As a Graham Cracker Too Long in Milk

I am as a graham cracker too long in milk when I read or hear more stories of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Apparently we Americans are not able to grasp the deep seated, well-taught hatred that tribes in that part of the world hold. Perhaps one needs to have lived there to 'appreciate' the hate. Neither culture, not the Israeli nor Palestinian, are relevant in the 21st century. They are cemented in their historical roots, historic hate, and neither is wise enough to see a differing path other than killing.

Yet here we Americans are, sucked into this ancient tribal affair through an unnaturally resolute relationship with Israel. Obviously the Israeli propagandists are much more effective than the Palestinians in shaping our foreign policy. I wonder if that same lopsided patronage will continue throughout the Obama Administration.

One of the most perplexing comments that flowed from the mouths of many Americans after the 9-11 attacks was this: 'Why do they hate us so?' Obviously these Americans had not been paying attention to the American foreign policy in the past half-century. The subject 'they' of the phrase obviously referred to Muslims or Arabs. It is patently clear to those of us who pay attention to foreign affairs that our policy has been clearly viewed as unbalanced in the Arab/Muslim world. Perhaps that is why 'they' hate us.

Here we are in the 11 day of an assault on Gaza, an assault with American-supplied bombs and logistics, killing hundreds of Palestinians while our president says only that it was the fault of Hamas. Israeli and American flags are burned together on the streets of the Arab and Muslim countries all over the world. They know. They have known for years. They know why they hate us.