Peace waiting.
Today Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, in response to UN calls for Israeli and Hamas civilians to be tried for possible war crimes committed during the 22 day war at the begining of the year: “I want to make it clear — Israel will not take any chances for peace if it can’t defend itself” he said.(From Yahoo News)
So I am trying to work out this statement. Surely this is a paradox; to be defensive while searching for peace. It doesn’t make sense. The nature of peace is that it can only come through openness. If you are on the defense you are confined, closed off. Is this then the crux of what makes peacemaking so challenging? That both protagonists are on the defensive and it is necessary for either or both either to open up, to become a little bit vulnerable to start the process off.
