Not turning on the news (or reading the papers) at the moment, because it’s all too harrowing? Of course we have a responsibility to know what’s going on in the world (and most news programs don’t report this, they just report the carnage). The Middle East war has now spilled into several countries, with reports of parents carrying their children (with missing limbs) to hospital. And 1 million people displaced in Lebanon in a week (the equivalent of 10 million people in England, suddenly living on the streets).
There are innocent casualties on every side, whilst those who plan and drop bombs sit in their ivory towers, and meeting with ‘world leaders’ who seem powerless to stop the violence (what is the UN for?)
In Australia, the Green Party has been criticised, after MPs walked out of Parliament in protest at the government funding violence. And of course, standing by and doing nothing gives rise to narcissists here getting elected into UK parliament, as nobody else is listening.
It’s actually terrifying. When Donald Trump was asked what Israel should do, he replied ‘finish the problem’. He states he is the ‘best friend Israel ever had’, then said that if he loses the election, ‘the Jewish people would have had a lot to do with it’. It’s scary beyond belief. And Kamala Harris is not really offering much different. Why are they involved, rather than the UN?
Many in the media and politics are aghast as to how modern western countries are still funding what is now being called genocide. What the terrorist groups have done is absolutely awful and evil, but to respond by funding Israel that has so far killed tens of thousands of women and children (and remember in the US, this is funding from a country that mostly does not agree with abortion – but it’s okay if the children and unborn children are in the Middle East?)
Oxfam writes that the UK supplies millions of pounds worth of arms to Israel, so makes our country complicit in killing civilians. An immediate ceasefire is never going to happen, when the UK, US and other countries (including ‘neutral’ Switzerland) supply arms. The one country that has not sold weapons for many years is Japan, and now even they have started again.
The UK has major business selling arms which increases GDP (a good argument for finding alternatives to economic growth). Costa Rica is top in the world’s alternative Happiness Index (it got rid of its military decades ago, and uses money spend to protect its rainforests, small businesses and children).
It’s actually going against humanitarian law to sell arms to a country where they could be used to violate human rights. And this is obviously what is happening now. ‘Arms’ does not just mean guns and ammunition, but also tanks, missiles, combat aircrafts and technology.
In September 2024 (only due to months of campaigns), the UK government finally acknowledged that the arms were not being used for ‘conventional war’ and announced (some restrictions), but not enough. Parts are still being sold for fighter jets, which are raining bombs down on civilian casualties. The International Court of Justice says that funding genocide results in ‘war crimes’ as children are being killed from the bombs, partly funded by UK government.
Of course it’s not just humans. Animals are also starving (and people are having sometimes to eat animal feed). Greenpeace writes that bombs and fuel causes pollution, making the water undrinkable and land not fit enough to grow food.
Are We Powerless to Stop Funding Weapons?
For now (until the Peace Party gain power?) the most powerful thing you can do is switch to a green bank account (like Triodos) that does not fund weapons, it takes just 10 minutes to switch (you also get a recycled plastic debit card – join Chris Packham, he’s switched!)
In the US, simple living guru Rob Greenfield does not earn enough to pay tax. He does this on purpose (giving everything above a certain amount away), so he legally does not have to pay any tax to fund war, as he doesn’t believe in it. This is similar to the Peace Tax that Quakers would like, so those of us who want peace, don’t have our tax being used to fund weapons.
Campaign Against Arms Trade says the solution is obvious. We have a climate crisis, and can easily transfer the skills of those engineers who make arms, over to build more solar panels, bird-friendly wind turbines and hydro-stations, to create more green energy. This is good for the planet and would keep people warm, for less bills.
This would also encourage others to do the same (the US is by far the world’s biggest arms producer, yet also mostly still runs on fossil fuels). Arms sales (however large their effect) only account for less than 2% of exports (and we should be focusing on local food and products anyway, not exports and imports).
Can There Ever Be Peace in the Middle East?
The problem with listening to ‘soundbite’ news is that the presenters very rarely explain why the issue is happening, and obviously that is the way to solve it. So let’s look at what the crisis is all about (and the effects it’s having on our politics).
Israel (the world’s only Jewish state) and Palestine (with an Arab population) are adjacent countries. Palestine is presently on Israeli land and wishes to establish its own state, so the war is basically over who gets the land. This war dates back 2000 years, but mostly just after the Second World War when Jews fled Europe from the Nazis to establish a safe homeland. The Arabs wished to keep their land and the UN stepped in to try to give both a section of the land, but that obviously failed.
A war in 1967 left Israel with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which are home to many Palestinians. So you can see how the conflict grew. Today the West Bank is controlled by Palestinians but still under occupation from Israeli troops, who put restrictions on their movements and often deny land to them too.
Gaza is now controlled by Hamas (a militant Islamic group that seized control in 2007) and after killing almost 1500 Israeli people (and taking over 240 people hostage) in late 2023, has led to the present war that has killed and injured tens of thousands of people. And left 2 million people at risk of famine.
Peacebuilders recommend a two-state solution to create an independent state in Gaza (and most of the West Bank) and leave the rest of the area led by Israel, but many people in both countries don’t want this. The other option is a one-state solution where it all becomes one country that both sides share (which appears impossible at present).
Political writer Daniel Levin believes there is hope for peace in the Middle East (his own father had his left arm blown off in the final days of the 1948 war). He says that the idea of a one shared state is ‘utopian’ as there is now too much trauma on both sides. He thinks a two-state solution (but with aspects of the proposed one-state solution like freedom of employment, movement and residency with security controls) is the best bet.
So people could live, work and study anywhere, but only vote on their own state. Israelis living in occupied Palestine could move back if wished to Israel with relocation packages, or remain in Palestine and follow their laws. He says that more support should be given to powers that promote peace, rather than politicians that just fuel the fire by refusing to look at peaceful alternatives.
A Land for All is the likely best solution. An idea born from peaceful discussions on both sides, it offers 15 reasons why this idea is the best solution: It acknowledges historical and cultural beliefs of both lands, provides each side with a sovereign state, Jerusalem becomes the capital of both states and the solution can be implemented immediately.
Daniel also says that countries with influence (including of course the USA) should abandon self-interested support and look at solutions, rather than being part of the problem by choosing ‘one side against the other’. This works both ways: the US government is pro-Israeli and so are some UK MPs, which of course leads to other maverick MPs being elected, as Palestinians aghast at what is happening elect people who are listening to them. But in reality, the only way to stop this war is to listen to both sides, and do something about it.
Seeds of Peace is a wonderful US summer camp, where they take opposing sides to have them work and play together, to become the future leaders of tomorrow (say Israeli and Palestinian teenagers). They arrive wanting to kill each other, and leave as friends.
Helping Donkeys in the Middle East
Donkeys are beautiful creatures, though be careful as they can nip, if you get too close! Naturally gentle but very strong, this has unfortunately meant that they are some of the most abused animals on earth, mostly abroad.
Safe Haven for Donkeys is doing extremely important work, after years of helping donkeys on the border in the Middle East. Of course now things are even worse due to the war in Gaza. Many horses and donkeys have been killed, and now as the main form of transport, they are often worked on little food and rest.
It also has just set up a new project in Egypt, helping donkeys who work in intense heat to move bricks to kilns (used to build houses). Many have untreated wounds, fly infestations and overgrown hooves. All animals are treated by this charity both on-site and at mobile clinics.
Although playing lotteries is not the best way to live life, playing their Weather Lottery (instead of the national one) may be a good way to earn them some extra pennies. You can also scrap your old car, and monies raised from metal will benefit this wonderful cause. Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation also gives grants to help working animals in the Holy Land.
