The events that took place in Israel and Gaza over the last few weeks were terrible regardless of the political side one supports. The damages both physical and emotional have been enormous for both parties involved. After all, no matter what ethnicity or religion one belongs to, death and pain, for whatever reasons bring sadness, anger and-last but not least-more pain. The Association of Jewish Students and the Muslim Students Association here at Miami University would like, for all involved, observing and advocating either of the sides to realize that the massive loss of lives and damages due to by this war and ongoing violent acts are against ethics of any religion.
We acknowledge the right of every country, including Israel, to defend itself with the minimum amount of force necessary. We acknowledge the right of the Palestinian people to have a homeland of their own. We also acknowledge the right of residents of Gaza to not be subjected to a blockade, that they be able to get food, medical and other basic life supplies on a regular basis. The situation in the area is complicated, due to various mistakes by all involved. The lack of proper planning or goodwill to reach a synergistic solution has led us not closer to peace, but taken us further away from it. A complete peace, shalom or salaam, can only be reached when the different interests convene and create something that transcends individual desires.
The time to point fingers and the time of reactionary force has to come to an end. The two sides cannot continue to launch rockets at each other and merely hope for the best. Each rocket that lands creates more and more violence and hatred. Each dead body creates more despair. Last but not least, each day that people need to live in fear is a day less of salaam that we could have had. The United Nations needs to live up to its duty of promoting and protecting peace, the Palestinian people need to strive to establish and maintain a state that provides its citizens opportunities for health, education and security and Israel has to return to the principles of its own declaration of independence wherein it required of itself that it be a state of justice and engagement for all people not just its own, and all humans need to appreciate each life as indispensable to peace and justice in the world.
We hope that, rather than contemplating on how to better attack each other, the two sides understand that life as it is in the area cannot continue. The goal has to be a holistic solution, one that brings shalom to all. One that does not rely on military might (be it organized or terroristic), but instead on diplomacy, honesty and mutual respect.
Association of Jewish Students Muslim Students Association
