Upon hearing about the second Intifada (uprising) in Israel, for various reasons, I knew I could — had to — do something to end, resolve the situation.

I’ve spoken with “Jewish”* Zionists and Palestinians, and didn’t fit.

I finally realized, as stated by Mr. John Muir: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” It is impossible for me to write solely about Israel/Palestine.

In the beginning …

The universe is made of stories, not of atoms, Muriel Rukeyser
https://www.azquotes.com/quote/254095

“It begins with the end in mind” as we were told by Stephen R. Covey in his popular 1989 book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Buckminster Fuller said: “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

Or as I heard from Marshall Rosenberg Ph.D., founder of Nonviolent Communication, create a new model that is “more fun.” He also urged we speak about what we want/need, not what we don’t want/need. He also spoke of needs as not dependent on any one source, i.e. I could only get love from you, or — you are my problem. His model — see www.cnvc.org — begins with being clear and objective, not subjective.

Rosenberg proposed that much of the problems we have is not learning to speak in a nonviolent manner.  And much of nonviolent communication is really hearing and acknowledging the other person/people.

And let’s not forget . . . “Mutts.”
mutts.com/product/strip-110319/

So, beginning with the End in Mind:

Please visit the following websites and hear current voices seldom heard that are not promoted by our militaristic Congress or the Israeli government. Also note that while the following websites are directed to Israel/Palestine, similar voices are unheard in many other places in the world:

A Palestinian and an Israeli, Face to Face | Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon | TED
youtu.be/0juLRi90kRg

A Song of Hope: Israeli-Palestinian youth chorus wows ‘America’s Got Talent’
www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-palestinian-youth-chorus-wows-americas-got-talent

Breaking the Silence
www.breakingthesilence.org.il

American Friends of Combatants for Peace
www.afcfp.org/

Friends of Roots, Hear Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger’s “The Message of Roots in 7 Minutes”
www.friendsofroots.net/

Youth and Music Israel
www.youth-music.org.il/home

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134107

Consider: “We are not safe and secure until you feel safe and secure.”

A new Israel/Palestine — whatever it is called — can become a very much needed bridge between Western/European/White/Christian cultures and Middle Eastern and Eastern and other cultures.  Either we learn to get along, or we make some people happy with a nuclear World War III, and perhaps lose all of the modern technologies we —  especially living in cities — are dependent on for everything we need to survive.

Nonviolence International, Building a Global Culture of Nonviolence, Building Hope in Troubled Times
www.nonviolenceinternational.net/

The Center for Jewish Nonviolence
cjnv.org/

There are many people, I’ve heard, that believe — know — we are living in end times. They look forward to The Apocalypse, The huge war ending everything so they could live in Heaven. The few people I’ve asked about Heaven have no idea what it will be like, only that … it is Heaven!

I will ask, why can’t we create that Heaven without World War III? It just takes some effort.

I’ve heard many people are waiting for “The Messiah,” so I will ask them … Why wait for “God”? With a bit of creativity, we can become “the one” we are waiting for.

To borrow once more from Mr. Rosenberg, a future where “everyone has his needs met.”

Also register for the webinar at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 5:
Live from the 2024 Youth Peace Camp
Palestinian & Israeli Youth Together Against All Odds
sponsored by American Friends of the Parents Circle – Families Forum –
Palestinian and Israeli Bereaved Families for Peace

— By Victor Eskenazi

Author Victor Eskenazi is a Mountlake Terrace resident.