Social networking spots are the hip & happening online places to be. You know… LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace…entire communities full of friends, funsters and hip beings just waiting to inter-connect.
I, too, have been known to join one or two of the “socials”..And so over the weekend, I noticed with a raised eyebrow that one of my network friends – Suleiman from Kuwait who I don’t know personally i.e. a friend of a friend – updated his online status as: “Israel is the #1 Terrorist”.
I was taken aback. Was that a typo? I msg’d him to ask.
Nope. It wasn’t.
“Aren’t you seeing the images coming out of Gaza?” he asked. “Follow this Al Jazeera link. Do you know how many people in Gaza have been killed? It’s a blood bath.”
I am absolutely with a capital “A” NOT a flaming Zionist even on Independence or Memorial Days. I see the loopholes, effects of military mentality, bureaucracy, government policy – & lack of – in Israel, the contradictions and double standards inherent to life in a religion-based society and the arrogance and obstinacy on a personal level.
Bottom line: I’m an American living among Israelis. It-Ain’t-Easy.
But Suleiman’s message hit a nerve.
“Al Jazeera?” I countered. “First of all let’s start with a more credible news source. Second, do you know WHY Israel is in Gaza right now? Let’s talk about daily rocket launches into civilian populations, celebratory flowers and candy parceled out on the streets of Gaza when an elderly Israeli woman is killed in a rocket hit. Shellshocked children, people running to bomb shelters every two hours…and for what? What does Hamas want?
“Because Israel pulled out of Gaza years ago. When Iraq invaded Kuwait did anyone stand by silently? What would YOU do if your neighborhood was being hit daily by rockets?”
“But look at the casualty numbers. It’s all lopsided,” Suleiman advised. “And besides, Israel has advanced intelligence and weaponry. They probably know where Nasrallah is eating dinner tonight. Do you want to tell me they can’t find the Hamas operatives and take them out one by one? Can’t they find a smarter solution than killing civilians in Gaza?”
And it hit me: That was a backhanded compliment of sorts. Suleiman thinks Israel has so much advanced intelligence that hell, they could do just go in there commando-style and lasso up some rocket-launching bad guys, get “situation under control” and be back in time for supper, no?
No. Nope. Nada.
Were it that easy.
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