The Israeli/Arab debate raises its head for another round in the pages of The Echo.
Much of the argument is fruitless and painfully circular without saying much new. We must radically step outside the labels and mind boxes that have been created around this issue. If we really want to resolve this we must stop using the words Palestinian or Israeli, Jewish or Arab (or any nationality/ethnicity/religion for that matter) and start using the words Human Being, our common nation being Earth.
First and foremost above religion, nationality or ethnicity we are human beings with the same basic needs and interests. It is pretty simple: we all want to be happy, healthy and free. We need access to clean land and water and we want to live peacefully.
It doesn’t really matter who was there first or who was there in greater numbers or who has been more persecuted or dispossessed. What matters is how we can start to resolve this issue NOW. When we take out the ideas of Arabs and Jews out of the picture and just see people who have common needs and interests then it becomes a whole lot simpler!
I hate to disappoint you but there are no such things as Jews or Arabs, they are figments of our collective imagination and it’s time to wake up from the nightmare- reality is a whole lot sweeter – it’s just US.
It is radical, I know, but it is time for something radical.
Rohan Stewart, Rosebank
