They make a solitude and call it peace (often misquoted as they make a desolation and call it peace).
The only way to true peace is through the destruction of the Other and the continued effort to prevent the arise of the Other.
Now, that sounds totally nasty and genocidal, but that is not the necessity of it. It is the way that simple-minded, zero-sum type of people see. Your observation about the winner helping to rebuild the loser is a part of the thing.
The Other is a narrative and sociological/cultural construct that is based upon perceived differences. The tendency to see and prioritize difference versus similarity.
To create a stronger and larger and more powerful society, difference needs to be marginalized in favor of similarity (we are all human, we are all Americans, etc). Ideally preserving and respecting difference while not making it fodder for destructive narratives and actions.
E Pluribus Unam
or the Vulcan philosophy of IDIC (yes I am a Star Trek fan)
Building strength thru empasizing difference is weaker than building strength by embracing difference.
Inclusivity is, in the end more powerful than exclusivity. Exclusivity is easier, it's lazy. It appeals to the demons of our nature rather than the angels of our nature... and it tends to end badly.
The Romans succeeded for as long as they did because, in the end, anyone could be Roman.
Israel and the Palestinians have had multiple chances to find prosperous ways to live together, but each time one side seemed open to it, the other shut it down. After a while, the leadership of each side came to depend on that so they could talk peace and know it isn't going to happen. IF, the similarities were emphasized instead of the differences, a Palestinian state could have been a Mediterranean resort , with a Singapore like economy and a mutually beneficial trading relationship with Israel. If everyone spent their money building an economy instead of weapons the entire Middle East may be democratic by now. But, since they have different ways of worshiping, their leaders don't allow that to happen. Power is more important the lives of the citizens.
I think the only actual way forward WRT this issue would be some form of federal state that encompasses both Israelis and Palestinians, that provides solid (and relatively unbiased) protection to both.
The extremists on either side would never let that happen though.
Solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
They make a solitude and call it peace (often misquoted as they make a desolation and call it peace).
The only way to true peace is through the destruction of the Other and the continued effort to prevent the arise of the Other.
Now, that sounds totally nasty and genocidal, but that is not the necessity of it. It is the way that simple-minded, zero-sum type of people see. Your observation about the winner helping to rebuild the loser is a part of the thing.
The Other is a narrative and sociological/cultural construct that is based upon perceived differences. The tendency to see and prioritize difference versus similarity.
To create a stronger and larger and more powerful society, difference needs to be marginalized in favor of similarity (we are all human, we are all Americans, etc). Ideally preserving and respecting difference while not making it fodder for destructive narratives and actions.
E Pluribus Unam
or the Vulcan philosophy of IDIC (yes I am a Star Trek fan)
Building strength thru empasizing difference is weaker than building strength by embracing difference.
Inclusivity is, in the end more powerful than exclusivity. Exclusivity is easier, it's lazy. It appeals to the demons of our nature rather than the angels of our nature... and it tends to end badly.
The Romans succeeded for as long as they did because, in the end, anyone could be Roman.
Israel and the Palestinians have had multiple chances to find prosperous ways to live together, but each time one side seemed open to it, the other shut it down. After a while, the leadership of each side came to depend on that so they could talk peace and know it isn't going to happen. IF, the similarities were emphasized instead of the differences, a Palestinian state could have been a Mediterranean resort , with a Singapore like economy and a mutually beneficial trading relationship with Israel. If everyone spent their money building an economy instead of weapons the entire Middle East may be democratic by now. But, since they have different ways of worshiping, their leaders don't allow that to happen. Power is more important the lives of the citizens.
Indeed.
I think the only actual way forward WRT this issue would be some form of federal state that encompasses both Israelis and Palestinians, that provides solid (and relatively unbiased) protection to both.
The extremists on either side would never let that happen though.