The Tribune

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

IT is not often I do this, but this week’s column looks a little farther from home. And yet, the effects of this faraway look are felt right here too.

In the Middle East right now, the long-simmering tensions between Israel and particularly the Hamas organisation have broken out into open conflict.

Who started it? Well, it probably depends on when you can put your finger on an exact point in history to say where the start was – but this particular outbreak followed a series of surprise attacks by Hamas on Israel. Israel has responded in force, bombing the Gaza strip.

The details of the surprise attack were horrific. There was a barrage of rockets – terrible enough, of course – but it was the ground attack by Hamas militants that was more remarkable. There was video footage of a gunman at a festival, casually walking around and opening fire on people. Hostages were taken, and various atrocities were alleged against those hostages. A hospital was hit by rockets. A hospital. Imagine that. A place where the injured might have been taken to save their lives and even that was not safe.

One father whose eight-year-old daughter was killed said her death was “a blessing” because at least her being dead meant that she hadn’t been taken hostage and “if you know anything about what they do to people in Gaza; that is worse than death”.

Some compared the surprise attack to such occasions as the 9/11 attacks in America, or Japan’s assault on Pearl Harbour.

Then came the response, Israel attacking in force. CNN host Jake Tapper pressed a White House official yesterday, saying that “Israelis are bombing the crap out of Gaza,” a statement that didn’t bring any disagreement.

After Israel dropped leaflets telling people to get out of northern Gaza, video emerged of a convoy of people fleeing the scene that were bombed. There were many bodies, often women and children.

Thousands are dead. Thousands more will likely be killed.

Bahamians have been caught in the middle of the conflict too – The Tribune reporting on one escape which had Bahamian Dion Bowe and his wife saying that they feared they would die on the plane as they took off, with rockets being fired upon the airport. Another Bahamian talked of being trapped in the country and not being sure of how they would get out.

Mr Bowe said that last week’s trip to Israel was their first and last trip to that country.

Internationally, it has been difficult to respond to the crisis for many. Anything less than complete and unequivocating support for Israel alone has been met with criticism.

Over in England, a football match between England and Australia drew criticism because the arch at Wembley, lit up in national colours for the Ukraine attack, was not lit up in the colours of Israel. Statements offering sadness and condolences to all innocents were condemned for not singling out Israel for support. Public figures who have made statements of support for different nations in the past were badgered on social media as to why they were not speaking out in support of Israel this time.

Yet can we not be sad for all innocent victims? Hamas is the controlling power in Gaza, but it does not speak for all. Yet cutting off food supplies and water is more likely to drive people towards Hamas rather than away. Killing innocents is more likely to radicalise relatives rather than bring peace. That counts the same across the border in Israel. Hamas wins no allies in Israel by aggression and provides an excuse to justify the resultant retribution.

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell has kept hands largely off the whole matter, though warning people not to travel to Israel. He said: “The complexities and the hostilities in that part of the world are not something that we enter upon. We’ve called for the cessation of hostilities as soon as possible. We support the context of the CARICOM statement [which] essentially says that this is a complex matter. There is a two-state solution which was drawn up in 1967 and that remains the position.”

The long, tortured history of the region, and of the Israeli people is well documented, and no nearer a solution that ensures a continued peace.

Even my pastor took to the pulpit yesterday to talk about the crisis in the Middle East, and fears of what it could turn into if left unresolved.

Mr Mitchell is correct when he uses the word complex. For many far afield, they do not understand the situation well enough to be forthright in a statement of a support for one side or the other. This is not “both sides” mentality, it is simply understanding that the situation in the Middle East is not simple – if it were then perhaps we would not be where we are now.

This is not to cricitise Israel either – any nation attacked in such a manner would feel compelled to respond. How would Bahamians feel if rockets were raining down on our islands?

After this short-term response, what comes next? There has been little sign of any long-term solution in the region, and political parties in Israel have often ensured popularity by stoking up the fires of anger against organisations such as Hamas. Those organisations in return thrive upon the rhetoric and actions against them.

It may be a forlorn hope, but if there is peace, it can be good for everyone. There can be a “peace dividend” as has been referred to in other conflict zones, where security and safety brings with it companies who want to invest, visitors who want to come to stay.

Instead, we have the likes of Mr Bowe, who has fled to safety and vowed not to come back.

There are, of course, no easy solutions. But right now we don’t even have the will to find solutions, it seems, easy or not.

Until then, we can offer our prayers. We can offer our support for a peaceful outcome. And, yes, we can mourn all the innocents who have died.

The initial attacks should never have happened and should be condemned. But every innocent death that has happened since is also to be condemned.

The innocent should never pay the price for the actions of others.