The “process” of bringing peace to the Middle East has never been easy. The creation of Israel since 1948 has spurred conflicts and given rise to wars and many disputes throughout the world. It is an issue that has been worked upon through many decades but to no avail. Palestine and Arab nations can’t cooperate with Israel’s ‘all or nothing’ attitude which has resulted in the killings of many innocent people and the abolition of the basic human rights for Palestinians.
Peace in the Middle East is an issue of utmost importance for not just the people residing in those areas but for the world as a whole. It poses a threat to the stability around the globe and poses a question to the basic human rights that are violated in the ever-lasting war between the different regions of the Middle-East namely Palestine and Israel. According to Jimmy Carter’s book ‘Palestine Peace Not Apartheid’ Palestinians in the occupied regions are not allowed to “assemble peacefully, travel without restrictions, or own property without the fear of its being confiscated by a multitude of legal ruses”. Having to see this kind of situation, we ask ourselves the purpose of our existence and question our own morals and values.
Constant war has led to a lot of immigration of Palestinians and Israelis to the United States. Although immigration does have its benefits, but since the number of immigrants is more than what the country can currently offer, it has caused more competition for job opportunities and lessening of the standards of living within the United States. Although this might be happening on a smaller scale when considering the broader picture but it is contributing to the failure of the economy even more.
Some people also argue that United States is spending a lot of dollars on Israel that might just as well be invested somewhere else is also of a concern. Annually, according to some websites we give out over a billion dollars of tax money to support Israel. This money could be put into our education system, health care system or could be used to decrease the United States’ debts. By investing this money for the general public, middle class people could be relieved of many taxes that they have to pay. Also, by doing this we would be creating a brighter future for the young generation who don’t attend schools because of financial problems.
Issue of Palestine is also important based on the economic prospect of the world. If the relationships between Palestine and Israel further deteriorates, or any of the Muslim countries try to attack Israel or if Israel attacks any neighboring country the oil trade can get affected by this. Foreign countries that invest or are looking to invest in these countries for oil drilling projects may not do so because of safety issues. So I believe one of the most important benefit peace can bring is the establishment of greater trade opportunities. Thus, meaning that there might be a reduction in the prices of oil and gas which would profit ordinary citizens and also help establish more industries or businesses.
The ongoing war between Palestine and Israel is the reason that so many Palestinians are unemployed. It is the reason for so many uneducated Palestinian children. And it is the cause for immigration of Palestinians to the neighboring countries where they are mainly treated as second class citizens. All of this is widening the gap between the different regions of the world. Some parts of the world are forced into poverty and illiteracy while other parts of the world enjoy the best of the opportunities that life has to offer.
Corruption, theft and other criminal activities rise when the government is shaky and people are living in horrendous circumstances. Innocent people become victims of such social ills of the society and respect for one another or the values and morals are forgotten. When the media portrays this on television or internet people learn to get used to it and slowly it changes the mindset of the people who later use the same techniques when put under similar conditions. Thus, hatred and violence become the answer to the troubles that people might be facing.
Also, by portraying war in the Middle East like the media does, people who have little or no knowledge began to stereotype and hit specific groups with racist comments. It affects me as a Muslim when I am told that terrorist organizations such as Hamas are attacking the Israel. People see just one side of a picture and it gets hard for me to depict and analyze what I think.
Lastly the current situation in Middle East affects me because I am a human being. It is heart breaking to see other human beings face starvation, violence and oppression. But it is even more heart breaking to know for a fact that the situation is going to remain the same if this “all or nothing” attitude remains. Both Israel and Palestine need to reach compromises to achieve peace in the holy land, peace in the Middle East and peace all over the world.




Peace.