamut from anger, disgust, disbelief, pity and shame. I was immediately distraught and confused as to what type of parent would first of all let their children near live bombs, but then would also encourage them to sign the very tools that would kill other children. After reading the range of comments on this blog I started to think. Someone brought up the point that the other side is using children to fuel this conflict as well. I realized that this conflict is beyond merely politics at this point. Generations of children have been, and are being taught and brainwashed to hate on both sides. If we want a lasting peace, we must start with them. I know this all sounds a bit Whitney Houston, but the children really are our future.

Take a look at these children and tell me, how can they grow up and work for peace if these are the lessons their parents, their teachers, their leaders are teaching them.

Israeli girls singing bombs

Young boys in gaza ready for the next generation


In other news, someone from the UN has finally called what is happening a War Crime, now if only Israel could be prosecuted.

The United Nations’ top human rights official said Wednesday that the killing and maiming of civilians under attack in Lebanon, Israel and Gaza and the West Bank could constitute war crimes.

“The scale of killings in the region, and their predictability, could engage the personal criminal responsibility of those involved, particularly those in a position of command and control,” said Louise Arbour, the high commissioner for human rights.


How sad is it though that we all know nothing will ever be done. It kind of makes the whole idea of the Geneva Convention moot. It is kind of ironic that these laws were established after WWII, and now the biggest victims of that war are the perpetrators of crimes against humanity.

2 comments:

  1. The young Israeli girls in the photos live in the town of Kiryat Shmona, which is just below the border of Lebanon and Israel. Every day, EVERY DAY of the week, since 1967, Kaytusha Rockets have hit Kiryat Shmona from Lebanon. Those children have known nothing but violence.

    Still, there have been any number of UN Sanctions against Israel, going back to its inception as a State in 1948. Please, by all means, prosocute Israel for crimes against humanity. That makes such perfect sense.

    Those children in Gaza being trained as soldiers are equally tragic. Their cynical leaders teach them hatred. Those young children in Gaza, and in Israel, have been shown nothing but violence.

    Here's an idea: Why don't we find a way to gather the so-called leaders, dump them into an arena, and let them have at each other? Give the children food, toys, clothes. Send them to schools and camps together so they can learn to be children.

    Why is it that none of the leaders of Hamas are willing to put on bomb vests and blow themselves up? They send children instead. My heart breaks for those little girls, and for those little boys.

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  2. fanatic islam is a political ideology as is the neo-cons and religious right are in america and the zionists in israel. the folks in the middle east- muslims have to make the changes themselves- and it doesn't appear that they are ready. the hamas and hezbollah and al quada among them come from affluent, well educated backgrounds but use the poorest and ignorant to keep them poor and ignorant. the best thing that could happen for israel and the rest of the middle east is for the oil to dry up. they would have to become self sufficient and they would have to work well with others. we need to look at the success stories of the middle east--bahrain, dubai, jordan, turkey-- what do they have in common? no oil. the population have a say and they have a stake in their lives. as long as the rulers of the oil nations have oil- the middle east will be controlled by the religious zealots and uber-rich dictators. i don't begrudge israel its right for defense and i don't defend hamas- again, we are looking at a specific incident in the recent lebanese conflict versus the on-going human rights violations of the palestinians. two different things in my book.

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