The Middle East tinder box is once again close to the flashpoint. Israel has violated the international law of the seas by boarding a ship in international waters, thereby committing an act of piracy. This illegal boarding led the death of a number of people trying to bring relief to Gaza where food and medicines are in short supply. This should bring murder charges as well that of piracy.

Then a highly regarded journalist, Helen Thomas, expressed her opinion regarding this outrage and was called a bigot. The woman is 89 years strong and has an unblemished record: She was exercising her constitutional right to free speech by stating her opinion regarding this recent assault by Israel and as a consequence lost her job. So much for free speech in that great bastion of democracy below the 48th.

Omitted from the vilification of this lady was that she comes from the generation when Jews, fleeing from Nazi oppression, could not find refuge in North America and that includes Canada. Her observations are unacceptable in today’s society no matter that they might be correct.

It was after W.W.2 thousands of Displaced Persons were wandering throughout Europe, without homes or hope, that the U.N. recognized their plight and took action to resolve the matter. In 1948 they decided to carve a new state out of Palestinian land, but they failed to negotiate terms and compensation with the Palestinians. A reasonable solution to the problem was missed by this arrogant act that has led to so much conflict and heartache in that region of the globe. Today, 62 years following the creation of Israel, thousands of Palestinians are refugees from their homes and have received no compensation or assistance. Israel, funded by the U.S.A. and supplied with modern weaponry, including nuclear, has elevated that country to military superiority in the region.

Israel’s people have displayed courage and determination in defending their newly acquire country but have not acted in a manner that could eradicate the continuing violence. One of the reasons for this is the pressure exerted by a rapidly increasing population and the need for land on which to accommodate them. That need has led to the expansion into Palestinian held territory which violates the borders set by the U.N. in 1948. Again, the Palestinians are deprived of the land on which they have lived for generation and have received no compensation. There are now one million five hundred thousand Palestinians crushed into the Gaza strip, a strip just 48 by 10 km in size.

This problem could have been avoided if the U.N. had acted more diplomatically in 1948 and included the Palestinians in the process. An acceptable formulation of a land transfer plan could have been reached along with an agreement of co-operation in matters of economics and other essentials to a progressive dual society

And so the world turns as its human population, now at seven billion, grows exponentially while the planet’s capacity to provide for this exploding human population is already past its limits.

Surely the Jewish people who have given the world its brightest minds can reach a peace plan acceptable to all who now struggle for survival in this complex world that we have created.

Ken Hayward

Mono