To wonder how anyone will find peace in such a polarised situation

[Everythingnotsavedwillbelost73]

The events of the last week in Israel & Gaza have really shone a light on how the cycle hatred and violence can be so entrenched- in their case - for over 75 years.

The threads on mumsnet this week have also shown how polarised the situation is too. Twitter has been more of a cesspit this week than I have ever seen- absolute vile content and a lot of stuff impossible to verify.

Israel & Hamas are destroying themselves in hatred & violence on both sides and Gaza is being flattened.

It feels like there are no adults in the room helping anyone find a solution- countries take sides, polarising the situation even more.

Aibu to wonder how you ever broker peace in these situations? Who are the neutral voices? The adults?

You can genuinely see how worlds end in situations like this ☮️

It is awful and demonstrates the worst of humanity. I know the situation is very complicated but ultimately it is about a "them and us" mindset and fighting over a piece of land.

The thing is, we all have that mindset within us but mainly to a lesser degree. Any time we "other" people, whether it's divisive politics, sexism, racism, or any prejudice or judgment, we show how deeply flawed we all are as human beings. We all desire material things to own. The situation here, and in all wars, is a huge magnification of all of those flaws in human nature.

It is easy to condemn others for this (and rightly so for these atrocities) but perhaps we all need to look at our own lives and reflect on those same flaws that we all have.

You just have to look at threads on here to see so much divisiveness, with people saying things like "all Tories are nasty and evil", and families fighting over inheritances and money. Its the thin end of the wedge.

I can't see how a peaceful solution can be reached when there is this "them and us" mindset. Choosing to cling onto hatred for past wrongs and choosing violence as a solution is sadly very common in this world.

Yes @Notcookie totally agree. In some ways it reminds me on here of the madness during the brexit vote- I feel like that’s when things really ramped up - it’s like that vote opened the floodgates of people shouting at each other on mumsnet!

The world needs a peace movement though with respected voices that can help. Northern Ireland managed to find peace and a truce to some degree so it is possible if the Will is there.

I also think Biden has a responsibility to de-escalate the situation rather than send weapons. FFS. We need adults!

Northern Ireland managed to find peace and a truce to some degree so it is possible if the Will is there.

Peace, and even relative peace takes a very long time. The “ceasefires” in NI did not result in peace, weapons apparently being decommissioned did not result in peace, the GFA did not result in peace either. Peace takes huge compromises on both sides and ultimately something resembling peace comes decades after that.

The problem with Israel and Gaza is that we still aren’t in a position to have a solution. In NI ultimately it was mandatory power sharing, which honestly although it helped the transition is crumbing now. But that is not something that works in this situation. What does peace look like in that region?
I don’t think there’s an obvious answer yet.

@Coffeerum yes of course. But Northern Ireland is more peaceful & less divided than it was before the GFA.

But concern also is that there is no one stepping up globally and trying to de-escalate. The UN have tried a bit but no- one is listening. Where are the real leaders?

Agree. I am from NI and can understand the ‘them and us’ mentality and the desire for revenge - whether for the creation of Israel or for the Hamas pogroms.

Peace can only happen if both Israelis and Palestinians decide that they want better for their children and accept the current situation, rather than trying to turn back time to either 50 AD or 1947.

I believe that both the creation of NI/ the plantation of Ulster and the creation of Israel were mistakes, but they exist and that is the starting point. Unless one wants to murder millions, one has to accept that Israel exists and now one has to move forward and see what accommodation can be done.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank need to stop - and be reversed. Israel needs to go back to being a secular state and change the 2017 law prioriting judaism. The right of return needs to go.

Hamas has to accept that Israel exists and stop massacring every person they can.
Gaza is an open air prison because Gaza sent continuous streams of suicide bombers into Israel, and now Isis-style terrorists. It is madness of ask Israel to open the border to those who wish to kill them.

It needs other Arab countries to also join in and help the Palestinians, allowing them to live and study and develop meaningful lives. Egypt and Jordan can open their borders with Gaza and the West Bank. Jordan can give Palestinians full citizenship.

Saudi, UAE etc can help fund infrastructure not bombs.

Yes, the creation of Israel was unjust for the Palestinians. So was the partition of India, the redrawing of boundaries in Eastern Europe at that same time which also led to millions of displaced people who lost their land and left with nothing. Time can’t be turned back and without that acceptance, their grandkids will have the same life. If both Israel and Palestinians want better, they have to stop fighting the 1947 war and move on.

Of course he can’t- sorry they beheaded your children but will
you sit round a table with the culprits?!

I don’t remember anyone suggesting Bush sit round a table with Al Qaeda post 9/11

Education and training free and fair elections in gaza with hope for a new future.

The destruction of hammas which can only come if there is nothing for them to hook into.
That means education, a move away from medieval Islam, enlightenment and the thought of real prosperity.

I have read Biden does not run the US he is just a figure head. It is run by Obama. The problem with the Israel situation is the massive increase in population on both sides since Israel was set up. In what is a desert with little water

@TodayInahurry

🙄🙄🙄🙄

I don’t even know where to start. Obama?

The problem with the conflict is limited water??

So many questions, such little sense.

There needs to be a peace march in every city to unite people and show public feeling against war.

I don't think that will persuade Hamas or Israel to put down their weapons.

Paradoxically I am more optimistic then ever. After big events like this both sides and the global community will have an urge to sit down and talk. Because if we keep swiping this problem under the carpet atrocities like this will continue to happen.

Israel needs to be a majority-Jewish state. That’s the only way it reminds the Jewish homeland.

That isn’t going to tackle to deep routed issues at the heart of all of this. Such a complex situation can’t be resolved just with public sentiment.

I just can't see a way through it tbh. Both sides are so polarised and their positions are both so entrenched. Both are convinced that they are the victims in all of this.

All I see is the innocent civilians on both sides, robbed of the chance of living their lives in peace.

It's heartbreaking, and utterly depressing. I just can't see how it will ever end.

I see the Israeli community equally angry at Netanyahu government for this. There will be a different government with a different approach to resolving the issue.

Also in my opinion and many people will disagree with me but if Trump comes to the White House there will be an American interest in resolving this issue.

Which took us 200-400 years (without including the bumps along the way, like the anti enlightenment thinking of the last 10-20 years)

*Of course he can’t- sorry they beheaded your children but will
you sit round a table with the culprits?!

I don’t remember anyone suggesting Bush sit round a table with Al Qaeda post 9/11*

@OnlyFoolsnMothers yea but that’s kind of the problem isn’t it? That’s what I mean about adults in the room- to get peace surely you have to stop the cycle of revenge that is SO entrenched in this conflict.

I'm surprised no one is talking about the links between Hamas and Wagner, I think this gives a clue as to why Biden is supporting Israel as they go to all out war rather than trying to make peace. There are rumours that Hamas fighters have been supplied with looted Ukrainian weapons through Iran and have been trained in North Africa by Wagner. If that's true it's horrifying. But the barbaric tactics they used are very similar to what's been done by Wagner.

I think there are a few issues here.

You can't argue with, "in the Bible it says this is our land", well you can, but you won't change anyone's mind.

As for Jordan taking in refugees, they took loads, who settled in the West Bank, it didn't turn out too well.

Hamas leaders are not in Gaza so an all out attack is on the people not the leaders. Gaza is a refugee camp, for people who were born there.

One thing that worries me is that this seems to have come out of nowhere, no security warning, intelligence, nothing.

These terrorists were well trained for the task in hand and well equipped.

If they were so organised on the first day why is anyone (apparently including the Israeli government) assuming there isn't another plan? That they can just walk in and kill all of Hamas.