I Cannot be Silent

 How many days has it been since the most recent eruption of horror and violence and tragedy in Israel and in Gaza? 

How many days? How many years? How many centuries? And all that happens is the weapons get worse, the defense systems break down - more people suffer. It gets worse and worse - this time the cities and villages inside Israel are burning.  Arabs and Jews are fighting in the streets.  It is likely that soon rockets will come from the north

As those of you who follow my blog know, I lived in Israel for years. You will also know that my husband was killed in the Yom Kippur War - so very long ago, in 1973.  Where are we now,  2021 - and no end in sight?

What you probably don't know is that as soon as I was told of my husband's death, I said to my mother - "women are suffering and crying in Israel, in Egypt, in Jordan. If only I could contact them."  I felt then, as I do now - a helpless pawn, and that suffering is the same for everyone.

In America I was active in an Israeli peace organization, and went on a speaking tour around the country with an Israeli soldier who opposed the occupation.  I have always opposed the occupation - for the very reasons that we now see happening.   And the Intifaders before then. Occupiers cannot occupy without becoming morally corrupt - this occupation continues to corrupt old an young, civilian and soldier alike.  Like a boil it festers and hurts, and erupts. History has shown that a people cannot be occupied/oppressed forever.

And even now, in the midst of all this I receive notices of demonstrations being called in Arabic and Hebrew - to show solidarity. The photos of my Israeli facebook friends are now framed in signs in Arabic and Hebrew, "I stand in solidarity." 

Many years ago, eons maybe, I traveled around Europe.  In Copenhagen I went to an exhibition of something or other that I no longer remember - but I do remember a slogan.

"Co-existence or No existence."

And here is beloved Mt. Tabor again, the fields of Ein Dor set aflame.